Choosing the Right Karate School

There are so many styles to choose from, and because of this, choosing the right school can be difficult.

Many people ask all of the wrong questions when trying to find a martial arts school. The most common among them is "Which style is the best?" Every martial art has benefits and weaknesses.

The questions you ask should be about the instructors, the organization that they teach for, what their experience is, and how they handle students with both mental and physical handicaps.

If the instructor is reluctant to work with students with developmental issues like ADD, ADHD, down syndrome, autism, or any physical disability, it generally means they have very little patience for teaching in the classroom. If they don't have the patience to deal with these kids, what happens if any "normal" kid comes in on an off, or bad day? Are they going to kick them out of class, chastise them in front of everyone, or just plain ignore them for the day?

You should also look for a school that has a good background and find out who the founders are. There are many self-proclaimed "Grand Masters" but few of them actually have the credentials to back up their claims. Many individual instructors will also try to market themselves as "World Champions" or claim various other titles to pad their resume for potential buyers. I have met many actual world champions, have trained underneath them, and work with some on a weekly basis. Many of them have traveled the world competing, hence the title "World Champion." However impressive this may be, it still comes down to their ability to teach the class. They might be the best competitor to come along this century, but if they don't know how to share their knowledge in a way that will benefit others, it becomes a useless tool in their career.

Look for a professional organization that has established itself in the community it serves. There are a lot of martial arts schools that are open for a couple of years, and one day, just decide to close their doors, for an unknown reason. There is no communication about what caused this sudden change, but more often than not, it is because of a lack of quality instruction, or a lack of professionalism, which causes student retention to lessen, and ultimately causes a school to close it's doors.

Schedule a meeting with the Head Instructor or Manager and ask them questions about how they teach. Kids learn through fun, but also need a disciplined atmosphere. Is the instructor your talking to able to balance fun and discipline?

Ask to observe a class and see how the instructors treat the students, both child, youth, and adult. If they show respect to the adults, but not the children, it typically means your child will not get what he or she needs from the class, and vice versa.

Does the instructor show off by practicing on the students, but not other instructors? Does he carry a sense of professionalism even though he may be in a frustrating situation?

Most importantly, find out what quality martial arts training is. Do the instructors use different methods to teach all the kids the same technique? I.E... Do they demonstrate, and use hands on instruction versus saying "Now do it like this"? Do the explain the technique or do they just expect the students to figure it out?

Low-quality martial arts can help instill confidence and discipline. It can be good for self-esteem. What happens though when a student actually needs to use what they were taught? If they are learning a low quality version of their art, they will instantly lose their confidence when they need to defend themselves and it doesn't work.

The instructors should use positive reinforcement rather than comment on how "bad" something was. There will always be things to correct, but by only focusing on the negative, and never recognizing any of the positive things you or your child is doing, it leads to frustration, a lack of confidence, and ultimately the loss of their desire to continue learning their art. You will, of course, hear a good instructor comment on the quality of a technique, but should also hear something positive the student is doing, or remark on the progress they make from one technique to the next.

The last thing I would like to add is this; Martial arts is a lifestyle. It is a sport. It devleops life skills and will help with gross motor planning. It should be thought of something to be continued for years, through the ups and downs, and should be thought of not only a form of exercise, but also as a way to develop oneself. The reason people that love martial arts want to teach, is because they realize how important of an impact martial arts have been in their lives. They want to share the joy and the frustration they've had with others. It is about perfection. Martial arts should be thought of as the yin or the yang to the American lifestyle of instant gratification. There is no greater reward than having to put everything you can into earning a belt, and receiving it, even if it's not on the first attempt.

National Karate Schools : My Blog

What has your experience been like, while shopping for a karate school? Is there any advice you can recommend others that are in the process of shopping around?