Paul Atkin has been kicking, punching and teaching Karate for three decades. He took over the Kelowna Karate and Fitness Club from his father.

"I won a competition that was in Vegas, the North American Championships. Got me to move to Japan for a year, studied out there, came back, made it full-time. So we've been in this location for 15 years now," says Atkins.

The sensei is a fifth-degree black belt who just won double gold in kata and kumite at the recent national Japan Karate Association (JKA) Karate Championships in Toronto. In spite of that, he remains humble.

"It doesn't need to be about competition. I always ask members, why are you here? What do you want to get out of this? Some people just want to try something different.

"There's levels to everything my sensei got me to where I can stand on my own... at a world level," says Atkins.

A karate workout typically involves a combination of physical exercises and martial arts techniques which aim to build strength, flexibility, agility and cardiovascular health while developing self-defence skills and mental discipline.

"The dojo should be a place that you make mistakes to discover yourself, being with supportive people that want to see the best out of you."

Atkins says the club is getting ready for expansion with plans to open a gym in West Kelowna in August.

For more information contact Atkins at [email protected] or visit www.kelownakarate.ca.