I once enrolled a new student who possessed the characteristics of the ideal student: polite, respectful and willing to learn. She told me that she was a police officer who was looking to polish her defensive skills. She had abandoned her membership in a competitor's school because the classes lacked any practical application. Nothing that was being taught was of any use on the streets. The system was chock full of flashy jumping and spinning kicks, which are perfect for the movies, but disastrous for self-defense.
It is the obligation of a marital arts instructor to prepare not only police officers, but also the general public, for such unhealthy or life-threatening confrontations. Unfortunately, some martial artists are making a lot of money marketing a lot of empty promises.
I had a new student who decided to spend $2,500 on a 4-hour seminar in California that promised a lot of fancy fighting techniques and a certificate of completion. When he returned, I was curious to see what $2,500 could buy in 4 hours. I asked him to show us. In order to do this, I had to find him an opponent.
I looked around and decided to pair him up with an 18-year-old woman who had been training real life self defense techniques for only one month. The only rule I set to this match was that she was to use simple logical techniques to keep her safe and he was to use what he learned at the seminar. It took all but 30 seconds for this young lady to bring him to his knees. So much for the seminar!
I've seen students with world-class martial arts credentials, by this I mean lots of titles, trophies, and medals. One gentleman said that he was the best and he only trained with the best. He boasted about paying his last instructor $18,000 for one year.
One day the class was doing a lot of two-person drills. The "best of the best" gentleman was paired up with a heavy student who could throw a decent roundhouse kick to the leg. It took this student two shots to the leg to hurt this world-class champion. He was too embarrassed to come back after this episode. It was obvious that the $18,000 he spent wouldn't help him if he was a police officer.
To many of the police officers we have worked with training is not about belts, trophies, or flashy techniques; it is about survival. When choosing a martial art school, choose the practical path. Ask yourself, "Are they teaching me something that could one day save my life?" If you haven't had enough experience to know the difference, find someone who has and bring them with you before you sign a contract and turn over your money. Especially if you're in law enforcement and your life depends on your training everyday.
Westchester New York has plenty of martial arts schools. NYC is famous for the diversity of cultures and it is evident in everything around as one can satisfy there cravings from one block to another. Now the availability of so many choices can make it overwhelming to choose the right martial arts school for you so make sure you really know what you'd like to achieve before you begin to look. Martial arts is a lifelong study and there are steps to achieve your goals. Going out to find the right school requires the same dedication. Making a choice shouldn't have to be frustrating but what you finally decide your martial arts school will be requires serious thought.
The following guide was put together by us to assist anyone interested in finding the right martial arts school for them as well as the specifics of learning what is required of the signing up process. Setting aside some time now for research and some phone calls will save you a ton of heartache later when you choose the best school for you the first time. Many schools actually have limits on the amount of applications they accept so don't be surprised. Reviewing what you read here will help you immensely in being prepared for interviews as well as what to look out for while at the school itself.
Martial arts training is a commitment so one needs to establish the reason you are doing this in order to stay committed. Is martial arts really for you? Wondered how some of your favorite celebrities keep in shape? Want to enjoy yourself, keep in shape and learn how to defend yourself? If you have children, have you wondered if martial arts will instill more discipline? Telling these things to your future instructor can help them figure out if their martial arts training is appropriate to your goals. Knowing this ahead of time will help you immensely in your decision.
Knowing what you want and talking with your instructor can make it so much easier to decide if their school is the right choice for you. Both you and the instructor should be on the same page so there will not be any surprises in the future. Martial arts schools that sign up everyone that walks in are something you should look out for. Your best interest is usually not their concern. Save your money and join the local gym if that's what you are looking for.
Determining the style or type of martial art you will be training in is the next step, some choose this first but the school itself will determine your success much more than the style. An instructor can give you their opinion and listen to them as you will find that is your deciding factor. You may just hit it off right away and that's a good enough reason to sign up. What you thought you liked may not be what it was cracked up to be and a totally different style is better for you. Remember you'll immerse yourself in the culture and traditions of the style in order to be most successful.
Is there a particular style you wanted to learn? Korean,Filipino, Japanese, Thai, Chinese, or Brazilian? Having fun is your primary goal? Ask yourself these questions so that you'll be much more prepared when deciding on the right martial arts school for you. You will find that there are plenty of martial arts schools that are very strict and not appropriate for fun activities. Be careful in how you say some things in these schools as it is easy to offend them.
Many factors come into play when deciding the right martial arts school for you. Ultimately the best school really is the one you feel most comfortable with and getting along with the instructors can really accelerate your learning. Sometimes the farthest school is the right choice and despite the long commute, how you feel and what you will learn will be worth it. Price can be a problem but why pay less and be miserable? Pay up for the right school. Don't be afraid to change if you feel you made a wrong decision as time is your most valuable asset.
Both Calasanz Martinez & Patrick Consing are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Calasanz Martinez has sinced written about articles on various topics from Martial Arts, Fitness and Martial Arts. Calasanz has been training police officers and other law enforcement professionals for over 30 years. You can see his practical martial art videos for self defense at