Triangle Martial Arts Association

Clubs Info
Triangle Martial Arts Association | Friday, 04 July 2008

Who will be providing the bulk of the instruction
If you do not feel comfortable, supported, welcomed, safe, and encouraged - no matter what the art, how fantastic the training facility, how inexpensive the program, or the fame of the instructor - you will not enjoy your time and you will most likely quit. Your first quest therefore should be to find an environment that actually appeals to you and one in which you feel comfortable.
Everyone will approach this differently, and you must make up your own mind as to what is comfortable and what is not. We'd recommend attending a few different classes to observe the student, instructor, and visitor interactions. If they are positive, respectful, light when appropriate and more serious or studious when called for it's probably a good environment to consider for your martial arts training.
This is probably the single most important decision you will make, as the primary instructor will be your leader, mentor, guide, and confidant. You must be able to trust and respect this individual, and equally feel that they trust and respect you as an individual.

Style is less important than substance
Unless you already know which art you wish to study and are determined to seek only that style out, the style of the instructor you like is far less important than the substance of the instruction. While there are nuances to the method, use, execution, and physical requirements of all the different styles - all will ultimately teach you much about yourself, about your abilities, and about how to defend yourself if the worst should happen.
The substantive advantage therefore is in the knowledge of the instructors who will provide your guidance on a regular basis, and their ability to impart that knowledge is a safe, fun, enjoyable, and accessible manner. Instructors should be able to converse intelligently on the techniques and requirements of the instruction and class elements, and should be able to answer student questions competently, thoroughly, and honestly.
If you find such a school, with an instructor you respect, and environment you like and feel comfortable in, students you think you could be friends with, and an instructor group that seems professional, approachable, and knowledgeable - then you have overcome the greatest hurdles. Congratulations.

Where, When, and How Much
Your next major considerations will be where is the facility located, when are the classes held that I can attend, and how much will it all cost. There is no point in signing up to travel fifty miles to seven classes per week costing $30 per month if you know you will only reasonably be able to make one class a month because of your work or home schedule. Find something closer that you can attend more regularly. This is a balancing act that only you can sort out for yourself.
1. If the club offers an introductory program at a reduced rate - try it out
2. Be sure to ask if there are any additional costs that you will need to be aware of - such as additional equipment you may need to buy, promotional fees you will need to pay, etc. A decent club will be up front and will let you know about these.
3. Ask about penalties or financial policies if you work moves you out of the area, or if you decide you don't want to continue training after six months or so. Will they let you out of your agreement or will you need to continue to pay.
4. RUN AWAY from any club that attempts to get you to sign up for any more than twelve months after your first visit - or from any club that promises you a black belt within a certain number of years for X thousand dollars.

Observe some classes and talk with some students
Any decent club or organization will have an open door policy for the majority of their regular classes. Drop in and simply observe a few classes, and try to chat with the students and instructors. If you feel comfortable, welcomed, and properly engaged, it's probably a decent place to consider. If on the other hand you feel discouraged, uncomfortable, or improperly treated, then you may want to continue your search.
There are NO secrets - and classes should never be held behind closed doors where visitors, parents, family members, or friends are excluded. Some special training or restricted access training may be ok....but if every class is held behind closed doors.....RUN AWAY!

Find out more about the club
Once you've found the instructor you like, found the class times and costs you can comfortably work with, and observed a couple of classes and feel comfortable with everything, you can get more serious about joining. This may happen in just two visits to the club, or it may take a little longer. Don't rush into something you'll regret. If you think you're going to puppy dog training camp and end up in Marine Corps boot camp before you realize it, you have a very poor first experience.
Seek out more information about the head instructor and their qualifications both as a martial artists and as a teacher. Not all black belts, no matter their rank, are good teachers - just as not all baseball players are natural coaches. Find out who they learned the art from and how long they have been studying AND teaching the art. Find out how instructors at the club are selected and trained and certified. Find out if all classes are led by qualified and certified instructors (it's NOT acceptable to have a non-instructor lead a class if they are not being directly observed by a qualified instructor.) Find out if all instructors are trained and certified in First Aid and CPR (if not, consider finding another place to train.)
Ask any and ALL questions you need to ask to feel comfortable, before you sing on any dotted lines or participate in any classes. ANY HONEST club will be more than happy to answer all your questions in an honest, forthright, and matter of fact manner.

Let us Know Your Review
If you find the PERFECT place to train.....please let us know! We love to hear that referrals we made were successful, and we love to find out about outstanding clubs and instructors that we have not met yet.
If you have a BAD experience at a club we referred you to.....please let us know! We rely on reviews, accolades, complaints, and suggestions to determine which clubs we should retain on our referral list and which we should drop. While we will not discourage anyone from attending a club they wish to, we will certainly not refer people to clubs we feel do not meet our minimum standards of Equality and Diversity acceptance.