Picking the right martial art and school..?

Question

I'm a 17 yr old male and recently I've decided that I want to pick up a martial art, but I'm not sure which one to do or which school to go to. I'm mainly interested in a traditional type of martial art, not necessarily for practical self-defense or anything. I want to get a mental aspect of it but also I want to do sparring and that sort of thing.

Also, I'm not even sure how to pick a good school; there are so many.

Any help would be apprectiated, thanks.

Answer 1

I can't speak for every single martial art out there, but there are several things you want to look for when choosing a school. The most important of which is credibility of the master. Typically, the instructor operating the school should be no lower than a 4th degree black belt. The reason being that you don't attain "mastery" until this rank. Also, be sure to observe a class before making any kind of commitment. See how the master runs things. Does he/she have any co-instructors who help in running the class? How do they interact with the lower belts? Is the atmosphere like the Cobra Kai from Karate Kid or is it a friendly environment?  

Another big factor is price. How much are you willing to spend? Among the various costs are tuition (monthly), uniform, gloves and shoes, and startup fees. My school fees are $79 a month, but it will vary by discipline and location. Most all schools will charge a fee for belt tests which vary by location.

Make sure to check the schedules each school offers. For someone such as yourself, I assume you will probably be looking for a night class as you are still in school. A good recomendation is to attend 2-3 times a week to get the most out of the workout.

Some other miscellaneous things to check out... Do you want to learn weapons or simply bare handed sparring? Would you like to enter competitions or are you just looking for a good mental/physcial workout?

Hope this helps

Answer 2

Picking a school is like shopping for a car.  It pays to shop and to do it wisely.  That way you are more apt to make the best choice and start somewhere that you won't find soon afterwords that you wish you hadn't.  I would look for a school that has seperate classes for adults and children.  Some parents get very threatened about the mental aspects in so far as their children go and so you don't see too much of that in a class that has both adults and children.  Observe classes at several of the schools closest to you or that are the most convenient and within your price range.  Ones that are further or out of your price range will make it difficult for you to get to class or make your training on a steady basis unaffordable.  Check the hidden costs like registration fees, testing fees, what if any contracts there are or if there are non-contract rates available.  Besides these things also talk to several of the students.  Try to get a feel for if they are happy with the quality and level of instruction or are they just interested in getting you to sign up because they get a break from the owner on next months fee they have due.  Also look at how well the instructor relates to your age group.  Some are great with kids but poor with adults or vice-versa.  You want a class that is taught by a good instructor that relates well to adults and teaches the majority of those classes.  Once you have narrowed it down to two or three schools then see if any offer a trial program and you might then get a chance to get a better feel for how things are run at that school and how the instructor is before actually joinning.  This all sounds like a lot of work and it is but this is the best way to ensure that you make the best choice for yourself and one that is convenient and affordable over the long run.

Answer 3

There are so many different types of martial arts that there is no "best" type.  My suggestion is to look at each school in your area.  Speak with the sensi (teacher) and see what the school focuses on.  Also, ask if you can observe a class.  Any good school will have no problem letting you sit in or take a trial class.

Choose a school that makes you feel comfortable.

Answer 4

I personally like kickboxing. I think that a lot of the moves are very transferable to real life fighting plus it teaches you to fight very well with you hands, knees, shins, and feet. All martial arts require you to improve your mental and physical conditioning.