I am in the process of looking to re-enter the forum of Martial Arts as a result of moving and trying to locate a good school. I would like to eventually attain my Black Belt and need to find a school willing to be patient as I pursue this goal.

I have former training in Kung-Fu/Kickboxing and traditional Kung-Fu (Shaolin), which I have trained in for years. I was in the Brown Belt program prior to leaving the latter due to the school closing for legal reasons. My former school was amazing with the exception that they focused on competition and body types. I trained hard and was good at what I did but was not happy and so I left for a more traditional approach.

My experiences have been a combination of negative and positive but I am hopeful I will find a school with the qualities I am looking for. Such qualities need to include a professional atmosphere, an instructor who is willing to work with the individual instead of making them feel they are incompetent. The school I will be selecting will have to have people who are dedicated to the art and is respectful, in most cases you can evaluate the school by observing the student body whether or not they are courteous, polite, and helpful when you attend the trial classes.

Thus far, I have attended over four schools to evaluate whether or not I would assimilate in a positive way. I had one school who wanted me to pay everything up front, when I told them I was not comfortable about this, their response to me, this may not be the right school for you. I left and never returned. This is another factor to consider, how long have the school been in business? Find a school where you have the opportunity to discuss with the instructor a payment plan if you are budgeting.

Make sure the contract is reviewed thoroughly and read the fine print. In addition, don't assume because the school has an amazing write up in the local papers or the 100 trophies displayed in the showcase that it's a good school. Sometimes the best schools and instructors are the dull basement business where the bathroom is shared with another business and the sign is difficult to read from the road. My advice is to search and make certain you interview the schools including speaking with the students in order to have a better perspective on what you will be venturing into. Remember it's your goal; money and time so ask this question, "Are they worthy of you?"

This link has some informative books:

http://books.google.ca/books?q =what+to+look+for+in+a+martial +arts+school&ots=dka4haZpOf&sa =X&oi=print&ct=title&cad=legac y

Learn more about this author, Nadia Ghanny.
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