Every culture has its own methods of how to fight regardless of religion or political beliefs. While you might want to take the moral high road and not fight there are people in this world who won’t give you that option, and than the only thing that remains is to fight. The nation of Korea like so many others found itself fending off invaders, and like others before them they developed martial arts. The two most prominent Korean martial arts styles in existence today are Taekwondo and Hapkido.

Taekwondo dates back to the Silla dynasty in Korea, and was developed for the military. Hapkido, though practiced prior to World War II, came into being after the war and is billed as a purely defensive art. Both of these Korean martial arts are now practiced around the world.

Taekwondo was first taught to the elite Hwarang warriors of the Silla dynasty, an ancient Korean kingdom. The style focuses primarily on kicks, and was included with a soldier’s traditional military training and education. The style was practiced openly for centuries, but the martial art was forced underground during the Japanese occupation and colonization during the early 20th century.

The Japanese were harsh invaders and did their best to change Korean culture, and make the Koreans more like them. The treatment was brutal, but the Japanese did share their martial arts training with the Korean people and those who had the opportunity to train in Japan and China would share what they learned and adapt Taekwondo accordingly. That Japanese influence would shape modern Tae Kwon Do.

When General Choi, the most commonly acknowledged founder of Tae Kwon Do, became older he went to Japan to study. Choi had been studying calligraphy and Taek Kyon in Korea under Han Il Dong and upon arrival in Japan he started to study Shotokan Karate as a student of a Korean named Kim Hyun-soo. After two years of intensive training he was presented with a first Dan Black Belt in Shotokan. He then went to Tokyo University where he was able to visit the Shotokan and perhaps train on occasion under Master Gichin Funakoshi, founder of Shotokan.

General Choi earned his second Dan (second degree black belt) in Shotokan and, around this time, he started teaching, and became an instructor at the Tokyo YMCA. (There are pictures of Gen. Choi as a student at the main Shotokan dojo when he was a student in Japan which has been published in “Taekwon-Do Times” magazine.)

Conscripted into the Japanese army in 1943, Choi was posted to Pyongyang where he became involved in the Korean Independence Movement, resulting in his imprisonment. Wanting to maintain good physical and mental health during his imprisonment, he practiced Karate, alone at first, then by teaching it to the staff of the prison and the other prisoners. Until his liberation at the end of the war he practiced and developed much of the martial art.

Becoming an officer in the new Korean Army after the end of the war, he continued to teach his martial art to his soldiers as well as to American soldiers serving in Korea.

His beliefs and his vision of a different approach to teaching martial arts led General Choi to combine elements of Taek Kyon and Karate techniques to develop a modern martial art. He called it TaeKwonDo, which means “the way of the feet and the hands”, and this name was officially adopted on April 11th, 1955.

Taekwondo would eventually be spread around the world by American military personnel stationed in Korea. Among those to train in Korea was a young Air Force enlisted man named Chuck Norris who would go to make martial arts history. As a sport Taekwondo can be exciting, but those with United States military training never saw it as a replacement for what they had already been taught which was Jujutsu. The lack of grappling the ability to deal with modern weapons limits someone who practices Taekwondo. That is not to say isn’t good to train in Taekwondo, but it won’t be an effective self defense system.

Hapkido is another popular Korean martial art that has close ties to the Japanese martial arts as well. Hapkido is a direct adaptation of the popular Japanese martial art Aikido. Many in Korea consider Taekwondo to be a hard martial art while Hapkido is a soft martial art. Just like those who practice Aikido, those who practice Hapkido consider the spiritual side very important and say the martial art is about uniting harmony and energy, and those who practice Hapkido pride themselves in that their martial art is purely self defense. A Hapkido student will try to use their attacker’s energy against them like in other martial arts, but unlike Jujutsu; they always allow the attack make the first move and try to react to the attack.

Korean Martial Arts for Self Defense

Like most martial arts, both Hap Kido and Tae Kwon Do take years to master. But once mastered, will they work in real life self defense. At the end of the day, a punch is still a punch and a kick is still a kick, so you have to look at where the system is today. Tae Kwon Do is an Olympic Sport, like Judo, Wrestling and Boxing; the focus is on the sport rules. Athletes are trained to avoid methods that would get them disqualified. The same can be said for mixed martial arts. While brutal in nature, they are designed for safety.

In the case of the Korean martial art of Hapkido, practitioners focus on less combat and more peace. Like Aikido, Hapkido was developed for people who seek a higher spiritual plane, not combat. The idea of “Combat Hapkido” is about the same as saying “Combat Buddhism”. It just doesn’t make any sense. Hapkido has spiritual intentions NOT combat roots. Self Defense is not a style or a way of life it’s a skill, a skill that can be easily learned and recalled. If you wish to follow the path of the martial warrior, scholar, then a martial art is what you seek. If you want to know what works, then start training in hand to hand combat. If you want the best of both worlds, do both. A true warrior is a student first.

Self defense Alberta [http://www.albertamartialarts.com] – Mixed martial arts Alberta [http://www.albertamartialarts.com]

Author: William Pehush
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Excise Tax

My Sifu, Alan Orr often starts his class with the question “Any questions?”

One of the problems with martial arts training can often be the unwillingness to really question anything, it’s an easy habit to get into and often only broken by the best students, so start by asking yourself if you want to be amongst that group? One of the best students, the students who go on to become instructors and/or fighters within their system.

It is a constant questioning of what you are doing, what it is that you are being taught, why do this? What happens in this situation and possibly most importantly “Is what I’m doing actually relevant?” that will lead to finding the solutions. It’s maybe that those questions take you away from where you are training to seek out new information, maybe new teachers. I have trained under many different instructors, some good, some not. Sometimes years on you realise all you learned from one was that you had to find another but this article is aimed at cutting down that time span and to help lead you to the right path for you.

Why am I doing this?

This to my mind is one of the questions you should be asking yourself and then a secondary question should be what am I doing to achieve my goals??

My belief is that if you wish to do a martial art then you must want to learn the skills to defend yourself effectively against an average adversary maybe one with greater strength or size, maybe to be able to really fight against a skilled and determined opponent or multiple attackers. The self confidence aspect of martial arts to my mind is the knowledge that you really can do those things under pressure. If you simply want a social club and a bit of fitness thrown into the bargain then fair enough maybe this article holds no relevance to those people and I know there is quite a contingent of people out there that go to their respective martial arts club to say they do a martial art but really have no intention of ever really being able to seriously use it. This article is aimed only at those who really want to achieve a good level of skill and the ability to use it under real pressure.

Anyone who trains at a martial arts club will recognise this scenario…….

You know nothing or very little about the martial arts but are eager to learn, you have seen Bruce Lee flicks, the UFC, Jet Li, you want to be like those guys, you are in a training hall with fifteen others most of which obviously know what they are doing. The instructor starts the class and everything feels alien. You learn some moves, the instructor explains and demonstrates them with the help of a willing senior and they all look good. This is probably where most people have stopped thinking….

Its accepted practice in many walks of life that in order to be successful you must have clear and concise goals. In martial arts this is very true. However so few people take control of their path, instead they chose to rely on the guy standing at the front with the black belt or the pretty suit to take them there. If the guy with the black belt isn’t of the highest calibre then you probably won’t get to where you wish to be. However if you are in control, if you have done your research and have kept informed then you may learn to recognise what you can take from an instructor and also what to leave, sometimes even when to leave! An instructor must have integrity and humility to truly lead his students to a high standard and this is the ability to be transparent to his students as regards his/her own strengths and weaknesses. I admire any instructor who willingly brings in other teachers to fill his own deficiencies and will happily take his better students to study with others with skills to offer they might not have themselves. The best instructors are unafraid of honesty.

To blindly follow someone on the premise that because he or she has done something a long time therefore they must be right, because they call themselves “Master” or “Sensei” or “Sifu” or simply because they have put themselves into the role of an instructor is certainly unwise. Common sense, taking note of real situations, reading, watching will all tell there own stories so don’t ignore them.

Listen to your own experiences!!

