Looking for a martial arts school can be a tricky proposition. I know, because I talk to people everyday who are trying to decide on a martial arts school. They are either looking for marital arts instruction for themselves, their children, or the whole family. What I have noticed in my 20 plus years of teaching, is that many people just don't know what questions to ask or what to look for when they start seriously looking for marital arts training. This article will help with picking a martial arts school in your area.
At last count, the city i live in, had over 20 martial art schools. If you visited each one, and stayed just 20 to 30 minutes you would spend over 10 hours and still not be any closer to training. Two years ago, there were only about 12 schools in the same area. This brings us to our first rule on picking a martial arts school:
Rule # 1 Pick a martial arts school that's been in the Bellevue area for at least 5 years. I am not saying that new martial arts schools are all bad, in fact, some might be quite good. But statistically small businesses close their doors at the rate of 74% within the first couple of years. Martial art schools are no exception.
Next you will want a location that is less than a 15 minute drive from work or home. This just makes sense. A convenient location can make the difference in your long-term training.
Rule # 2 Pick a martial arts location that is only a 15 - 20 minuets commute. Break this rule only if you are not happy with the locations near you. It's far better spending an extra ten minutes driving to get quality than quitting after only a couple of weeks because you didn't like the classes.
Rule # 3 Pick a marital arts instructor that shares the same values and goals that you do. For example, if you want family martial arts and you're looking to get into shape while learning a little self defense, then picking a school that competes heavily in tournaments might not work for you.
Rule # 4 Know what you are looking for, so you know what you are getting. Knowledge about knowing what you are looking for is the only way to make sure you get what you want. If you want tournaments, make sure the school does that. If you want meditation make sure they offer it. If you don't want to work out with kids make sure they have an adult program. And be sure to ask what age they consider to be adult. Some locations consider 12 an adult. The last rule is the most important and it is simply to ask questions.
Rule # 5 Ask Questions. Don't feel intimidated to ask questions. You are the only person who knows what you're looking for. I've talked to many people who made huge mistakes, wasted years and lots of money because they didn't know what to ask. So ask all your questions and ask some more! If you want help knowing what questions to ask, you can use my consumer guide on How to pick a Martial Arts School. These are based on 20 years of questions from people who were looking to start martial arts training.
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For more information on this article or others go to Articles on Martial Arts Robert Jones runs three successful martial arts schools located in Bellevue, Lynnwood, and Kent Washington. He has been helping families make positive changes in their lives through martial arts for over 20 years. He has also written A Guide on How to Pick a Martial Arts School He can be reached at the Academy of Kempo Martial Arts. 800-508-6141. His schools can be found on the web at Bellevue Martial Arts and Kung Fu.
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