How to Choose a Martial Arts School

Co-authored by Adrian Tandez

Last Updated: June 3, 2021 Approved

Martial arts can be a very healthy and exciting addition to your life but be sure to choose your martial arts school wisely. You’ll want to do your research ahead of time and figure out exactly what you want to get out of your martial arts training. If you take the time to find the right school, you’ll be able to meet all of your martial arts goals.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Researching Martial Arts Schools

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Decide what you want to get out of martial arts. It’s important to take some time to think about why you are interested in learning martial arts and what you’re hoping to get out of it. It’s also helpful to consider your experience and fitness level so you can find a school that meets your needs.^{[1]
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- For example, if you are a 40 year old with a full time job, you won’t want to go to a school that is only open during working hours and caters their classes to children.
- Reasons people decide to take up martial arts include self-defense, improving fitness level, creative expression, training for instructor certification and many others. You want to find a school that can help you achieve your personal goals with martial arts.
2
Decide what style of martial arts you want to study. If you are interested in a particular style, like Taekwondo or Karate, be sure to seek out schools that specialize in that style. However, if you don’t have a preference, keep an open mind and pick a school based on their teaching instruction rather than a certain style.
- Some styles of martial arts may be difficult for people with health risks. For example, if you have a heart condition and can’t over exert, you may want to skip high cardio and intense styles like Taekwondo.
3
Ask for recommendations. Ask your friends, family and social networks if they have any experience with martial arts schools in your area. It’s great to hear a firsthand account from someone you trust and someone you can ask questions of. Getting a personal recommendation is a great way to find a good martial arts school.
4
Research schools online. Search online for martial arts schools in your area. Go through the schools’ websites to learn more about them and get a feel for their programming. You should also look at reviews and testimonials to get firsthand accounts.
- Remember that many schools will only publish positive testimonials on their website so take those accounts with a grain of salt.
- Try to find third-party platforms, message boards or online communities where users have left reviews for the school. This is a great way to read personal accounts and get more information.
5
Create a shortlist of schools to visit. Using the recommendations for schools from your friends and family as well as your online research, compile a list of three to five schools that you are interested in visiting.
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Call schools you are interested in to set up a visit. Call the schools you want to visit and set up a good time to come by. Most schools offer a free or reduced cost trial class for new students to try out their school. Sign up for a trial class if one is available. You should also ask to set up a time before or after your trial class to meet with the martial arts instructor.^{[2]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Visiting Martial Arts Schools

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Arrive early to check out the location. For each trial class you attend, arrive approximately 15 minutes early. For practical reasons, you may need to get changed or sign paperwork before participating in the class. Arriving early also allows you to evaluate the school area.
- During your evaluation, look to see if the school facilities are clean, if the staff is professional and service-oriented, and if the location is accessible. You want to make sure that this is a place you are able to get to easily and feel comfortable in.^{[3]
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- If you arrive early, you may also get to take a sneak peak at a class in progress to get a better sense of the teaching method.
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Decide if the school works for your schedule. Check out the hours the school is open, the availability of classes you would want to take and the class size. The school needs to work with your schedule or else you won’t attend regularly.^{[4]
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Take a trial class. When participating in a trial class, you should assess the instructor and his or her teaching style. Ask yourself: do you feel comfortable in the class? Is the instructor someone you could learn from? Will this class and instructor help you meet your goals?
- It’s also a good idea to observe the students in your trial class. If possible, talk to them and ask about their experience with the school and instructor.
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Meet with the instructor. Arrange a time to meet with the instructor one on one. Use this time to discuss your goals for your martial arts training and see if the instructor thinks they can help you achieve them. This is also a good time to ask any questions you have about the school, the training style and the instructor.
- Some great questions to ask include, "How long have you been teaching for? What do you do if a student isn't understanding something? What does a typical class with you look like?"
- Be sure to meet with the instructor who will be leading your class. It’s important to meet and get a feel for the teaching style of the person who would be your instructor at the school, not another instructor or the school's owner.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Signing Up for a Martial Arts School

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Trust your gut. Once you’ve completed all of your school visits and trial classes, it’s time to go over everything you’ve learnt and decide which school is the best fit. Consider your goals, the teaching style and the logistics of the classes. At the end of the day, it’s important to trust your gut and pick a school where you feel comfortable.^{[5]
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Discuss finances. If you’re ready to sign up with a school, take some time to sit down with them and discuss payment options. Some schools require you have a membership to their school while others may ask you to sign a contract for a specified amount of time. Ensure you are comfortable with the financial burden of signing up.^{[6]
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- Many schools will offer a shorter contract or longer trial period. If you’re not ready to commit to an annual membership or contract, enquire about signing up for a shorter amount of time to try out the school first.
- Ask about ending the contract or membership early. In case something happens that causes you to need to put your martial arts training on hold, such as an injury or loss of job, ask how that would work.
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Prepare for your first class. Once you’ve made the decision to sign up, it’s time to get ready for your first class. Ask the school if you need to come prepared with a uniform or any specific equipment or supplies. You should bring a bottle of water, towel and change of clothing.
- If your school doesn’t require a uniform, it’s a good idea to wear loose fitting workout clothing. Most martial arts are practised in barefoot but ask your school if you need to bring special footwear.
4
Evaluate the experience after your first class. After your first class or two, take some time to reflect and decide if the class is what you expected and if you're enjoying yourself. If the class turns out to not be what you're looking for, meet with your instructor to try and find a solution.

Expert Q&A

Question

What is the most fun martial art?

Adrian Tandez
Jeet Kune Do Instructor
Adrian Tandez is the founder and head instructor of the Tandez Academy, a world-renowned self-defense training center in Mountain View, California. Trained under the renowned martial artist Dan Inosanto, Adrian is a certified instructor in Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do, Filipino Martial Arts, and Silat, among other things. Adrian has over 27 years of self defense training experience.

Adrian Tandez

Jeet Kune Do Instructor

Expert Answer

Filipino martial arts focus on quick learning with weapons. The training is based on developing fast reflexes as well as learning to turn anything into a weapon.

Warnings

Be wary of schools that guarantee you will reach a certain level or belt rank in a specified amount of time. Also be careful of schools that offer higher paying options to advance through the levels faster. These schools may be scams that are more focused on making money than teaching proper martial arts.

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Remember that trophies, certificates and belt ranks do not mean that someone is a good teacher. It’s easy to get blinded by an instructor’s credentials and mastery of their martial arts style. But it’s much more important that you connect with them as an instructor. Take the time to experience a trial class with them and ask them questions about their style, regardless of how many martial arts competitions they may have won.

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