My first martial art was Tae kwon do which at the time was very much the fashionable martial art. In some ways I was lucky because I landed at a club where the instructor was both honest and also ex military and unlike many in the TKD field had spent some time boxing and was reasonably progressive with his training. However after 2 years I had started reading Bruce Lee’s JKD books and in practice started trying out many of the techniques and concepts outlined there. Bruce Lee’s investigations led me to go to a local boxing club and voila…. Some of the guys I really couldn’t do much with in sparring suddenly became much less trouble. The day I walked past one particular black belts’ defences and landed several unanswered punches was the day I decided TKD had lost its appeal. I had my 5th or sixth grade at the time, no black belt. I didn’t want one if 8 weeks boxing could wipe out the advantage of years of my opponents experience.

Be prepared to walk!!!

It was about the same time I decided to find a Wing Chun school. Like many people I decided to learn this martial art because it was the basis of Bruce Lee’s thinking. One of the truly keenest and revolutionary minds that the martial arts world had ever produced had based many of his beliefs on his first system and that was good enough for me. Unfortunately finding a teacher to match was another matter. I was in a class almost exactly like I outlined in the scenario above aside from the fact I did have some sparring experience and was still boxing on and off.

One year on my feelings towards this school were changing. Most of the students there couldn’t handle my sparring ability, they couldn’t handle pace or power, couldn’t deal with my ability to kick. I stayed for another year although mainly because I’d met a guy very like minded who became my sparring partner and friend. We used the class to train together and often just experimented with our own ideas. Dave emigrated (returning years later to again help with my development) and that was me done with that school. Again the temptation to stay for the next grade, the next ‘level’ just lost its appeal and again the idea of chasing the black belt held nothing for me there.

This particular school is a great example of a place where the instructor had lost all his humility and although a nice enough guy who did believe in his own ability he was neither skilled nor really honest. He would rarely chi sao and certainly never spar with his students, external training was very strongly discouraged. Everything was in house. There was never a comparison with the outside and students could blindly follow their “master” for many years achieving meaningless grades in a system that was never ever tested.

The year that time forgot……

In 1993 two things happened that shook the martial arts world. The Ultimate Fighting Championships should have re educated the world as to what it takes to win a fight but much of the martial arts world myself included were unaware of it in its early days (although mixed martial arts certainly changed things for me later on) and a series of books by a gentleman by the name of Geoff Thompson, a night club doorman from Coventry. I can’t remember whether it was 93 or 94 when I read “Watch my back”, and then bought “Real Self Defence” and “The Pavement Arena”.

Real Self Defence is to my mind still one of the best books ever written on the subject of self protection in the street and “Pavement Arena” should be sent to every “traditional” martial arts club in the UK and beyond because its honest and frank discussion of what it takes for a martial art to be effective for real is still very relevant. The information in these two books certainly reinforced some views I held and gave me impetus to explore other aspects of my training. I recognised the truth of what the man said and acted upon it. I still find it amazing how the so many in the martial arts world still manage to ignore all the information available to them, if you wish to own a black belt that’s worth more than the 5 quid you paid for it then don’t be one of them.

“You too can learn the ways of the force”

I had ditched one martial art took up another and had sampled several others including traditional Ju Jitsu, Freestyle Karate and Kickboxing. Whenever I got sick with Wing Chun I went back to the boxing gym, often doing the two in tandem. My heart was with the kung fu style but often my head with the honest sweat of the gym. Looking back I have often thought that had I put the effort into my boxing over the years that I had my Wing Chun then I would be a better fighter today but as its turned out I now don’t think that’s true but not because I finally exited the temple doors a shaolin warrior monk with secret kung fu skills only revealed to me after years of training, nor did I face Darth Vader again to finally become a true Jedi.

Like many others I continued to believe that if I just got that bit better in Wing Chun everything would fall into place and I would be the untouchable “Bruce Lee” type I’d seen in his films. I think many martial artists fall into this trap. The truth was I knew my Wing Chun training lacked something, I could see its potential, I knew it had something special, something I hadn’t seen anywhere else but couldn’t grasp what it was.

So, I followed my Wing Chun instructor and continued to supplement my training now in the new realms of mixed martial arts. I learned some Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (A martial art with true depth that has become a second love), Wrestling, takedown defence and indeed takedowns. My new training and sparring partners often derided my Wing Chun training with “prove it, get in the ring, do it!!” In fairness they did give my hands some respect but would often put that down to my boxing and encouraged me to use my long reach and not play the ‘Wing Chun’ game.

I’ll finish this little story with a happy ending but bare with me for the moment and I’ll return to the key points of what this article is about.

When learning something new the worst thing to lose is time and many people in martial arts spend many years developing something that simply isn’t really relevant in the belief that if they just get better at it then they’ll see that thing, learn the ways of the force???? It’ll all click??

It’s also a total and utter lie

Cyclone Wing Chun are a martial arts club in newcastle, wing chun, mma newcastle and self defense.

Author: Tracy Hildreth
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Excise Tax

If you want to sharpen your combat skills for self-defense purposes, you can do so with Martial Arts. It consist of several systems of traditions and practices, they are also studied for reasons of mental discipline, self confidence and character development. There are many types or categories of martial arts – each one different from the next. Here are some of the most popular types.

Filipino Martial Arts – because the Philippines was the site of so many battles and combats, it is not surprising that the Filipinos have developed their own style of martial arts. Employing a wide range of methods in training, instructors of this type of martial arts believe that it is necessary to use knowledge and skills when in combat. Traditional Filipino martial arts also uses weapons like the sibat, baston, espada, latigo and lubid.

Chinese Martial Arts – the most famous of all styles are kung fu and wushu. When referring to kung fu, the system of martial arts refers to the accomplishment or skill of the person. On the other hand, wushu is more applicable to martial arts activities in general. In fact, it is considered to be a modern sport, like gymnastics. Chinese martial arts was borne from the need to defend one’s self during ancient China. Soldiers, preparing for war, are trained in martial arts in preparation for hand to hand combat.

Russian Martial Arts – like the Filipino and Chinese martial arts, the Russian martial arts was borne from the necessity for defense. During the ancient times, the Russian military have to protect their lands from invaders. The Russian martial arts is actually a combination of several styles including Japanese and Chinese martial arts. In any case, it resulted to a new style of martial arts and commonly referred to as Russian Sambo.

If you are interested in learning about different fight techniques including these martial arts style, there is only one authority to go to. The Fight Authority is a one-stop resource of all types of fighting techniques including martial arts, street fighting and other hand to hand combat skills. In addition to learning about the different types of fighting techniques, site visitors can also watch martial arts videos including muay thai, jiu jitsu and MMA training.

Learning martial arts is an effective way to protect yourself from situations that require you to stand up and defend your self. On the other hand, you should realize that learning is just the beginning. Martial arts is also an important discipline that requires you to seek out a way to improve yourself and develop your skills. It is a continuous process and should be taken quite seriously.

The Fight Authority will help you with all these things plus provide you with the means to meet other martial arts enthusiasts. The advances in technology have bridged so many barriers including time and distance and you will be able to maximize this particular feature of the internet. And the good news is you do not even have to leave your home to learn about martial arts.

Fight Authority is leading resource for Martial Arts Fighting. Visit our online resource for Mixed Martial Arts Techniques.

Author: Matthew Bryers
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Canada duty

It is no secret that Asian martial arts are incredibly popular in the United States. Any given town may have two or three Korean Tae Kwon Do schools, a few Okinawan karate schools, a Chinese kung fu school or two, and a handful of Judo, Aikido, Jiu Jitsu, and other schools scattered about. The prospective martial arts student can pick and choose which style appeals to him or her most and is even free to combine elements from multiple styles. Such was not the case in the founding days of the martial arts, when arts were passed on from student to teacher in a direct lineage. It was not always easy to find a teacher, and the student had to spend a lifetime mastering the art. There was no “picking and choosing”, no shopping for styles and masters. So how have the martial arts integrated into western consumer culture? Quite well, actually. The freedom to pick and choose has allowed the blending of styles that have been separated for centuries. In the end, we are seeing the emergence of a truly American class of fighting styles. This conglomeration of fighting arts is a melting pot, much as America itself is.

