FAQs
- What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?
There are several questions to ask when choosing a martial arts school. How many years of experience does the head instructor have? While there are many good, quality martial arts instructors out there, there are also many who have been permitted to skyrocket through the ranks without acquiring any but the most superficial knowledge of their art. A lot of martial arts instructors will talk to you about their rank, rather than their time in training and teaching. As training time to reach black belt varies from one style to another, training time is a much more accurate method of determining experience, as opposed to what degree black belt they are. Are all of the instructors certified? There is no governing body for martial arts schools. Most professional martial arts schools belong to some sort of professional martial arts organization that oversees curriculum and gives rank accreditation and instructor certification. If a school does not belong to an organization, it does not mean that they are not a quality school, however, belonging to an organization does mean that a set of standards are in place. How long does it take to earn a black belt? This is the question thats on every students mind. You would be surprised at how much the answer varies. There are schools out there that will guarantee you a black belt in a specific amount of time. Then there are schools who cant promise you a specific amount of time for a student to earn their black belt because it depends on several factors on the students part (how often they attend classes, how hard they work when in class, how much they practice at home, etc). Which do you suppose would be turning out better martial artists? Is there a specific age that a student needs to be to earn a black belt? While a black belt means that one has mastered all of the techniques required to that point in their training, it also signifies a level of maturity. While there is no hard and fast rule to what age is appropriate, most young people start to show signs of maturity around age 14. There are some that start to develop it earlier, and some that start to develop it later. If a school promotes students when they are 8 years old (not including junior black belts which are not held to the same standards), this is a good indicator that they do not hold their students to the same expectations as most reputable martial arts schools do. How often do the students test for rank? The answer is basically the same as the answer for how long it takes to get a black belt. If a school tells you that you will test every 8 weeks for a belt (not including things like Tiny Tigers and Little Dragons belt ranks, which are separate than the regular karate belt ranks), then that should be a red flag. Are separate classes and curriculum offered for different age groups? The idea of having a family class where parents can train with their children is a great thing. The issue with this is that different age groups learn through different methods. A six year old does not learn the same way that an adult does. By having all age groups in the same class, no one benefits from what is being taught. In addition, what is being taught to a six year old child should not be the same thing that is being taught to an adult as their situations are different. A good martial arts school will have age-appropriate programs for young children, older children, and teens and adults. What is the schools philosophy? The movies often portray the martial arts as glorified violence. This is not, in general, an accurate portrayal. Many martial arts schools have a set of rules that outline acceptable behavior. Some may even have a "dojo creed." A quality dojo will always require its members to use their knowledge responsibly. Are contracts required? Many martial arts schools will ask you to sign a contract for a certain number of lessons and/or for a certain amount of time. This is not necessarily a bad thing; however, a lot of people are not comfortable with signing contracts, especially during their first six months of training. What is the cost? Some schools appear to be less expensive up front, but hit you with hidden charges later. A legitimate martial arts school will tell you the entire cost of the training up front, prior to you joining (including any registration fees after the trial period is over, patches and additional uniforms that students are required to purchase, training materials, testing fees, etc). The martial arts schools staff should be receptive to your questions about cost, answer them clearly, and not promise you anything that they cant (or wont) put in writing. Here is a Checklist of Points to consider, listed in order of importance: 1) Character of the head instructor Is that instructor someone you would want to influence your child? Would you feel comfortable introducing them to your mother, father, or sister? Do they bring out the best in you? 2) Certifications and credentials of the head instructor Does this person have a legitimate certification to teach that martial art? Will their program and the style of martial arts they teach help you achieve your personal training goals? 3) Ability of teacher to communicate Is the instructor a 'good' communicator / teacher? Do they assess the learning styles of their students and teach in a manner that ALL of their students understand? 4) Location of the school Is the drive-time to the facility doable? 5) Clean facility Is the facility clean and well managed? Do they have the proper equipment that allows the students to practice the drills? Are there clear safety and training guidelines that the instructor enforces with the students? 6) Cost vs. Value Your choice in a Martial Arts School should not just be based on what they charge for tuition. Yes, you should train within your budget. However, you should neither choose a school just because they have the cheapest tuition, nor think that the school that charges the most has the best program. When in doubt read Checklist Points 1-3 again. Do research on the Internet. A schools website is a great way to start your investigation. In our current, web-based culture, businesses that are serious about delivering a quality product will have a website. The quality of the website says a lot about the studio. A professionally run martial arts school will have a well-designed website that can be easily found by an Internet search and that contains up-to-date information. Also, look at reviews of the school. If you cannot find any online, ask the instructor if you can talk to some of the parents and students in the school to see what they think. The most important factor is your gut instinct! Always go with your gut instinct when choosing a school or instructor. If your intuition says something's not right, something's not right. If you've found a good school, you'll know it!