Tips on Finding Your First Martial Arts School

Different people take up martial arts for different reasons: physical exercise, mental exercise, self-defense, meeting new people, or to increase self-esteem, just to name a few.  I am no expert on various martial arts and their differences, however, from my experience I’ve found that apart from a recommendation from a friend, the best thing would be to research schools in your area. The best place to start would be the internet. Most sites will have information about the instructors’ credentials. Look for references to lineage or national and/or international affiliations. I would recommend, for your first foray into martial arts, to find the most experienced instructor you can. After this, book a trial class with a particular school and discuss your objectives with the head instructor.

Once you’re at the school or dojo there are certain things to look out for and consider:

How the school treats beginners and new-comers:

It could be a cultural thing, but I tend to feel a little apprehensive around teachers who are too casual, especially when your safety is in their hands. The opposite could be the case for you. Either way, you must be comfortable with the way you are welcomed into the place, and by whom. It says a lot about the place when it is the head instructor who takes you during your first class. As a beginner, you are the biggest liability to the place at that very time.

Attention to safety:

In this highly litigious day and age, it is very understandable for a school to become overly cautious with regard to safety and insurance etc. As a general guide, try to think of yourself training at the place without such securities. Would you still train if you were wholly responsible for your safety? In other words, are the students reckless with each other, or do they train with respect for each others’ abilities and capabilities (please note the difference).

The prevailing attitude:

There ought to be a sense of community, unless you really don’t like that sort of thing. How well do all the students greet and get along each other? After all, if you’re going to commit so much time to the place, you might as well enjoy it. It’s also easier to train regularly when you’re looking forward to seeing your friends.

Fees and cleanliness:

I believe that looking after the dojo (which includes cleaning) ought to be part of the training. I grew up in the 80s and 90s. Oh yeah, I watched “The Karate Kid”! Be wary of a school that looks too flashy. Chances are you are paying for professional maintenance in your fees. Why pay for something you can do yourself?

My brother refuses to train at a school that isn’t clean. He’s accustomed to a school that gets cleaned on a daily basis. However, if one is after the street-fighting experience, levels of cleanliness are really not so pertinent. Hygiene however, is always important, as part of your personal safety.

Also in comparing fees, you must look at what sort of attention you are receiving from the instructors against what you are paying. There are some martial arts that are easier to teach en masse and others which really do require a lot of attention from the beginner.

Ultimately, it is a personal matter. The key is to ascertain why you want to take up a martial art in the first place, then find the school that is able to provide a safe and challenging environment in which to learn that suits your lifestyle and budget. I recommend that the points above be considered before looking at start-up fees and uniform costs; as once you’ve found the right school for you, and have stuck with it, those initial administrative fees don’t really matter.

You have to bear in mind that to arrive at a decent level at any martial art, it does take years, not weeks or months. I hope this article helps in making your choice!