Getting Started in Martial Arts

A common New Year’s resolution is to begin practicing a martial art in order to get in shape, learn how to defend yourself, or simply to meet some new friends who share a common interest. Unfortunately it can be challenging to find a good instructor in a convenient location who fits your needs. I’m here to help. Before I begin, however, allow me to quickly set the stage…

 Student/teacher interactions are complex, especially in the field of martial arts where instructors hold a higher-degree of power over their students than in other disciplines. While a school teacher can flunk you, he or she works for an institution with strict bylaws, governance, and oversight. If a professor does something inappropriate, there is virtually always a review board and dispute resolution process to follow. A martial arts instructor, on the other hand, can kill you. Literally. Furthermore, he or she often runs his or her own school with limited, if any, oversight by an association of that style, particularly in the United States (some European countries have stricter oversight). Consequently such relationships need to be deeply founded on trust, integrity, and honesty. That is one of many reasons why finding the right teacher is far more important than choosing which art to study.

 Here is how to begin:

 No matter how good an instructor you ultimately find, he or she will only add value if the curriculum taught addresses your learning goals. Consequently the first thing you need to determine is why you are interested in martial arts in the first place. Are you looking for character development, physical conditioning, mental discipline, self-defense, weapons forms, any or all of the above, or something completely different? Are you looking to achieve rank and promotions or just pick up some new skills?

 Our interests in the martial ways generally evolve and change over time. As children we may be drawn to martial arts simply because it is fun. Building strength, balance and coordination is definitely rewarding, yet the most beneficial aspect for many youths is the enhancement of self-esteem that comes from surmounting challenges and receiving promotions throughout the training. Parents likely appreciate the discipline and conditioning aspects more than their children do. Many of my student’s parents have remarked that their child pays better attention in school as a result of his or her karate training.

 As young adults, we may be more concerned with the competitive aspects of our art. Let’s face it, trophies are cool. Social interactions and physical conditioning become more important as teenagers and as we reach college age the ability to defend ourselves from potential adversaries often becomes a draw. As we reach our late 30s or early 40s, however, many practitioners begin looking for something deeper, such as internal (ki or chi) training, character development, or even spiritual enlightenment.

 New students should choose the art they wish to pursue in large part by selecting the person who will be teaching it rather than the specific style that is taught. To begin, the fundamentals of fitness are universal. Style doesn’t matter if you want to get in shape. Competent instruction in a safe learning environment is paramount. Further, because there are only a limited number of vital areas on the body that can be manipulated, struck, or otherwise damaged by a martial practitioner, and there are only a limited number of ways that each joint in the body can move, every martial art shares certain common components. Emphasis and strategies will differ, of course, but techniques (e.g., punching, kicking, grappling, and throwing) overlap.

Tai chi, for example, metaphorically boils an egg from the inside out with its predilection for internal energy. Karate, on the other hand, boils that egg from the outside in as it begins with an emphasis on external power. Advanced practitioners of both arts are able to harness both internal and external energy, so either way you ultimately get the same (metaphorically) boiled egg. Remember, the same hot water that hardens an egg turns a potato to mush, so it's not the environment that matters so much as what you do with it. The mental aspects of martial arts can carry you far in life.

 Once you know what you are generally looking for, you will need to find an instructor who can fulfill those needs. The best source is obviously a referral by someone who knows you well, understands how you learn, and also knows someone appropriate who teaches martial arts. If you do not have friends or relatives who can refer you to an excellent instructor, however, you can start by doing an online search for instructors in your local area.

 Make a list of schools nearby and visit them. A good initial approach is to ascertain the emphasis of each instructor. Much of this can be understood simply by walking through the door. Schools whose front windows are crowded with trophies most likely have an emphasis on tournament fighting and competition. The presence of pads and headgear may reinforce this initial impression. Depending upon you age and interests, this may or may not be attractive. Stacks of tatami or other practice mats indicate a propensity for grappling techniques. Racks of weapons offer an obvious clue to the availability of such training. The presence of traditional tools used for conditioning exercises such as nigiri game (gripping jars) and makiwara (striking posts), suggests a traditional approach, one that bodes well if your goal is character development.

