Hey All,

I’ve received several emails and had many conversations with people wanting to get started in martial arts for the first time, or get their kids involved. I’ve finally decided to publish what I’ve told people. I hope it helps with your journey into martial arts.

So you (or your child) want to explore the martial arts. This is wonderful. Martial arts training can provide you (or your child) with confidence, respect, discipline, athletic ability (coordination, balance, strength). Here are several things to keep in mind while looking for a martial arts school:

1) Figure how far you are willing to drive. I find that typically people are willing to drive about 30 minutes to get to class.

2) Know your price range, prices will vary based on geographical location, and market competition, etc. So find out what the pricing is like and know what you’re truly willing to spend. Training in martial arts should never level you tight on cash.

3) Know what nights are best for you. Typically to see any continual improvement, you will need to attend at least twice a week (or train on your own).

4) Call various martial arts clubs and find out what time their classes are, and what age group that covers. You want to find a club that fits your comfort level. I have found that many people like to train with people around their age group (within 10 to 15 years). So there’s no point in attending classes if you are 35yrs old and the average age of the group is 16 yrs old.

5) Try a couple of different types of martial arts namely: Wushu ( a form of Kung Fu that covers both empty hands and weapons. It is every athletic, and used in the movies, and is known as a performance art, most children love doing this), Karate (not as flashing as wushu but still very excellent, also enjoyed by kids), Tae Kwon Do (similar to Karate, but are more focused on kicking) Jujitsu or Judo (these arts focus mostly on wrestling & grappling). Wing Chun or Jeet Kune Do are more focused on functionality, Wing Chun also hold more of the traditions in the martial arts than JKD. Note that both Tae Kwon Do and Judo are Olympic events.

6) Check out the classes. Go and visit a potential school during the time of the class you (or your child) would participate in. This will help you get a feel of traffic, and the class attendance, and teacher to student ratio.

During this first visit, ask to watch the class. If they don’t let you watch a class or don’t schedule a time for you to watch, just say ‘thank you’ and leave (they are not worth your time or money). Most schools will allow you to watch a class.

While watching the class (with your child ask your child what they think. See if there is interest there. If there isn’t any interest it may not be the best place for them), keep an eye on and ask questions about the following things:

a) Teacher to student ratio
b) Does the Head instructor or instructors teach the majority of the classes, or his senior students?
c) What does the equipment look like (are their focus mitts, kicking bags, and shields look like they are going to fall apart?) If they do, their may be a greater chance of injury, most insurance companies require the school owner to maintain any equipment used.
d) What is the instructor like with the kids? Is he or she very rigid and gruff with the kids or is approachable and likable to the kids, but still maintain order and discipline. Different kids like different types of instructors. So if your child has any interest, ask him what they think of the instructor. This rule applies if you are also looking for yourself. Some of us like an instructor that is a motivator and approachable, and others like the ‘Military Drill Sargent’
e) Does the room (Dojo/Kwoon/Studio) they are training in seem crowded or is there enough room for everyone?
f) Do the students look like they are enjoying themselves.
g) Do the students look like they have a lot of injuries? If they do, it may be a ‘very physical school’.
h) When do students start sparring? Some schools start students right away, and others put a basic level of skill learn before sparring starts, Some schools don’t do any sparring.

7) If you (our your child) is interested in the class, ask the instructor or club owner if you (or your kid) can try a class for free to see if they like it. If the instructor or owner says ‘No’, then say thanks and move on to the next school. May schools do allow you (or your child) to try one or two classes. (If it is for your child: When you return, watch the class with your child, if there are other parents, ask them questions about the school, instructor, and classes).

If you (or your child) still wants to participate after the class, inquire about the payment options, and if there are any additional costs (uniforms, membership fees, insurance fees, organizational fees, etc). Typically schools will have monthly, 6 months and yearly payment options. I would suggest in trying and 6 month option, this way your child gets to experience the training, and you can find out at the end of it if they wish to pursue more training.

Visit a couple of schools before you make your final decision.

If you ever feel pressured to sign up, don’t. You (and your child) should feel good about signing up.

Your Journey into martial arts should always be a enjoyable one, but also a challenging one. As you will be learning both mentally, physically and spiritually! So take your time, and enjoy the journey!

Keep Training, Keep Praying, Keep Learning,
Chuck

Canadian WingChun Fellowship

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 14th, 2007 at 11:10 am and is filed under Commentary, Training Tips.You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.