So you’re looking for a martial arts school or maybe you’re looking for a school for your children. Either way there is a reason or motivation behind your desire to find a school. Understanding what you are looking for will make it easier to know when you have found what you are looking for.
Black belts come in all sizes and ages!
Shopping for a martial arts school can be confusing and a bit disconcerting. There are literally hundreds of martial arts styles from many countries. Pick up any copy of the Yellow Pages in any medium to large metropolitan area and you will likely see dozens of
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advertisements for a plethora of martial arts schools. There are masters, grand masters, champions, world champions, senseis and sifus. There is Kung Fu, T’ai Chi, Judo, Tae Kwon Do, Shotokan, Aikido, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Karate Do, Kendo, Hapkido and many other “Do’s” How can one sort them all out and begin to understand how to proceed?
Let’s begin with understanding why you are looking for a martial arts school. What got you interested? What do you expect to get out of martial arts? There a number of reasons that people typically seek martial arts training for themselves or their children. Here are a few of the common reasons:
Reasons Adults Study Martial Arts
I want to learn to defend myself.
I want a different kind of workout than the local gym or health club.
I want a total body workout that includes cardio kickboxing. I want to develop self-confidence, self-esteem, selfdiscipline.
I want to study martial arts traditions and styles as an art form.
I want to compete in martial arts tournaments.
I want to lose weight and get in shape.
I want to learn to become more focused (hey even adults need focus and structure!)
I want to become better at setting goals and achieving them.
I want to learn more about traditional martial arts values and ethics: humility, respect, honor, determination, perseverance, etc.
Respect and confidence are key qualitiesFor our children, the common reasons are similar:
Reasons Children Study Martial Arts
I want my child to learn to defend himself/herself. I want my child to become involved in a vigorous physical activity.
I want my child to develop self-confidence, self-esteem, self-discipline, respect.
I want my child to learn more about goal setting and personal achievement.
I want my child to learn traditional martial arts values and ethics: humility, respect, honor, determination, perseverance, etc.
I want my child to learn to become better focused to help him or her out in school and in life.
These two lists are pretty much carbon copies of virtually every advertisement you will ever see for any martial arts school. Somewhere in the promotional materials for any self-respecting school will be these key values, benefits and selling points. You the shopper must beware because while almost every school will claim to meet these needs, not all will really deliver the goods. This eBook will help you better understand what you should look for and ultimately what your study of the martial arts should include. If you study martial arts as they have been studied for centuries and learn the many qualities and skills that a true martial artist seeks to develop, you will achieve all of the objectives identified in the previous lists.