Jeshurun's Mind: How To:

How To Choose A Martial Arts School

The importance of choosing a martial arts school wisely cannot be overemphasized. The criteria for selecting a martial arts school should be guided by how well and satisfactorily it meets the needs of a prospective student. This is because just as all martial arts are not alike, all schools or studios are not alike either.

While the primary focus of some martial arts schools is competition and self defense, others devote their training to character building and personal development. It is therefore very essential to ascertain from the beginning what one hopes to gain from the martial arts training, and to realize that taking martial arts as long term and not short terms activities brings the best benefits. 

In order to choose and subsequently sign up with the best martial arts school, depending on one’s preferences, thorough research is mandatory. For instance, if an individual wants to know the most suitable martial arts style for him or her, researching on the different styles and visiting classes of different schools that offer different martial arts would be most appropriate.     

While some martial arts schools and studios teach techniques and forms that are more inclined to a traditional style, others integrate into their programs a mix of techniques borrowed from various martial arts disciplines. Others, however, incorporate martial arts styles and techniques with gymnastics and other open styles. As has been the custom in the past, each martial arts school will claim that their methods of teaching and martial arts styles are second to none. It is therefore advisable for prospective students to take these claims with a pinch of salt and chose the approach that suits them best. 

One common way that many martial arts schools use to attract students is placing advertisements that highlight the backgrounds and achievements of their higher ranking instructors. A prospective student should understand that the number of degrees, belts or even successful competition records an instructor has, does not automatically make him or her the best instructor. Likewise, the designation of one as a master does not necessarily mean that the individual is an excellent instructor. 

Teaching styles may vary from one instructor to another. For example, some instructors use the approach of the old Asian masters to strictly enforce discipline, while others are somehow a bit lenient. At the same time, old methods of teaching such as vocal or physical reprimand of students for wrong techniques may be viewed as incongruous in the contemporary society. Needless to say, this therefore underscores the need for a prospective student to visit classes of the preferred martial arts school and keenly watch the teaching style of the instructor. This helps in determining whether the teaching style is the most compatible and whether the prospective student will feel comfortable with that instructor.

An instructor who takes time to make the students understand the lesson is much more helpful, regardless of whether he or she is highly ranked or not. Asking plenty of questions and seeking the general feedback of other students is also very essential. If an individual is choosing a martial arts school or studio for his or her child, that child should not be taken along for the first time. This is because most schools, which may not be the best, can easily convince the child to want to do classes there. 

When planning the training budget, it is worthwhile to know that the location, condition, equipment and membership fee of a martial arts training facility factor in the overall cost of training. But whatever the case, the most important thing is to do intensive preliminary research and never join a school without being completely sure it will best suit all the training needs.