Shin Karate Klubas

Is karate just fighting an opponent? Or strikes thrown into thin air?

Kyokushin karate is a contact martial art that originated in Japan, one that builds not only physical strength but also character. Its foundation is discipline, respect, endurance, focus and constant self-improvement.

Kyokushin training brings together three main parts: kihon – basic karate techniques: stances, strikes and blocks. Kata – a set sequence of techniques in which precision, power, control, rhythm and focus matter. Kumite – sparring with an opponent, which lets you put the techniques you've learned into practice.

Out of a wish to introduce as many people as possible to this remarkable martial art, the kyokushin karate sports club "Shin" was born in Vilnius in 2008, founded by Dmitrijus Aleksandrovas – a member of the Lithuanian Kyokushin Karate Federation and, today, a 5th dan master.

Dmitrijus Aleksandrovas is a former high-level athlete, a multiple European champion, and a Top 8 finisher at the World Championship.

Starting out as a small community, the club has grown and expanded over the years, building a strong team of professionals. Members of the Lithuanian national team, participants, medallists and champions of European and World Championships who have won top honours on the international stage have all trained here. The club's athletes have also visited karate's birthplace, Japan, more than once.

Today "Shin" brings together a large, versatile team of coaches, with director Inga Baronienė overseeing the club's smooth day-to-day running.

"Shin"'s coaching team unites athletes of different generations and professionals with years of experience:

Top-level coaches: two-time world champion and multiple European champion Margarita Čiuplytė, and World Championship medallist Diana Balsytė – among the club's most prominent sporting talents.

Champion-building coaches: Ieva Krivickaitė and Agnė Sabaliauskaitė have developed more than one top-level athlete – a member of the Lithuanian national team, a national champion and medallist. Ieva also actively contributes to social, charitable and community initiatives.

Athletes who grew up in the club and became coaches: Lithuanian national team member and European champion Miglė Sabaliauskaitė, national team member Valerija Žukova, and Jelizaveta Aleksandrova now pass on their sporting experience to the club's younger generation.

An expert in tradition and Japanese culture: Audrius Vaitiekėnas – a top-level coach with a deep knowledge not only of karate technique but also of Japanese culture and martial-arts tradition.

The club's wider coaching community: Gintarė Jankauskė, Rokas Kazlauskas, Liudas Vaitiekūnas, Donatas Naimavičius, Ignas Asejevas and other members of the "Shin" community also contribute to training athletes and to the club's day-to-day life.

Organisational and creative work: director Inga Baronienė takes care of the club's smooth day-to-day running, while Jelizaveta Aleksandrova and other team members contribute to events, camps, communications and creative initiatives.

But "Shin"'s goal is not simply to raise champions. The club aims for every person, regardless of age or the path they choose, to discover physical strength, self-confidence, discipline and community through karate.

"Shin" is not just a sports club, but a large, close-knit family, whose members are bound by shared experiences, genuine connection, and a love of sport and of one another. This community knows how to blend karate tradition with creativity, so its activity is not limited to training and competition alone – it also comes through in camps, events and new artistic projects that let people encounter the martial art in unexpected forms.