Generally which martial art, and more importantly which school to choose are fundamental decisions someone should make.
My answer is usually something along the lines of, “Choose the school and the system that you are going to stick with and stay with it for the rest of your life.” The reality is that the answer is going to be different for every person.
I will talk in very broad terms about different martial arts, and what to look for in a school.
Ultimately every teacher, at every school, in every system is going to be completely different.
So many schools out there claim to be teaching, “The ultimate, deadliest, most secret, guarded system of self defense ever invented by the gods of combat.” To be quite blunt – they are full of crap.
Some martial arts schools can become very cult like as well, and this is where the cognitive dissonance comes in.
Let’s start with you If I can help you answer a few key questions about yourself and your interests, you will have done most of the work toward picking out a martial arts school that is best for you.
Again, every single teacher in every different school is going to be different.
If Kendo interests you, but the nearest school is 200 miles away – it may not be a practical choice.
You can certainly look through your yellow pages to find schools close to you or ask people you know if they know of any schools.
Some practical things to consider are school location and proximity to home / work, costs and your ability to pay dues and other fees, class schedule and how it fits into your schedule.
You should narrow down your potential list of schools based on your criteria, but you should still plan on visiting more than one to give you a sense of comparison.
Choosing a school The following are a list of things I suggest you look for when choosing a school or instructor.
oWhen you call the school, are all your questions answered, and answered honestly? Sometimes someone will answer the phone that may not be able to answer all your questions.
How else can you determine if you want to study there? Your best bet is to try out several different schools to give you some comparison.
oWhen you visit the school, is the practice safe, or are students allowed to train in dangerous ways or without proper supervision? oIs the school itself hygienic and free from unsafe conditions? oDo students and teachers show respect toward everyone? This extends beyond formal bowing and address to making sure everyone is learning and nobody is being abused.
oBe very wary of cult-like schools that try to up-sell you to intensified black belt programs and the like.
If something about the school doesn’t sit right with you, then it probably isn’t right.
Remember that choosing the right teacher and the right school is more important than the actual style.
If you choose a school that you enjoy, study with a teacher you like, and train with students that inspire you – you are likely to stick with your martial art.
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