by Jennifer Shipp

Created on: June 11, 2009

Finding the right martial arts school is similar to finding the right church. What's good for one may not be good for another. A lot of what makes or breaks one's first martial arts experience has to do with whether the martial arts school in question is in sync with the student's beliefs and goals. Martial arts is a very fellowship-oriented activity in that the glue that makes many schools palatable to its students is student interaction and the feeling of being a part of the group and a larger purpose. Because martial arts involve confrontation, close contact, trust, and learning physical movements that were previously unknown, the social dynamic is an important facet to consider when signing a contract or committing to a martial arts school emotionally or physically.

Several years ago, my husband and I, both black belts in ATA tae kwon do, decided to do a survey of martial arts schools in our area. We spent several years doing kung fu, olympic style tae kwon do, aikido, kenpo karate, and ninjitsu. Our goal was to find a martial art that rivaled what we knew about tae kwon do. But, we found no rival martial art. To us, tae kwon do was the best.

But to the people at these other various other martial arts schools, their martial art was the best. And indeed, in all of these schools, black belt practitioners could put on an impressive display of skill and precision. My husband and I began to note that when we mentioned to people in these other martial arts schools that we had black belts in tae kwon do, the friendly dynamic would change. It was like trying to integrate into the Lutheran church after being an avid Methodist for many years. Once we had admitted our status as Tae Kwon Do People, the Kung Fu People were on a mission to convert us. And rightly so. Success in the martial arts has a backbone firmly rooted in philosophy. The philosophies vary from school to school, but reverberations of a school's philosophy rings out during class and training. And so, when you hit the streets to find a good martial arts school for you, it would behoove you to inquire into the philosophies or at least the goals that are stressed by the martial arts instructors and masters who lead the school.

Once you've found a school that meshes with your personal philosophies or goals for yourself, the next step is to try a class at the school. Don't be bamboozled at this stage. Many schools will require you to sign a contract immediately after that first class or else

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