You can tell a lot about how a school is run by looking across the training floor while a class is in session. Ask if you can observe a class. Virtually all reputable instructors are happy to have you do so. As things proceed throughout the session are students standing around looking confused or does everyone appear to be actively engaged in the learning process? Are they talking or working? Do students and teachers interact in a respectful manner? Are students corrected in a positive way when they make a mistake? Is there an appropriate level of supervision?

 If the dojo (school) rules and/or dojo kun (precepts or virtues) are posted on the wall, does what they say make sense to you? Are students training in traditional uniforms or modern street clothes? Assuming shoes are not worn during class, are they lined-up neatly in front of the floor? Is the place neat, orderly, and in good repair? Is there a viewing area where parents can observe their children without getting in the way? Is there adequate room to train? Does there appear to be an appropriate emphasis on safety? Is attendance strong?

 When you visit the school be prepared to interview the instructor to get a feel for his or her teaching methods too. If properly approached, teachers should be happy to discuss their styles, testing methodologies, and teaching philosophies with prospective students (or the parents of prospective students if we’re talking about a kid’s class). Be respectful of their time, however, preparing questions ahead of time and making an appointment rather than just dropping in. Just as you are forming an initial impression of a potential instructor, your future teacher is forming his or her impression of you. Get off on the right foot.

If you are a parent looking for a place where your children can train, you should know that teaching youngsters is significantly different than communicating with older students. Educational programs for children must accommodate their levels of physical and emotional growth. When younger children encounter a stimulating, enjoyable, and safe environment, they will build solid foundations from which they can learn more advanced skills as they age. Be sure to inquire about how the curriculum accommodates children’s unique learning needs.

 Whether they are dealing with children or adults, instructors need to be firm yet polite when disciplining students, informative when explaining new skills, and persuasive when teaching the more esoteric aspects of their art. They should be approachable for answering questions and polite no matter how silly the inquiries might be so long as they are offered in a respectful manner. Above all else they should come to class prepared to teach, communicate clearly, and utilize time well. Martial arts is a business. Just like any other service you might acquire, you’re paying to learn each and every time you show up to class.

 After interviewing an instructor, it may be possible to talk with students and/or parents of students to gather more information. Exemplary instructors have nothing to hide and should not mind such additional scrutiny so long as it is not disruptive to their students. You’ll likely find Yelp ratings and other online comments about your prospective teacher too. Characteristics of an exemplary instructor to look for include following:

• Enthusiasm for practicing his or her chosen martial art form

• A passion for teaching
• A deep, well rounded knowledge of martial arts, preferably beyond a single art form
• A high degree of perception regarding the needs and interests of students
• A good understanding of personality differences among students and a demonstrated willingness to accommodate them as necessary to ensure good communication
• An intuitive ability to select the most effective teaching style for any situation and a willingness to change course midstream if things are not working as anticipated
• Ability to communicate a sense of direction and purpose for his or her school and art form
• An open mind, tempered with a great deal of common sense
• A high degree of integrity, personal honor, and strong moral character

Once you have made a preliminary decision, many martial arts schools offer one or more free classes to help you decide whether or not training there will be right for you. It really takes a minimum of two to three months to know for sure (especially if you have not done this sort of thing before), but much can be intuited with a single class. Most instructors are perfectly happy to give you a trail run. I would not personally join any school that did not give me a minimum of one free trial class. Do expect to be required to sign a liability waiver for insurance purposes though. That is a standard procedure…

 It takes years to learn a martial art well enough to teach, and not all practitioners are capable of doing so. Once you begin your martial journey you are signing up to learn skills that literally take a lifetime to master so this can be a pretty long term deal if you find the right art form and stick with it. Unfortunately even with a good teacher it can easily take a year or more to learn enough about a style to ascertain whether or not it really is a good fit. On top of that, some instructors whose only source of income is teaching martial arts may use unscrupulous or manipulative tactics to bring revenue through the door.

