Where do I begin in the Martial Arts?
Let’s start with some basic terminology. Some of the most important parts of martial arts are explained by these crazy words that you may or may not have heard before.
Dojo: Place of training
Sensei: Instructor
Dan: Black belt, some styles do not use colored belts to signify rank
Levels of Black belt: 1st -10th, 1st degree black belt is the lower end of the black belts.
Now that you know some of the lingo, the questions is what does it mean or how do I use this to find the right dojo? Entering a martial arts school can be some what overwhelming when you’re first introduced to it. Keep in mind martial arts is based on honor, respect and discipline. So when you stop to watch a class, try not to be intimidated by your first impression. After the class has finished training, this is the time to approach the instructor with any questions you have.
So where do I start? One of the most important things to keep in mind is DO NOT CHOOSE THE FIRST SCHOOL YOU ARE INTRODUCED TO. This martial arts school may be the best school to go with, but if you stop there you may never know. So let’s get started. A good place to start is by asking friends, relatives, and co-workers if they know or recommend a martial arts school. Keep in mind they might have chosen the first school that they were introduced to.
There are many places that you can find martial arts schools. Some places that you may or may not be familiar with is finding a martial arts school in community college, extension learning centers, universities and the local YMCA where we are located at. You may have to be a student or member before you can join some of these schools. Many of these schools are independently owned and contracted by a particular organization, joining may or may not be an issue. Most of the dojo in the area are usually non-profit or low profit organizations. This means the instructor most likely doesn’t make his living by teaching martial arts, but rather, has a regular job just like you do.
First of all, what
you are looking at is an array of many very different martial arts styles out
there that are available to you. There is judo, kendo, jujitsu, kempo, karate,
kung-fu, aikido, aikido, hapkido, taekwondo, kickboxing, savate, taichi, chi
gong, and many more. It is like looking at an alien buffet and wondering if any
of it is alright to try. All of these martial arts have good things to offer, to
varying degrees, so for the moment, lets just focus on how each club represents
itself.
Another place to start looking is the yellow pages in the phone book. You will need to look under martial arts to find the vast array of schools that are out there. Here you will find a mind boggling collection of advertisements, logos, yin and yang symbols, dragons and leaping tigers. This can all be a bit confusing, but let’s try to find out what these ads are saying.
For example, ad number one reads something like:
"Paul Cool, 8th degree black belt in karate, 3rd degree black belt in hapkido, 5th degree black belt in kendo, has trained for 25 years under Master Yin and Master Yang. He is a 4 time world champion of the Grand Master Karate Federation and 10 time board breaking champion in North America."
What does this kind of advertisement tell the beginner student? Very little. The credentials of the teacher are supposed to impress the student who has no idea what they mean and no frame of reference to make any kind of evaluation that this is good martial arts training. Perhaps you should keep looking...
This next advertisement is gorgeously prepared. There are tigers and dragons wrestling in the center of a huge yin-yang symbol, decorated in fifty-eight different colors and meticulously air-brushed. In the forefront of this impressive image which conveys a sense of ancient Asian fighting of mythical proportions, are a man and a woman dressed in star-spangled karate uniforms surrounded by trophies which are as tall as they are. This ad reads:
"Improve your Self-Esteem! Feel like a Champ! Join today for a Special Rate! Join our Team!"
The advertisement just about has you reaching for the phone. After all, who doesn't want to improve their self-esteem while becoming a champ? And those guys in the flashy uniforms sure look happy and confident. But hold the phone for just a minute before you give someone your credit card number. Yes, self-esteem is important and martial arts training can help you develop a sense of self-worth. Anyway, there is more than just feeling good when it comes to good karate. Sometimes, you have to feel lousy. But we will get to that part later. Anyway, write down the address and telephone number. This place might be good so keep it on your list for now.
Our third advertisement is one that shows a senior instructor assisting a child in kicking a foamy pad. The instructor looks re-assuring and confident and the kid looks pretty happy trying to kick the stuffing out of the thick pad. The ad reads:
"Health, Fitness, Discipline. We are here to help you learn about the traditional martial art, stay fit, and have fun."
Now this might be a good one. It could be gold so check it out for sure. The emphasis here is on you, the student, the person who is going to pay in cash, sweat, and time and not on the teacher and why you should love/respect/adore him.
An important thing to remember is that when looking for a dojo there are commercial dojo, those that operate like any business, and non-profit dojo, those that are more like a club or volunteer sports association. A commercial dojo is not a bad place just because they would like you to pay for lessons. Getting paid for providing what can be an invaluable service should not be an issue. Just like having professionals maintain your car in good working order, fixing the pipes of your kitchen sink, or doing your taxes, good martial arts teachers deserve to be paid. What you, as the consumer gain from good martial arts training: improved health, better self-control, confidence, the ability to defend yourself better, a community of people with shared interests, is a pretty good deal when you think about a lot of the benefits that can be had through the martial arts.
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