To reap
the best benefits
from martial arts, they should be taken as long term
activities rather
than short term. Given this suggestion, one should not just simply walk
into the closest martial arts studio and sign up right away without
doing some research. Not all martial arts are alike and not all schools
or studios are alike either. Therefore, it is important to really think
about what your own needs are with respect to martial arts training.
The
discussion of which martial art style to take is too extensive for this
article. So what I will say here is that there are differences in the
various styles of martial arts which may result in some being more
suitable for certain individuals compared to others. Do some research
on the different styles and do visit the classes of different studios
that teach different martial arts if possible. But more important is
each individual school’s approach to teaching their martial arts. Many
martial arts schools teach only techniques and forms (set routines)
that are specific to a traditional style. These schools follow the ways
that the original founders of each martial art style developed and they
have continued with minimal variance over the years.
Other
studios like to
borrow techniques from a variety of martial art disciplines and
integrate a mix into their programs. Some schools are non-traditional
and adopt a more open free style system which incorporates traditional
martial art techniques with gymnastics and open choreography of forms.
There are many clubs that do both traditional and open styles. Each
school will claim that their martial art style and method of teaching
is superior to others. Prospective students must not take these claims
too seriously and choose an approach that would be best suited for them
on an individual basis.
Many
advertisements
for martial arts schools push the backgrounds of their higher ranking
instructors as a way to attract students. It is important to realize
that the more degrees (or dans) a particular black belt has don’t
always mean that the individual is a better instructor. This is the
same with instructors who have very successful competition records.
There is no correlation to the number of world championship titles won
with how good an instructor is.
The
term ’master’
should also be taken with caution. A master doesn’t always make an
excellent instructor. The teaching style of different instructors can
vary. Some use the old Asian masters’ approach where discipline is
strictly enforced much like in the military. While general discipline
is actually a good attribute to learn from martial arts training, some
of the old ways of teaching, particularly reprimanding students vocally
or physically for incorrect techniques may be considered a bit harsh
for today’s society.
This
is why it is
important to watch classes of prospective martial arts schools you are
interested in. You want to see the teaching style of an instructor to
determine if it’s a style that would be compatible with you or not. Ask
questions after instructors have finished teaching. If you have the gut
feeling that certain instructors will not be right for you, move on to
find another club. Most legitimate schools will allow prospective
students to witness or even try out a class for free before joining.
Related
to teaching
styles, some instructors emphasize safety more than others. The use of
protective equipment and certain rules while sparring are factors. In
addition to asking instructors, also ask other students about injury
rates and their general feedback about the classes (ideally when they
are outside of their schools). Another point on the students is that
some schools attract a certain type of student profile. Observe the
other students and decide whether these are people you would like to
train with.
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