Welcome to Petaluma Karate Club
Traditional Karate-Do for All Ages
Petaluma Karate Club teaches traditional Shotokan Karate and is a member of the International Shotokan Karate Federation (ISKF).
The word KARATE is a combination of two Japanese characters:
KARA, 
meaning empty
TE, 
meaning hand. Thus, karate means "empty hand."
The suffix "-do" 
has numerous meanings including road, path, route, and way. It implies that karate is not just a self-defense system but a way of life.
For more information, visit our information page on the history and philosophy of Shotokan Karate.
Benefits of Karate Training
Karate as a way of life offers many benefits beyond self-defense. Some of the benefits include:
- Respect
- Discipline
- Heightened Awareness
- Improved Concentration
- Fitness
"The ultimate aim of the art of Karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the characters of its participants."
- Gichin Funakoshi