It should be pointed out early on that this article makes many sweeping generalizations that are not true of many particular martial arts schools and styles. Some schools proved to be adaptable to local influences almost immediately, while others have retained their traditional characteristics for decades. This article is not intended to say that one way is better than another. It is just an observation of how the martial arts scene, overall, in America is changing.

The first wave of the martial arts boom in the United States occurred in the years directly following World War II. American servicemen stationed in the east discovered the strange, effective fighting arts of Japan while based in the region as part of the post war occupational force. The primary martial art that was introduced at this time was Judo, which was popular in mainland Japan, along with some forms of empty hand martial arts from the island of Okinawa. These Okinawan arts are collectively known by their Japanese name–the words “kara” meaning “empty” and “te” meaning “hand” combine to form the now common word “karate” or “empty hand.” The second wave was an interest in Chinese forms of martial arts (kung fu), largely popularized by the demonstrations and movie and TV roles of Bruce Lee in the nineteen-sixties. The martial arts enthusiasts of generation X can largely trace their martial arts influences to the Karate Kid movies.

Yet, through all of the decades of martial arts practice in America, martial arts remained firmly rooted in its oriental culture and tradition. Classes began with salutations in Japanese or Chinese, and the same languages were used to count out punches and kicks during drills. The more closely the American martial arts schools held to the traditions of their forbearers, the more the art was respected. Schools that integrated oriental martial arts with American boxing and wrestling were often viewed as having somehow “watered down” the traditional nature of their art.

Those views have been slowly changing over time, and mixed martial arts (MMA), which combines striking arts with wrestling and grappling arts, has become an accepted class of martial arts in its own right. This has been particularly highlighted by the success of the Ultimate Fighting circuit, which is as close to no holds barred fighting as you’ll find in modern sports. The early Ultimate Fighting Championships featured competitors who were essentially one dimensional. Someone might be a boxer, a grappler, a karate practitioner, or something else, but rarely did you see true mixed martial artists. However, the one dimensional fighters soon found themselves outmatched by the more versatile MMA competitors. This was most stunningly highlighted recently when Royce Gracie, Jiu Jitsu master and the winner of three of the first four Ultimate Fighting Championships, was defeated soundly in his return match by Matt Hughes, a modern MMA fighter.

Does this mean that traditional martial arts have been supplanted by the new breed of MMA styles? Absolutely not. Rather, it just goes to show that, even in the martial arts, there is not one size that fits all. Clearly, if you are fighting three five minute rounds in a chain link octagon, then MMA might be the way to go. However, who can say what would work best in a real world confrontation? Besides, as any true martial arts practitioner knows, the true value of studying the martial arts comes not in finding ways to beat your opponent–rather, the real challenge is to face down your own failings and become the best person you can be.

Gary Russell is a freelance writer, martial arts practitioner, and software engineer. He is the founder of TopSearch Consulting, a full service web content and keyword article provider.

Author: Gary Russell
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Excise Tax

What is a Martial Art?

A martial art can be defined as any skill that can be applied in warfare. The word martial means “military.” So traditionally, a martial art is a military art. The first things that usually come to mind when discussing modern martial arts are leaping, kicking, punching, blocking, inverting elbows, twisting necks, throwing, and weapon fighting. But also horsemanship, javelin throwing, archery, spear fighting, halberd fighting, wrestling, knife fighting, rifle, shotgun and pistol shooting, demolitions, logistics, and battle strategy can all be described as the field of martial arts. Anything that a soldier might do in battle is a martial art.

By martial art usually it is meant aikido, arnis, boxing, capoeria, chow gar, choy la fut, hapkido, hsing’i, hun gar, jeet kune do, jow gar, judo, jujitsu, karate, kempo, kick boxing, krav maga, kung fu, pa kua, penjak silat, praying mantis, savate, shaolin, tae kwon do, tai chi, white crane, wing chun, wu shu and more! As you can see the list is quite long and it is actually quite amazing how many martial arts systems there are and how many methods of self defense can be formulated.

Often within a martial arts school it is taught that “this particular system is the best system and it was created to beat all the others.” Of course every martial artist would have the viewpoint their style is the best because that is the style they have chosen to do, but in reality what they are saying is “this is the best style for me as it suits my temperment and I like the teaching environment.”

The Changing of the Arts

Throughout this history and development of the martial arts and all the combat systems of man our training tools have played a vital part in evolving and perfecting these systems and techniques.

All the martial arts have been effected by the role that mechanical devices play whether it be weapons, dojo mats, breaking boards or even the uniforms we wear – all these paraphanialia indentify the martial arts into their systems and style.

The main players in shaping our new martial arts would be the traditional wooden dummy, wing chun rings, iron palm ointments and even the system of using forms and karta have developed the martial arts into their current form.

Even today modern training tools are common and again the martial arts are under development with new training products such as the Wavemaster, the BOB training dummy, the Focus Master. All with one thing in common, to create a well rounded combat system.

Ideally a martial arts solo training tool should be workable for all and based on sound theory and through constant practice develop into sound physical application. The ideology and theory would have to take into account all the history of the combat technology of man and give this competition and street application.

The Martialarm Combat Training Partner

In a martial arts career you can occationally find your self with no school to go to or no one to train with and so out of neccessity the martialarm solo training partner was born. The Martialarm is a Martial Arts training machine used to develop the entry and trapping skills of any martial arts system. It is designed to actually test any techniques so to improve the ability to trap and control your opponents hands and arms. This can be done because the Martialarm moves and reacts like a real opponent. The Martialarm moves and twists up, down, left and right just like a real opponent would – so it can spring forward and it does strike back!

The Martialarm Combat Training Partner was designed and developed on the following theories:

Martialarm Theory

#1) Safety – You must maintain 100% safety when entering into the opponents attack range, this means to limit any variables that could occur by covering them. (Methods of entry must be sophisticated yet simple, fast as well as safe!)

#2) Attack – You must have the ability to attack at will, with no concern or hesitation. The attack should incorporate a total control of the opponents weapons. (Attacks must be structured to have within them a 100% defense!)

#3) Adaptability – Techniques, attacks and defenses must flow but not necessarily at a constant pace. Adaptability to choose what’s next is key!

Whatever martial arts you choose just be sure you do look at a few before you decide and enqire with the school what martial arts equipment they utilize to get the best from your training.

This article was written by P. Sundbye who has been training in various martialarts for the last 11 years including Wing Chun Kung Fu, Aikido, Tong Long and the Lee Total Control system. For more information and martial arts news visit http://www.martialarm.com.

Author: Peter Sundbye
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Excise Tax

Admit it. When the going gets tough at home, we’ve all plopped the kids in front of the television and breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, we can get started on dinner, maybe check email or sort that massive pile of laundry.

But when your five-year old yells at you “Mom, Kids Rule!” or your ten-year old horrifies you with language that would make a sailor blush, you realize there must be something amiss with what these “family programs” really teach our kids. And sadly, its happening all over the media today, from sports to cartoons, and our children are learning things that we, as parents, vowed we would never teach them. Old fashioned values like respect and self-discipline, seems to have been forgotten, replaced by the dreaded “bling bling” pop culture of today.

Just the thought of your angelic three-year old morphing into a designer-clad, smart-mouthed, money-worshipping, me-obsessed, lay-about is enough to make any parent consider that threatening military school brochure, but there is a solution out there to consider.

Martial Arts training.

From Ninja Turtles to The Karate Kid

You and your kids have all seen the flying kicks, battle cries and mighty chops of their favorite TV characters, as they beat the bad guys to submission – but, you may ask, how on earth can these acts of violence teach my child anything worthwhile?

First, know that what you see on television (save perhaps the Karate Kid) is a far cry from what real martial arts are all about. The fact is, martial arts training is based on non-violence.

Originating in Asia (mainly Japan, China and Korea, although Thailand and Vietnam have their own practices as well), martial arts range from a variety of types and styles, all of which are based on well-rounded, moral teachings. The beauty of learning martial arts is that it encompasses not just the physical aspect of the “sport”, but mental and emotional lessons as well.

Comparing that to other kid’s activities and sports, where fierce competitiveness and “winning at all costs” seems to be the order of the day, it’s not surprising that many children grapple with issues of self-esteem and misplaced aggression.

