What things do you think make a good Martial Arts school?

Answer 1

Much depends on what an individual looks for, but at my clubs I expect the following to be true:

1) A friendly and welcoming environment for everyone.
2) Knowledgable and properly certified black belt instructors to lead every class (color belts can assist, but black belt instructors lead and observe everything.)
3) Open door policy which allows anyone, to observe any class, at any time. (provided they are respectful, of course.)
4) Transparency in the financial operations of the studio - be up front and open with prospective new students as to costs - no hidden fees
5) Take time to answer student questions, and encourage them to ask all the questions they have
6) A focus on a friendly, respectful, supportive, challenging, and enjoyable environment for everyone - students learning, staff members assisting, instructors teaching.

I run an organization called Triangle Martial Arts (www.TriangleMAA.org) We provide instructor training for all of our black belt certified instructors and our color belt assistant instructors in all sorts of topics including business, teaching, safety, leadership, mentoring, physchology, sports injuries and so on.

A good martial arts school is somewhere you want to be, don't want to leave, and can't wait to get back to. It challenges you on many different levels - mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally. It supports you during tought times, encourages you during good times, and aks you for help when necessary. It provides continuous learning opportunites for everyone at the club - including the most senior ranking black belt instructors. It invites guest instructors to lead seminars, it gets involved in the surrounding communties activities and offers students a chance to help out.

In other words - a good school becomes an integral part of you life - not just a hobby :) At least, that's what has happened to me lol.


Ken C
9th Dan HapMoosaKi-Do
8th Dan TaeKwon-Do
7th Dan YongChul-Do

Answer 2

Hallo!
In my experiences I've found a lot of Martial Arts Instructors and very few Masters.In a good Martial school(No differences between East or West arts)first come the Respect for you and for an Enemy.This is the Way of the Warrior,not the way of Violence.Second is the Communicative,the difficult art of make in a simple way a lot of complex movements!The mastership on the Techniques and the variations are the third.If these 3 things are present in the teachers you have a lot of chance to have found a good Martial Arts School.
:)
Walter

Answer 3

I think that there are a bunch of things that make up a good martial arts school. It really all depends on what it is you're looking for in a school.
First and foremost, if you're looking to learn to beat people up, don't go. That's not why you should learn, just to fight.
If you're learning to get in shape, to be able to defend yourself and to better focus your body and mind into working together better, then here are my suggestions:
1) Find a school that can easily have its lineage traced.
Don't just go to Earl's House of Breaking Boards with your Head. So many students open their own schools and teach their perspective on the art form that they were taught. What this does is eventually skew the art and you wind up learning what essentially someone else feels that they should teach you according to their own philosophies and losing some of what was originally intended.
2) Research the style that you want to learn.
Each style of Martial Arts has its own reason for being created and used. Some are beautiful and fluid, some are used strictly for attacking, others are harsh and use sharp movements. Make sure you keep this all in mind when you're choosing the school and style that you're looking to learn, it's important to what it is that you hope to take away from this.
3) Think about whether or not you're devoted enough to put the time and money into learning this martial art.
Seriously, its not just a community college class. You don't get a certificate or a diploma when you're done. IF you're dedicated, its a way of life, a philosophy that changes you from the core outward. If you'd just like to take a few classes and drop out, fine. However, if you hope to truly learn something and grow as a human being, think about the time that you'll put into your style and dedicate yourself to it.

Answer 4

there are things that are "standard" meaning a MUST (or you aren't really learning anything) and things that are subjective. I'll put the standard things first.

STANDARD: (in this order)
1- resistance/realistic training and sparring/drills (progressive resistance is the norm, but by progressive i mean working up to full resistance rather quickly)
If you are a martial artist you MUST (be) fighting. how can you learn to play piano without a piano?

2- good instruction where the instructor actually takes a hands on approach to teaching

3- see #1

4- concern if the students are learning and giving attention to those that are obviously trying but having trouble.

5- sparring gear is ok, and necessary so you can train longer and harder without worrying that your co-workers will ask you about "fight club" then next day every time you attend class, however I shouldn't feel like I'm suiting up for sparring with wasters, bokuto or other weapons.

SUBJECTIVE: (no particular order)

1- NOT looking to hand out belts/rank for longevity, if you haven't attained "black" belt and people that joined 3 years after you have, there is a reason for it (or at least there should be).

2- wide variety of body types. You don't need 100 students, or even 20, just so long as there is a wide range of body types to attempt techniques and train against/with.

3- month to month billing. Its a personal thing I know that, I don't like long term or even mid or short term contracts. Maybe its not right all the time, but I feel that a school is telling me that they have trouble keeping students if they have to lock me in for a year because they lack faith in thier technique and teaching to keep me wanting to come back.

4- small classes, but not so small you don't get to train with different people of different size, strength and body-type. personally, I prefer to train with the guy who weighs much more than me and is stronger, I'm not small myself, but if I can get it off against a fully resisting guy with a definitive size/stregth advantage, I know I'm doing it right.

5- laid back atmosphere. check your ego at the door, leave your belt in the locker. so what if you are a black belt and the 1999 kata champion of TKD. I'm not here to meet a standard to recieve a rank, I want to improve as a fighter. ranks only get in the way, if you consistantly get the better of me in full resistance drills and sparring- you are higher rank than me.

6- the teacher should respect and incorporate prior MA experience into what you are learning. Ironically this is kind of a key for me, I don't train in a vaccum and I'm not training for a specific competitive setting so learning ONLY those techniques is not acceptable to me. If I was training at a boxing gym with an emphasis on competing in the sport, ok, but I'm not. Again, this is a personal thing based on my preferences and won't/can't apply to all gyms or what all people look for in a gym. call it an "and one".

7- the school should not waste time on making you do cardio or excercise outside of learning techniques, I know how to do push ups and sit ups on my own. If you are too fat and lazy to do them, then hire a personal trainer to mativate you. Don't waste my dollars that should be spent on learning technique and application, which is what I'm there for. If you are a serious martial artist- or athelete then you will do this on your own, if not 15-20 minuites of moderately difficult activity of the type done typically, is not going to make much of a difference. 15-20 minuites extra means 15-20 minuites extra of learning, drilling, sparring or correcting your mistakes (or having them pointed out). That is far more valuable.

Answer 5

The location of the school
The environment
The instructors
How many students are in the class

I had my eyes on my Taekwondo school for about a week. It was the only school that was near where I live. And its with in walking distance of where I live.

Answer 6

Never sign a contract.
Never pay for rank testing.
Look for a clean school with respectful people.
Look for a teacher that has direct lineage to the founder of the art.
Ask to observe the contact drills and kumite.
Ask to take free classes.
It should not be insanely expensive.
Use your own ability to be logical, if what they are doing looks like it is dumb (like flying kick techniques and head kicks) then it most likely is dumb. Self-defense should be practical, not complicated.

Good luck!

Answer 7

Read "In The Dojo," by Dave Lowry

Answer 8

The teacher.

If the teacher knows nothing then you have nothing to learn.

Answer 9

how many students what they offer in as far as training and tournament trophies.