GIRLS OF THE DOJO: (L-R) Maia Ireland-Blake, 14, Chris Gower, and Tasha Keddy, 14.

TOUGH economic times are forcing a 10-year-old karate club to pack up their gi and move out of the central city.

Martial arts clubs in Wellington have been hit hard, says sensei Chris Gower, owner of Mt Victoria Dojo.

“In the last three months I know of three clubs that either have shifted or are intending to shift out of the city centre because the economy hasn’t allowed them to get through these hard months,” says Chris.

Despite growing membership to 200-strong during the recession, rising rent and the downsizing of Chris’s business which supports the club means Mt Victoria Dojo will move to cheaper premises in Mt Cook in February.

Far from glum, however, the 5th degree black belt is excited. He’s leaving his company so he can teach kyokushin karate full time and believes he can grow his club to 250 members.

The club will use Scottish Athletics Clubhouse, which Chris says is better than the existing club on Home St, because it has a sorely needed car park, more suitable training areas, and access to the town belt.

FIGHTING FIT: Eleven-year-old Jeremy Lee shows the sensei how it's done.

“The trees are mature, there are few native trees around, there’s a creek coming on down through there, and you wouldn’t know that you’re in the middle of a city – it’s just an amazing little unknown nook,” he says.

Chris will spend six to eight weeks after Christmas upgrading the training area while Scottish retrofits the showers and changing room.

“The building itself is needing some work and also upgrading to improve what they offer, so … we will basically be able to help them out doing that, so it’s a bit of a mutual deal,” he says.

“We are absolutely rapt; we can’t wait to get in here and start doing some changes.”

The club spent 10 months looking for a new facility with help from a Wellington City Council grant and property advisor, but few venues could come to a compromise that suited the dojo.

The deal with Scottish is a part of the council’s promotion to consolidate sports clubs and resources across the city.

Mt Victoria Dojo was formed in 1999 by Chris and his wife Jill, a 2nd-dan (second degree black belt) who also teaches at the dojo.

While the club began teaching mostly children, its growth from 50 to 200 members since 2001 has been a role model for SPARC and other clubs across the country.

The club boasts an unusual number of high-degree black belts and members’ ages range from 4 to 60.

Chris, who has been practising kyokushin for over 30 years, has held the New Zealand title in his weight category for seven years and was the first New Zealander to win a kyokushin world title in 2005.

The club has also performed admirably. Chris took 21 students to a tournament in Tokyo last year where several made it to the quarter finals.

“That’s an impressive result,” says Chris, adding that Japanese kids take to karate like Kiwi kids to the rugby ball and, instead of parks, they have halls.