Now imagine your child actually learning valuable life lessons, skills that he will take throughout life, laying the foundation for a happy, well-adjusted and fulfilled adult life. If only karate for kids was popular in the 70’s, when I was growing up!

The Advantages

o Karate, and other martial arts for kids, builds confidence and self-esteem as well as self-discipline, respect, concentration and courtesy.

o Many martial arts schools also offer leadership courses for kids, in conjunction with their karate for kids programs, or similar lessons.

o Martial Arts is ideal for children who do not do well in team sports, giving them the ability to flourish this activity, while combining physical and mental practices.

o Many do not realize this, but it is a fact that martial arts training are safer than most school sports.

o Children with special needs, such as ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), learning difficulties and hyperactivity are often recommended to participate in martial arts for kids because of the clear benefits in its structured training techniques.

Kung-Fu Master or Ninja Warrior?

Before you sign up Junior for the first martial arts class you see, take some time to check out the different methods available, and match it with what you know would suit your child best. This is a good way to avoid any problems that may sprout from a conflict of your child’s personality and the training techniques.

Is your little Zach a sensitive soul? Then maybe a class that doesn’t center on sparring (full-on kicks and punches training) but rather, slower, defensive maneuvers would fare better for him. Kids with an aggressive streak, however, may prefer the more forceful moves and thrive in competitive sparring.

Here’s a quick primer on the kid-friendly martial arts training you’re likely to find:

Martial Arts From Japan

Karate

o Uses defensive and aggressive moves

o Centers on building strength and endurance

o Involves chops, punches, kicks, strikes, blocking and sparring

o May use weapons

Jujitsu

o Uses defensive and aggressive moves

o Involves lots of sparring

o Teaches a fair amount of weapons training

Aikido

o Uses a more “spiritual” and harmonious style in redirecting the aggression of the attacker as the form of defense, using throws, pins, rolls etc.

o Taught on the premise of disabling an aggressor without attacking, through your individual inner energy

o Does not involve sparring or competitions

Judo

o Uses gentle, “wrestling-like” movements

o Considered one of the safest methods of martial arts

o Emphasizes physical control as well as mental development

o Engages in competitions

Martial Arts From China

Kung-Fu

o The generic term referring to Chinese martial arts with a variety of styles

o Involves attack movements as well as defensive techniques

o Teaches kicks, punches, chops, throws, falls, grappling, katas, leg sweeps and blows among others.

o Engages in sparring competitions

Martial Arts From Korea

Taekwondo

o Competitive in nature, involves techniques using elaborate footwork and unique high kicks.

o Emphasizes strength, force and attack methods.

o Engages in lots of sparring and competitions.

Choosing The Right Instruction

If you have an idea of the type of martial arts class you’d like your child to participate in, the next step would be to find the right school. Finding the right class that not only matches your child’s and your needs, in terms of teachers you feel comfortable with, the price, facilities and so on, are all important factors.

Say you’ve found a local place that specializes in Karate for Kids. What are the things you should look for?

1. Good Instructors

Check out their qualifications, teaching methods and watch carefully how they interact with the other children. It should be a fun learning experience!

2. Space and Safety

Obviously you would want to entrust your child in as establishment that is safe, well-maintained, and clean with ample space as well as decent facilities and equipment.

3. School Values

Different martial arts schools inevitably go by different values, for instance, one kid’s karate class may handle aggression in one way, while a judo class would have a different approach. Take some time to observe which school’s ideals match your family’s principles.

4. Prices and Schedules

Prices for martial arts training can vary according to school and location, so make sure you the instruction you choose represents fair value. Finding the most effective way to fit martial arts training into your family’s lifestyle is also essential, knowing what works best with your schedule and other activities.

Baby Blackbelts

Starting your child young in karate training is ideal (children as young as the age of four are usually accepted, as it is also a good way to hone fine motor skills), and lots of parents have found that in as little as a year, their children who were involved in martial arts had noticeably gained positive traits such as increased self-esteem, respect and overall physical fitness.

Many parents also opt to join a martial arts training program themselves, making it a great bonding experience for the entire family.

About the author:

Laura Saunders is a successful freelance writer, mother of two, and a martial arts practitioner who has written articles for http://www.best-karate-equipment.com, your online guide to karate uniforms and karate training equipment.

Copyright 2005 Best-Karate-Equipment.com

Permission is granted to publish this article on your site if the author’s byline is included and all 3 links are hyperlinked

Author: Laura Saunders
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Import duty tariff

In recent years we have seen the irrefutable rise of MMA – mixed martial arts- both as a sport and as a fully-fledged cultural phenomenon. Since its inception in the early nineties it has dominated our television screens, our magazines and our local club networks across the world. Some see it as the holy grail of fighting systems, a seamless mix of ju jitsu, wrestling and the striking arts that meld together almost alchemically to form “the ultimate fighting system”.

Superficially, this may seem true. Because MMA appears to have all the bases covered, in purely fighting terms its proponents seem to think they have reached some kind of nadir and that all other fighting systems are, by definition, out of date and inferior. There is an undeniable aura of testosterone-fueled arrogance and over-aggressiveness that permeates the whole scene, with the result that everything about it feels dumbed-down to the lowest common denominator so that it may appeal to as many people as possible, all of which stands in stark contrast to the Bushido code.

Labeling itself a martial is also a step too far, in my opinion. MMA is not a martial art in the true sense of the words. It has as much to do with martial arts as boxing does and as long it continues to be propelled by commercialism it will never meet the standards required for it to be so.

I do of course realize that many of you reading this, and are perhaps involved in MMA in some way, will take great issue with what is being said here and this is fine. It is not my purpose to create controversy for the sake of it. It is merely my intention to put across what I consider to be a valid point of view. There are very real principles at stake here and these things need to be said.

Okay, so lets take a step back from the controversy for a moment and take a look at a few points of fact concerning the martial arts themselves and its long held traditions. As well as encompassing many different fighting systems that date back hundreds (and in some cases thousands) of years, the martial arts have been an endless source of physical, mental and spiritual sustenance for many, many people throughout the world. Far from being a mere brutal, violent, thuggish or ego driven pastime (as some critics would have it), the practice of martial arts has the potential to be one of the most peaceful and life-affirming activities a person could hope to be involved in.

With devout and sincere practice, the martial arts brings out the very best and most worthy traits in a person – integrity, humility, inner-strength, a respect for ones fellow human beings and, given enough devotion, a stillness within that allows one to connect on a much deeper level with the world (and indeed the universe) around them. Now some of you may see this as more psudo-spiritual garbage (and there has been a lot of that over the years), but ask anyone who has practiced their art (any art for that matter) long and hard enough and they will undoubtedly verify that it is indeed possible to transcend the merely physical aspects of it and move on to deeper and more meaningful levels of understanding.

This is not say to say that there is anything wrong with merely focusing ones concentration on the purely physical aspects of training, and in fact most martial artists do this, turning on their “martial mind” three times a week or so for practice and then leaving it at that. It is, however, a mistake to think that this is all there is to martial arts just because you have not personally experienced anything different. The martial arts are one of the few spiritual practices left in the world where, when done properly and with enough devotion, one can move past ego and thus all the detrimental traits that stem from that including arrogance, conceitedness, competitiveness and a host of other undesirable and therefore damaging behaviour patterns, most of which are a product of the highly materialist society we find ourselves serving under today.

Which brings us back to the subject of so-called Mixed Martial Arts and the superficiality on which it is based. If martial arts can be said to reflect the very values of its creators ( and indeed of the harmony of the universe itself ) then MMA – or cage fighting, to give it a more appropriate title – so to reflects the values of its own creators and the world in which they live. Taking into consideration all the characteristics that go together to make up a true martial art, then it is hard to see, even from the most sympathetic viewpoint, what cage fighting has to do with martial arts except in its replication and utilization of the physical techniques, which as we know, should only be one part of a whole system. So in this sense alone, cage fighting cannot be considered a true martial art.

