by Adam Jacquet

Created on: April 22, 2009

Martial arts have been widely dramatized and romanticized through television and popular culture. Many people, especially in America, consider martial arts to consist of high-flying acrobatic attacks and mystical abilities such as flying, punching through solid concrete walls, and effortlessly defeating five or more armed opponents without getting a scratch. The life of a true martial artist is one of discipline, effort, and sacrifice. Before even attempting to join a martial arts school, you must ask yourself if you are ready to devote hours every day to learning and perfecting minute techniques and movements. Many schools do exist which teach acrobatic and flashy moves designed to win competitions- at all costs, avoid these! If you are seriously interested in learning martial arts, you should look for a traditional school to enroll in.

There are many different styles of martial arts, from French Savate to American kickboxing, Chinese Shaolin to Korean Tae Kwon Do. Each has its own offerings, from physical prowess and speed to inner balance and spiritual devotion. All require devotion and time. When you first begin searching for a school, you should research each style. Find out its focus, whether it be on meditation and harmony or high kicks and explosive attacks. Choose the one you feel most drawn to, then try to find schools of that art in your area. When you find a school, go to it and sit in on a few classes. Speak with the instructor first- ask questions about their own training, about their focus in teaching, and about cost. The latter is an important factor; many schools have all the traditional trappings, but are really just money traps, sucking large sums of cash into uniforms, testing fees, equipment, et cetera et cetera.

Second, speak to the students at the school. Ask them what their favorite part of class is, how much time they devote to training. Avoid conversation on tournament wins- if a school focuses too heavily on trophies and win/loss records, it's a red flag for a money-trap. If there are parents of students around, talk to them- they are often the best source of information regarding financing, curriculum, etc. because besides paying for their child to attend, they often watch the class every night their child is participating.

If you find a school that seems to fit you, ask if you could have a trial period. Many schools will offer a week or two of free or discounted classes to interested people to help them decide to enroll. Take into account the physical strain on your body- while teenagers can easily grow muscle and recover from minor injuries from physical stress, middle-aged students often find it very hard to adapt to the physical demands of a martial art.

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