What will training involve?
There are many different skills you can learn through CFA. The particular ones you learn will be relevant to the role you choose. They could include basic firefighting, fire safety awareness, endorsed truck licence, first aid, leadership training, communications, and other skills which will also be valuable in your employment and private life. Training is conducted at the local Brigade, and at various training grounds around the state. Training times will differ between each Brigade, but are generally held on a weeknight or weekend.
Classes begin with a comprehensive warm-up, to ensure that the body is ready for physical training and to develop flexibility. During beginners’ courses, the main class will initially be split up into groups: one for beginners and one for more advanced students, ensuring that each group may be taught at an appropriate level and pace. The three sections of Karate training are: • Kihon (basic technique) – where blocks, strikes and stances, the fundamentals of Karate, are taught • Kata (forms/patterns) – an extended series of combination techniques representing symbolic defence against multiple assailants and containing the close-range techniques of Karate, and • Kumite (fighting/sparring) – where the techniques learned in Kihon and Kata are put to use against ‘real’ opponents.
A typical karate practice session usually begins with a comprehensive warm-up, followed by the various training exercises. The exercises are divided into three main categories: kihon (basic techniques), in which you learn the basic blocks, punches, kicks, stances, etc. of karate; kata (forms), in which you practice and physically remember the various kihon learned; and kumite (sparring), where your kihon and kata techniques are matched against a real opponent. As your skill level increases, so will the difficulty and degree of the exercises.