As if to make up for this lack of substance we have seen cage fighting subjected to large scale commercialisation across the world. This began when the Gracie clan invaded America, bringing with them their own brand of Ju Jitsu which they subsequently put on show in the first Ultimate Fighting Championship, which was billed as “the toughest fighting contest in the world”. In reality, the tournament was a grand showcase for Gracie Ju Jitsu and the beginnings of another corporate money-making machine as a whole industry (and all of its commercial off-shoots including pay-per view, merchandising and ticket sales) quickly established itself until finally today we have the finely honed brand that is MMA.

Of course this is not the first time we have seen the large scale commercialization and bastardization of the martial arts. In the seventies we saw the rise of Kung-Fu and other arts thanks in part to the popularity of film stars like Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris. A lot of money was made of the back of this trend also, but at the same time it prompted a vast number of people to seek out traditional martial arts, setting of many on a rich voyage of discovery and personal fulfillment within a system that had integrity and noble values.

These days people will watch a few cage fights on television and be taken in by the guts and glory illusion and perhaps they will think to themselves that they would like to do that as well and so they will seek out one of the ever-growing number of clubs around the world that teach MMA and they will start to learn. The same thing happened when people first watched Bruce Lee movies years ago. They sought out a martial arts club in the belief that they too could one day kick ass like Bruce Lee did on screen. However when they began training they quickly realized that there was no place in the dojo for such arrogance, aggression, or egomania.

These traits were quickly dampened down by their instructor and replaced by those inherent in the Bushido code. Today however, it seems like these undesirable attributes are actively encouraged within the MMA scene, the rampant competitiveness, the do or die attitude, the ego inflating. Humility is left behind at the front door and people never get to experience the beauty inherent in a true martial arts system (which is to say one led by the Bushido code). This is a travesty and, in my opinion, detrimental to a society that is badly in need of such values as those gained through proper martial arts practice.

The fact is, whatever budo sensibilities cage fighting may once have had have now been compromised and crushed under the weight of commercialization to the point where top level fights now resemble the purely entertainment based fights of pro-wrestling. Anyone who does not think these fights are carefully controlled are deluding themselves. The money will always come first and therefore integrity will come last. Thus we have these “modern day gladiators” (who all look the same by the way, bald, over-muscled and tattooed like they have just come of a production line) knocking lumps out of one another inside a cage whilst millions of people watch them on telly and bay for their blood.

This is patently not martial arts by anyone’s standards. At best MMA is a sport and at worst, two puppets in a cage trying to knock each other out (sorry, submit one another). People are unfortunately being lured into this by the illusion of glamour put out by the media and by the possibility of achieving fame and fortune (two fleeting concepts in themselves), if even on only a small scale.

Of course people are free to do as they please with their lives and it is not my purpose here to try and tell you what you should and should not do. The real point I am trying to make is that if people were made more aware of the true nature of martial arts and the many deeper benefits that come along with practicing it, then perhaps they would not be so blinded by the false glamour and compromised (not to mention damaging) values that cage fighting/MMA are based upon.

It is a homogenized system of fighting that has taken advantage of peoples ignorance and weak egos in the name of entertainment and corporate power and it is slowly threatening the existence of the traditional martial arts. I know of many traditional clubs who have fallen victim to the spread of this false martial art, with diminished numbers and very few new recruits because people are going to these MMA clubs after watching a few cage fights on TV and have thought to themselves that they would like to do that, completely unaware of what they are getting themselves into. To my mind, MMA reflects a lot of what is wrong with today’s society – the hunger for fame and money, the lack of any real depth or meaning – and it saddens me to see so many people be sucked in by it.

In the end though, I see MMA as another trend that will eventually be usurped by something else on an even baser level. Traditional martial arts on the other hand, has existed for thousands of years and will continue to endure as long as people themselves do. Can we really say the same about MMA?

Neal Martin is an ex-bouncer and highly experienced martial artist with many years of training under his belt. He also publishes the popular Urban Samurai blog. Join his e-mail list today to receive some great free gifts, including his authoritative e-books on self defense and mind training for martial artists. Just click here.

Author: Neal Martin
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Import duty tariff

It seems you can’t get into a discussion about martial arts without someone claiming that the style they practice is the best. Of course this isn’t possible, because at least someone else in the group either practices the best martial arts style or knows someone who does. If you go online you will find thousands of opinions on the subject. Each person claims they can prove that their style is the best. Like religion, martial arts practitioners defend their style vehemently and aggressively. This can be pretty confusing especially if you don’t know anything about the martial arts. But no matter what your level of experience, it always comes down to one question: Which martial arts style is the deadliest?

Well, that is actually a trick question and it is often asked by people who are uneducated about martial arts. Anyone saying they teach or know the most deadly style of martial arts is a liar or they’re very much mistaken. The truth is there isn’t one martial arts style that is the most deadly and if there was don’t you think everyone would be studying it? Nothing can be kept secret for very long so don’t believe the hype when it comes to martial arts. There are a lot of cliché’s when it comes to martial arts and self defense.

If you want a style of martial arts that is effective in combat you have to look back in history and find out what style worked in street fights and on the field of battle applicable to modern times. All martial arts claim a combat heritage, but not all styles remain combat effective. They become either out dated or become “civilized”. It doesn’t happen overnight, but over time a style can become sanitized with rules and restrictions. Take karate for example, which started out as a practical martial art where the primary goal was killing or disabling your enemy. Sounds pretty brutal, but that isn’t what’s being taught in strip mall schools around the United States. The martial art being practiced is a sport or ‘nice’ watered down version of karate. All the potentially deadly moves and strikes have been removed to prevent injury or death in competition. Remember just because something was created for combat doesn’t mean it is still effective; the yo-yo started off as a weapon, but when was the last time you heard of someone killing somebody with one?

Films and TV add to this misconception and are largely responsible for misinforming people about martial arts, and can’t be used as your guide. Many great martial artists like Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee have made martial arts films, but even they needed to change their styles so it would have more of a theatrical impact. On screen, conventional martial arts aren’t “flashy enough,” so like anything theatrical in nature they have been made bigger and louder. In real life, if a smart and well trained martial artist is surrounded by armed thugs they’re going to try to fight their way out so they can run to safety NOT fight them all at the same time. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was nice to watch, but nobody can catch bullets, fly threw the air and break the laws of physics no matter how hard they train. The Hollywood scriptwriter, not a fighter’s martial arts knowledge, dictates how a fight goes and anybody’s style can be made to look cool on camera. Enjoy martial arts films as entertainment, but remember it isn’t real not by a long shot.

Another over exaggeration of a martial artist’s capability is the image of an elderly Asian martial artist killing or disabling an attacker with a single touch known as the death touch or “dim mak”. Now while it is possible to kill with one strike. The idea of “tapping someone and watching them pass out is ludicrous. I know there are a lot of martial arts videos on the market and on you-tube that show martial artists claiming to have this ability, but you should seriously think about it. If there really was a “death touch,” don’t you think everyone would be using it? With all the money people invest in professional fighting and sports and all the contact that happens, don’t you think more people would be dropping dead in the ring or on the field by accidentally hitting these areas? If the “death touch” truly existed, people would abandon what they were practicing and learn it or spend their time building defenses against it, because why would you bother with anything else. Remember, there’s no documentation or police report that exists that has the cause of death as “dim mak”!

Even some of the best martial artists in the world have admitted that in a real fight to resorting to grabbing an attacker’s testicles or gouge an eye or even biting to survive a deadly encounter (Read Gichin Funakoshi’s Karate-Do). In reality, most people die from being strangled, blunt force trauma, and serious blood loss not magic or secret moves. If there is a “deadliest style” or system of martial arts is one that teaches you to do the above quickly, ruthlessly and without regard for human life.

The Self Defense Company is your number one source for:
Martial Arts, Martial Arts Training and Self Defense

Author: Damian M Ross
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Benefits of electric pressure cooker

For anyone who wants to learn a martial art, there is a lot to know in regards to the many different styles. Of course there is the question of finding the best martial art, which is a question a lot of people ask with so many martial arts styles to choose from, it can be very complicated to pick one to learn.

No matter what you may hear or what others have to say, it is quite impossible to name one style of martial arts as the ultimate best. Actually, there are several factors that come into play,Even though one style may beat another in a competition or a fight it doesn’t always mean that the winning style is the best.