 Be wary of long-term contracts. In fact, if someone offers you a “special” one-time only deal (typically for more than two or three thousand dollars) that covers all your training through black belt, I strongly suggest that you walk away quickly. Month-to-month arrangements are best. Prices tend to run between $85 and $150 per month depending upon where you live and how many days per week you wish to practice. Requirements to pay a moderate initiation fee (~ 1 month’s dues) and purchase a uniform (~ $50 to $150) are perfectly reasonable. Even if you already have a gi (uniform), if it is not the same type as that used by the rest of the class you can expect to be required to purchase a new one. While there are a variety of online sources for purchasing a gi, most schools can provide them for you at a reasonable cost. They can also help with sizing or tailoring when needed. Uniforms are generally sized numerically in a fashion that does not correlate with any other method of clothing dimensions. Online conversion tables do not always account for shrinkage accurately.

Be sure to look into testing and/or advancement fees if your instructor offers an advancement progression as well. Most schools charge a nominal fee (~ $20 to $30) to cover the cost of your new belt and/or certificate for each kyu (colored belt) rank you achieve. It takes nine kyu promotions to become eligible for a black belt in many systems. There is a larger fee, typically somewhere in the $200 to $300 range, for black belt tests. Anything significantly larger is suspect. Further, most legitimate schools only charge the testing fee once regardless of whether or not you pass a promotion test on the first try.

 OK, so you’ve found a dojo, are impressed with the instructor, and are ready to begin your training. You will quickly find that you have to relearn basic concepts like breathing, standing, and walking. You will be taught how to breathe through your diaphragm rather than solely with your lungs, introduced to a variety of uncomfortable stances and foreign postures, and shown how to move in unusual new ways. While some folks train in sweats or shorts, chances are good that you will wear a distinctive uniform, learn new traditions and etiquette, and begin to understand a whole new language (e.g., Japanese, Tagalog, Chinese, or Korean). And that’s just the beginning…

Expect the process to take a while. No matter how gifted an athlete you are, you cannot possibly learn everything right away. Instructors shouldn't obfuscate or make things more difficult and mysterious than they truly are, but there really is an awful lot to learn. Certain information simply cannot be understood until prerequisite knowledge has already been internalized. It’s not magic by any means, but it does take a lot of repetition and hard work to obtain these skills. You’ll undoubtedly feel like you are drinking from a fire hose. That’s perfectly normal and should be expected. Give the process time.

Most instructors find that there is a certain degree of professionalism and detachment that is prudent when interacting with students. We live in a highly litigious society where even an unfounded accusation of harassment or sexual misconduct can ruin one’s reputation and livelihood. Expect your teacher to be professional and polite, but not necessarily friendly. That does not mean that he or she does not like you. It is just a practical response to a potentially hazardous environment. Try to respect your instructor’s boundaries. Given turnover rates among new students, teachers will usually distance themselves, at least a little, from all but the most senior, dedicated practitioners. Most martial instructors will not go out of their way to provide “secrets” or special assistance to those who have not proven themselves worthy over a significant period of time. That is just human nature.

 Your instructor should be your mentor in all things martial arts. He or she is uniquely qualified to excel in that arena. But sensei (teacher) in Japanese simply means "one who has gone before." Teachers are students too, they just know more than you do at the moment. They are neither omniscient nor omnipotent no matter how frequently students treat them as such. Don’t place him or her in the position of becoming your priest, counselor, or psychologist. That’s the purview of other professionals. Many students discover that their martial arts experience transforms their lives in ways they never expected. Finding the right instructor, someone who can help you fulfill your goals, is the first and most important step in that journey.

If you'd like to know more about learning and eventually mastering the martial arts consider my book The Way to Black Belt. Here's the Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Way-Black-Belt-Comprehensive-Rock-Solid/dp/1594390851/