Before deciding to rush out there and learn a martial art, there are several things that you should decide first. Martial arts are great to learn, no matter which style you decide on. A martial art can teach you self discipline, self defence, and several other traits that will help you no matter where you decide to go in life.

Self defence

All over the world, there are several martial arts schools and dojo’s that emphasize self defence a lot more than others. Schools that focus on kata, forms, or light sparring are less than likely to teach you what you need to protect yourself on the street. If you are looking for street self defence, then you’ll want a style that trains hard and doesn’t let up.

Fitness

Even though martial arts can improve your fitness level, it isn’t the goal behind a lot of the martial arts styles. Several styles, such as Tae Bo, are based purely on martial arts and don’t include a lot of physical fitness training. If you are looking for fitness as your main goal, then you should be looking into something other than martial arts.

Fighting ability

This will vary among the many different martial arts styles. Self defence schools will most often take advantage of fighting skills, teaching you everything you need to survive. Most martial arts styles are slow in theory, teaching you kata, movements, and forms. Self defence schools on the other hand, teach you how to inflict the most amounts of damage in the least amount of time.

Competition

Competition based martial arts are all about winning trophies and showing the world your style of martial arts. The competition that you have chosen, will greatly impact your style of martial arts. You’ll need to decide if you will be fighting or showcasing display kata, light or heavy contact, or focusing on grappling or striking.

Before you decide on a martial arts style, you should always research the schools and dojo’s in your area and see what they offer. The best schools will allow you to participate in a few free classes, or offer you discounts on your first few months. They will answer any questions that you have, and work with you to help you learn as much as you can.

Martial arts can be a very fun and exciting learning experience. There are hundreds of different martial arts styles out there, although you may be limited in choice, depending on what all is offered in your area. Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Kickboxing, and Jiu-Jitsu and some of the most common types of martial arts, and normally offered just about everywhere. The more distinct styles, such as Kung Fu, Shoot fighting, Kenpo, and Shaolin styles are a bit harder to find.

If you do your homework on some of the styles that are offered in your area, you’ll find one that best fits your reasons to study. Martial arts can change your outlook on life – all you have to do is devote yourself to learning all you can about the philosophy of your martial art.

You can find out more information on martial arts styles and which one that might be right for you at www.martialarts-technique.com

Author: Eddie Maclean
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Benefits of electric pressure cooker

• What are the most important things to look for when comparing martial arts schools?
• What are the tell tale signs of a quality school that you can spot immediately?
• What are the best questions to ask, and how do you know if they can really deliver?
• What part of a contract can you negotiate?

These are just some of the important questions you need to know how to answer before shopping around for a martial arts school.

A commitment to martial arts is an investment in time and money, so knowing exactly what to look for in a school, and knowing what questions to ask, will give you the clarity and confidence to make a smart choice.

A bad choice in a martial arts school can be an expensive lesson, so use this guide to educate yourself.

There is a huge variety of martial arts schools out there. Facilities range from expensive health-club-like facilities to open space warehouses. Martial arts schools aren’t regulated to insure quality of instruction or business practice. There is no official governing body and no universal grading standard in martial arts. Almost anyone can open a school and appear to be an expert.

What do you look for beyond price, amenities and convenient schedules? While most people first consider price and the facility, there are more important factors that you need to consider first!

These 10 steps show you how to make the best decision in choosing a martial arts school:

1. Objective
2. Instructors
3. Class Dynamic
4. Student Results
5. Curriculum
6. Style
7. Facility
8. Service
9. Price/Fees
10. Instinct

1. OBJECTIVE:

Before you start looking into martial arts schools, determine your true goals for martial arts practice. To get the most out of your training, clearly identify your real goals and the specific benefits you want to have.

Ultimately, you just want to feel good about yourself and feel super confident, right?

However, this is usually not enough of a specific emotional motivator for consistent practice.

The majority of people who start martial arts rarely make it past a few months of consistent practice. It’s not just a lack of motivation. Not having clear goals is usually why people don’t follow through in practice.

To determine what you really want from training, start by narrowing down what you wish to focus on.

The focus of your practice can be broken down into several areas. There’s no right or wrong – it comes down to personal preference.

For starters, you can number these in order of importance.

• Physical Fitness as the main goal, with martial arts aptitude as a secondary benefit.
• Purely Combative Focus, with fitness and personal growth as added benefits
• Creative and Artistic Expression, aesthetics, beauty and WOW Factor
• Competitive Focus, sports aspects such as one on one competition
• Mental and Emotional Growth, catalyst for self-discovery and spiritual growth, cultural and philosophical interests

Ask yourself clarifying “Why” questions, so you can identify what you’re really going for.

This is the first step in filtering the selection of schools to choose from. Once you’ve identified your goals for martial arts practice and understand why they are your goals, you’re ready to search for a school.

2. INSTRUCTORS:

An instructor plays the key role in how you will achieve your goals.

Finding a good instructor is more important than choosing a style, and is probably the biggest factor in your decision to join a school. It’s nice to have impressive amenities and expensive equipment, but ultimately a martial arts school is only as good as it’s instructors.

Being a black belt doesn’t qualify someone to teach!

• A competent instructor is knowledgeable, experienced, and has the ability to effectively pass on his craft.
• A good instructor possesses leadership and communication skills.
• A great instructor will also display sincere empathy, showing a genuine interest in helping you achieve your goals, bringing out your individual strengths.

Look for other attributes that increase an instructor’s ability to add value to your training:

• Proven competitive track record, such as World Champion Titles
• A degree in an area such as psychology, sports medicine, kinesiology or related fields
• Military, law enforcement, or security experience
• Involvement in a credible martial arts organization
• Extensive knowledge of a culture or philosophy that you’re interested in

Although an instructor’s experience and background provides some credibility, don’t be overly impressed with awards and certificates.

Their mindset and level of experience will be apparent through subtleties in character and by their actions.

Quality instructors are sincerely interested in helping You and won’t feel the need to boast about their own credentials or prove themselves. Instead of boosting their own egos, high-level instructors are very attentive on coaching you to achieve your goals.

You can often measure an instructor more accurately by their students’ results and satisfaction than by credentials alone. The students themselves may be the greatest indication of the quality of instruction.

Just like a good business is constantly researching and developing, high-level instructors research and develop methodologies in order to continually improve. A lifetime training in martial arts isn’t enough to reach human potential!

A high level instructor portrays noble characteristics of a role model and leader.

Confident instructors welcome feedback and respond to your questions with patience and insight. They are usually very humble, and rarely speak negatively about any other school or style.

Also, find out if the school’s head instructor is actively teaching. Some schools have classes primarily taught by an assistant or senior students, while the head instructor only makes an occasional appearance.

While assistant instructors may be totally capable of teaching, watch out for schools that “sell” you on the instructor but have someone else teaching.

3. CLASS DYNAMIC:

Make sure you know how to evaluate a school in two parts, the content and the context.

The context of a martial arts school is made up of the training methods and environment. What kind of setting is the school providing?

A supportive learning environment is crucial to maximize the assimilation and retention of material. The context of training can be more important than the content, (or material), intended to be learned.

Look for context such as:

• The collective mood or energy of the instructors and students
• The class dynamic – structure and flow
• How the amenities and equipment are used
• The training methodologies
• How the ranking system is structured
• The quality of service

One of the best ways to evaluate a school is to watch or participate in a class.

You can watch videos, visit a website and read all about the credentials and features of a school. However, you can only get a true feel by “test driving” the actual group classes. Many schools offer free consultations or introductory private lessons.

If a school allows you to watch, or better yet, participate in a class without obligation it speaks highly of their confidence and transparency.

The class dynamic is the best demonstration of the instructor’s martial arts aptitude and ability to teach. It reveals how the students interact with each other and the instructor. It’s also the perfect opportunity to see how their curriculum is implemented into training.

Consider the size of the classes and how that may effect your training. The make up and flow of the classes will either help your learning experience or hurt it.

Look for the following:

• Is there a significant age difference among students that may restrict your practice?
• Is there a significant difference in the students’ experiences or physical abilities?
• How formal or informal are the classes? And, how does that effect your practice?
• How much supportive individual attention do the students receive?
• Is there anything about the facility that’ll hinder your practice? such as cleanliness, stale air, too cold or hot, distracting noises, etc.

Many beginners prefer large classes. It can be easier to follow along with the examples of many other students. There’s also less intimidation as the collective group dynamic can conceal individual insecurities and lessons the pressure to keep up.

On the flip side, there is a key benefit to smaller classes that’s important to consider. There is more opportunity to receive personal attention from instructors that can greatly accelerate your learning curve.

Again, instructors are the backbone of a martial arts school. The instructor consciously, or unconsciously, dictates the energy of the entire class.

Here are some other things to look for:

• Does the instructor facilitate class with control and safety? (Notice if the students are enjoying themselves or seem uncomfortable and hesitant).
• Is the instructor passionate and actively teaching or seemingly going through the motions and mechanically calling out commands?
• Do the students seem inspired?

A martial arts school provides the setting of a controlled environment where you’ll train to overcome future or potential challenges. In order to maximize results, good schools teach in a context that anticipates and matches the actual environment of those future and potential challenges.

The classes must simulate the intended environment and must provide the necessary emotional stress in order to engrain instinctual trained responses.

For example:

• If you’re seeking a combative style for self-defense, look for schools that safely facilitate reality based, high-stress scenario exercises.
• If you’re training to fight in a ring or cage, look for a school that teaches you how to maneuver in the confines of a ring/cage under the same guidelines of the competition.
• If you’re goal is to perform in tournaments, look for a school that can facilitate your training in a loud, distracting environment with large mirrors and an audience.
• If your goal is to have fun getting in shape, look for classes that use good training equipment, have high energy, exciting exercises and a social atmosphere

Pay attention to the flow of the class and notice how much of the class time is instructional. Some schools implement a lot of conditioning drills while others teach with a lot of verbal explanations. Notice if they have a lot of unnecessary “filler time”.

It’s also a good idea to inquire about the school’s ranking system. Most traditional schools use some modification of a belt system, but what’s required to earn each belt can vary drastically from school to school.

Is there a clear standard for aptitude and execution of techniques at each level? Or are the requirements based on time and the amount of classes taken?

Many schools test for promotions after a set number of classes. This gives the perception of building capable intermediate and advanced students, which can be an important aspect of a school’s perceived value. Not to mention, belt promotions are a crucial source of income for some schools.

Remember that there’s no official governing body in martial arts, so belt levels may not be valid outside of that school or organization.

4. STUDENT RESULTS:

The students provide tremendous insight as to the quality of instruction. You can often tell more about a school by the students’ results than anything else.

The students are the products of the school’s training system and methodologies. If the advanced students don’t model your martial arts goals go find another school!

When observing the students, pay attention to the ratio of beginner to advanced students. It’s a good sign if there are a lot of intermediate and advanced students. That means the school is able to retain their students, and usually equates to student satisfaction.

Just as you probably don’t want to eat at a restaurant that’s always empty, be cautious of a school with a few students. What’s considered a small student base? Depending on the size of the facility and how long they’ve been in business, classes that have less than 10 students is a pretty strong sign that there’s something lacking in the school.

Consider the characteristics and personalities of the students as well. It’s important that you are comfortable with your classmates cause you may be spending a lot of time with them.

• Are they the types of people you’d like to be around and train with?
• Would you feel comfortable and safe training with them?
• Are the students supportive of one another or are they highly competitive and trying to outdo each other?

The student dynamic may also reveal how the instructor instills leadership and other life skills that you may wish to develop. Watch how the advanced students handle both challenges and successes.

Take the initiative to speak to some of the students. Getting insight from existing students can make all the difference in your decision to join.

5. CURRICULUM:

Remember that a martial arts school can be evaluated in two parts, content and context. The curriculum and style of a school make up the content.

Whether they call themselves a martial arts school, studio, academy, gym, or dojo, they are still businesses. They will promote themselves in creative ways to gain an edge over the competition. You can expect them to entice you with price incentives, boast their credentials, amenities and equipment, or make claims to get you results in the shortest amount of time possible.

Don’t allow marketing tactics to distract you from determining if the school can actually support your training goals.

Whatever a school claims to provide in your martial arts training, their students, classes and curriculum will give you a good indication of the school’s quality and true emphasis.

The martial arts curriculum, (content), is made up of the techniques and material you will be learning at a school.

The focus of your training must be supported by the curriculum and training methods.

There are key points to look for in determining the quality of a curriculum. Begin by identifying the school’s emphasis. Take into consideration that when there is more focus on one aspect of martial arts, other areas are compromised to some degree.

• Forms and jump spinning kicks in the curriculum? You’ve most likely found a school with an artistic or traditional focus that may participate in tournaments. If this is what you’re after, the curriculum should consist of aesthetic techniques that have dynamic kicks and beautiful forms with and without weapons.
• Are the techniques based on kickboxing and wrestling? A lot of sparring and no weapons in the curriculum? This is probably a school that focuses on one-on-one sport competition. Schools that build towards competition usually emphasize physical conditioning to reach peak performance.

Although physical fitness may not be the primary goal in many styles, fitness is generally a by-product of training. You get in shape by default in martial arts practice.

The majority of schools have a curriculum designed to provide a general overall perspective on fitness, sport competition and self-defense. For most people who are just beginning martial arts, a school’s curriculum and interpretation of martial concepts should be comprehensive enough to support you through many years of practice. If this is the case, start to look into other components of the school like their class dynamic.

For those who have martial arts experience, or seeking a specific area of focus, determine if the school’s curriculum actually supports the emphasis you’re looking for.

It’s not uncommon for a school’s true emphasis to be different from how they market themselves. Take note of the techniques in their curriculum and their applications.

For example, let’s say your primary reason for martial arts training is purely for self-defense on the streets. You visit a school that claims to be proficient in teaching self-defense. Yet, they teach fixed stances and forms and only implement weapons training in advanced levels.

This is a big red flag! This doesn’t mean it’s not a good school. It only reveals that their true emphasis is not truly combative.

70% of assaults on the street involve some sort of weapon and over 90% of attacks go to the ground. Any school that claims to teach true self-defense while neglecting weapons training and ground fighting is just plain negligent.

You should seek elsewhere if this is your focus. Modern combative styles will implement training in weapons and ground fighting right from the beginning.

Training methods also implement high stress scenario drills with multiple attackers. You won’t find fancy acrobatics in the curriculum.

Remember the old adage, “A jack of all trades is master of none.” Be cautious of a school that claims to deliver health and fitness AND teach you culture and philosophy AND turn you into a professional fighter AND prepare you for the streets AND promise personal or spiritual growth.

6. STYLE:

Martial arts can be compared to a huge tree with many branches or styles. All “styles” are based on the mechanics of the human body. Every style has strengths and weaknesses as they each focus on different aspects of the arts.

The true measure of a martial art lies in the practitioner, not the style.

Having a general understanding of the different types of styles and their focus will help you in achieving your goals. In martial arts there are hard styles and soft styles.

• Hard Styles focus on striking techniques where the body is used as a weapon for attacking and defending – force against force. Much of the training is external, based on physical conditioning for strength and agility.
• Soft Styles focus on redirection and physical manipulation through leverage and positioning – using an opponent’s force against him. There is often more focus on internal training, training of the mind as well as developing the body’s sensitivity to energy.
• Blended Styles incorporate concepts from both hard and soft styles in a complimentary method, flowing and transitioning from hard to soft and vice versa.

Depending on the area of focus, each style differs in philosophy and training methods. Applications obviously differ as well.

Among styles the emphasis of training will primarily focus on one of the following areas:

Artistic Expression – Schools with an artistic focus emphasize creative physical expression – the “art” aspect of “martial arts”. Artistic styles implement forms or choreographed techniques in training. They typically have more aesthetic beauty, as movements are fluid and graceful like a gymnast or dancer.

Tradition – Traditional styles are rooted with Eastern culture and philosophy. Traditional schools implement both external and internal training for the development of the mind-body-spirit relationship. With this emphasis, martial arts practice serves as lessons for life skills. Practice may also encompass elements of spiritualism.

Competition – Competitive styles generally focus on the sports aspect of martial arts. Competitions can range by category including weight class, level of experience, geographic region and specific style. The emphasis is on winning recognition such as rankings, awards, and trophies that is based on a fixed set of rules.

Combat – Combative styles focus on street defense or military application, including law enforcement. It’s the “martial” part of “martial arts”. The emphasis is on practical application over aesthetic form or physical conditioning. Training includes weapons and reality based scenario exercises.

Fitness – Schools that focus on fitness use martial arts as a catalyst for holistic health. Classes usually consist of fun, energetic physical exercises based on martial arts techniques. Classes will typically implement a broad and general combination of styles and areas of focus.

There are also Modern Styles, which are evolved blended styles that are the result of further researched and developed methodologies. Their focus can be artistic, competitive, combative, or emphasize physical fitness.

While it may be a good idea to blend styles, it can be counter productive to combine your area of focus. Be clear on which area you wish to predominantly focus on.

Again, there’s no right or wrong style. It’s a matter of personal goals and preference.

7. FACILITY:

The first thing to consider is the school’s location in relation to your home or workplace.

Creating a new habit can be challenging, so convenience plays a big role in supporting consistency. You may be commuting several times a week for training, so make sure the facility is close enough so it doesn’t become an excuse for you not to go.

Martial arts schools come in many forms. They can be part of a franchise, belong to an organization, or be a one man show run by a single instructor. They may resemble a fitness gym, yoga studio, gymnasium or warehouse.

Don’t judge a book by it’s cover, and don’t judge a martial arts school by it’s facility.

Although you can’t measure the quality of a school by the facility alone, it does reveal a lot about the owners mindset, aptitude, emphasis of the style and curriculum, as well as the school’s level of professionalism.

The degree of cleanliness may reflect the standard of service. You can get a good idea of the school’s style and emphasis by the school’s design.

A school should have the amenities and equipment that support the context of it’s curriculum, such as a cage or ring for MMA or kickboxing, proper mats for Jiu Jitsu, etc.

Consider what the school puts money into and determine if it actually adds value to your training.

Also notice the subtle details of the facility that may effect on your training. Does the air stink? Does the lighting or colors of the facility effect your energy and mood? How’s the parking? Is it noisy?

Remember, expensive equipment, and other luxuries equals higher tuition fees. Be aware of the costs of extra rooms and large offices that don’t directly add value to your training.

With a good instructor and some basic equipment you can practice anywhere!

8.SERVICE:

Some schools have great sales and marketing techniques to get you to join. But, it’s the quality of ongoing customer service that really counts.

Choosing a school that’s skilled in customer service will potentially save you from a lot of unnecessary headache. Poor customer service can ruin your martial arts experience at any level.

Make sure that there are open lines of communication and that staff members are readily accessible to answer questions to your satisfaction.You may be with a school for many months or even years. Choose a school that cares enough to build a relationship with you.

Know how to distinguish sales techniques from service.

As mentioned, some schools are great at getting you in the door with attractive features and promotions. The question is, once you have signed up are you just another enrollment?

A good comparison is the large franchised fitness gyms. Their amenities, equipment and low monthly fees are hard to pass up. However, once you join there’s virtually no service whatsoever. There are too many people who have gym memberships and don’t use them. They already have your financial commitment – a contract. Rest assured their service will pick up when it’s time for renewal. But is that service or just another sales technique?

The level of transparency is the greatest measure of a school’s integrity. It’s a reflection of their standards of service.

• Does the school fully disclose all the costs involved in your training? Some schools have additional fees, like mandatory programs or association fees, that they don’t mention until you reach a certain point in your training.
• When you have questions, do you get a clear answer right away or do you get an evasive response? The response you get is a good sign of what kind of service you can expect.
• Many schools require you to sign a contract in order to take classes. Some schools offer a trial period where you can pay for a number of classes before you agree to a contract. A contract is simply a written agreement between you and the school, and it can always be negotiated. They should be willing to explain the details of the contract to your full understanding and agree to make any changes you feel are important, as long as it’s mutually beneficial.

9. Price and Fees:

How important is price to you? For many people, it’s the only real limiting factor.

Since most people don’t know how to compare value to price, martial arts schools generally don’t advertise their prices – unless they’re promotional.

Be honest. Before you read this guide, what’s one of the first thing you wanted to know about a martial arts school?

Fees are usually priced by:

• Term period – specified time period with flexibility of the amount of classes taken, usually monthly or yearly
• Number of classes – specified amount of classes taken
• Combination of term and number of classes – usually a monthly fee based on the number of classes taken per week
• Specific Programs – packaged programs such as Black Belt Clubs, Instructor Programs, Certification Programs, Seminars, etc.

Tuition can range anywhere from $50 per month to $500 per month, depending on the school. Nowadays, the average tuition is about $150 per month for 2-3 classes per week.

Tuition isn’t the only cost to consider. You will eventually be investing in training equipment, to some extent. Keep in mind that some styles require more equipment.

While price is important, a common mistake is to compare price without comparing value.

Consider the previous steps and the benefits before you focus on price. This way you can place some sort of dollar value on each component of a school and then shop around.

Think of the convenience of schedule and location, the suitability of teaching style, class dynamic and level of instruction in relation to your personality and goals – can you put a price on that?

With the knowledge you gained by reading this guide, you can make an educated choice in “how to invest” in your training instead of “being sold” a membership.

Most schools require annual contracts. The contract should clearly explain the details of your membership. Generally, schools don’t offer any refunds on tuition.

In most cases, a school will agree to make reasonable changes to the contract if you ask them.

If you’re committed to your practice and have found a school following this guide, signing a contract is usually not an issue. However, knowing potential costs and understanding school policies will help you negotiate any changes, if necessary. What you’re really after is “peace of mind”, isn’t it?

A contract should be mutually beneficial, so you want to insure that the contract also benefits you. This can mean discounted rates, as an example. A contract is also an incentive for you to get your money’s worth by coming to class regularly.

Ask about:

• Price incentives for paying in full
• Discounts for family members
• Training equipment – and if they have to be purchased directly from the school
• Belt testing fees
• Any federation or association member fees
• Cost for programs such as Black Belt Clubs and any other mandatory programs
• Membership freezes in case of travel, injury, or maternity
• Policy for relocation or moving
• Fees for early cancellation

It’s also a good idea to ask whether the billing is managed directly by the school or if they use a billing company. Many schools use a billing company to help manage your tuition payments.

If the school out-sources their billing, you will be dealing with the billing company for the payment of your tuition fees. The billing company will generally only contact you if you are late on your payment. If you ever have to deal with the billing company you can expect the type of service you get from a collection agency. They can also make negative reports on your credit.

A high-quality school has the confidence to earn your business without requiring a contract. But they are rare. These schools are clear about their role. They focus on their core responsibility of providing quality instruction and guidance in your martial arts practice. Schools of this caliber don’t need to use creative sales and marketing techniques. Their business is built by their reputation, word-of-mouth.

10. INSTINCT:

Pay attention to your intuition when visiting a school. While going through the 10 steps outlined in this guide, you’ll instinctively know when you’ve found the right school.

• How long the school has been in business? Are they stable?
• Are you confident in the instructor?
• Do you like the instructor’s teaching style and personality?
• Are the students friendly?
• Did you have fun? Did you feel inspired?

Ultimately, we make decisions based on our emotions and we justify them with logic.

Your decision should be instant and definite. If you find yourself thinking too much or having to convince yourself, something is out of whack. Go back to step 1 or keep looking.

Congratulations! If you’ve read this far, martial arts is obviously for you!

Now you have the foundational knowledge that will add tremendous value to your training and save you precious time and money!

Make the decision and begin your journey! Follow your heart and follow through! It’s the only path to true happiness. You’ll thank yourself as the quality of your life improves as a result of martial arts practice.

Have a fun, safe and fulfilling martial arts journey!

Share your experiences and visit my blog!

http://stevesdragon.com/

Author: Steve H Chang
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Low-volume PCB maker