| Looking for a Karate School? |
So you are looking for a Karate School and you are wondering which martial art an individual should study? Dispelling which martial art,
and more importantly which school to choose, are fundamental decisions someone should make. The answer should usually be
something like, -“choose the school and the system that you are going to stick with and stay with it for the rest of your life.”
The reality is that the answer is going to be different for every person. This is a set of general guidelines. We will talk in very broad terms
about different martial arts, and what to look for in a school. Ultimately every teacher, at every school, in every system is going to be
completely different.
It is surprising that in contrast to finding the right store for a pair of shoes, most people spend almost no time looking for the right dojo to
train in. Since most Australians live in a free-market society it is a wonder why more don't take advantage of this situation and get the best
martial arts instruction that their hard earned money can buy. Or better yet, maybe you will find the perfect non-profit dojo to train at that has
the perfect teacher for you or your child. Many people settle for the first dojo (Hall of learning) they come across mainly because they often
cannot tell a good one from a bad one, or a great teacher from one who is, well, not so great.
Since the dojo you finally choose as the place you are going to train in may be the one you spend a good portion of your free time, the
decision ought to be made carefully, prudently, and judiciously.
1. Dispelling a common myth
Finding the right kind of dojo with the right kind of teacher can seem a little daunting. After all, if you have had no experience dealing with
martial arts types what kind of questions can you ask? First of all, is it safe to ask? If I ask the wrong thing will some crazy costumed karate
guy karate-chop me? These are some of the things that first time students have going through their minds when they approach a dojo or
martial arts school.
Just like with religion and politics, many people honestly believe that what they do is the best thing in the world. Maybe we are too naive, or
too full of our own ideas, or too easy to be deceived. So many schools out there claim to be teaching, “the ultimate, deadliest, most secret
guarded system of self defence ever invented by the Gods of combat, or most commonly, the biggest and the strongest.” To be quite blunt
– they are full of crap. In one respect, much of this stuff is a marketing strategy. Well, everybody wants to study the best thing in the world. If
such a thing existed everybody would study it. Some martial arts schools can become very cult like as well, and this is where naivety comes
in. The practitioners actually believe their marketing stuff. The truth is that style is not going to defend you – you are. Every person is
different and there is not one best system for everyone. It would be quite scary for me to face a Sumo wrestler in combat, but it would also
be silly for me to expect to take up Sumo and be good at it. Claims of superior systems that can make you as deadly as an Australian SAS
soldier in 24 hours also stem from the 21st century culture. It is unfortunate that we of the MTV and Internet generation are always looking
for a shortcut, a quick fix. It makes many of us miss a lot of very valuable and important stuff.
2. Let’s start with you
If we could help you answer a few key questions about yourself and your interests, you will have done most of the work toward picking out a
martial arts/self defence school that is best for you. First and foremost, what do you want to get out of karate/self defence training? We
know you want to learn self defence, – that's OK. But people study martial arts for a variety of reasons. You want to get some exercise, you
want to meet new people, you want to get rid of stress, you want a new hobby, and you think the uniforms look cool. Really think about it and
write down your reasons. Everything is valid and your reasons are your own. Then we can prioritise your reasons – which ones are more
important than others. Maybe getting into shape is your main goal – if so, that may help determine a place to study.
3. What style?
About systems and/or styles. A system is just the type of martial art you will be studying like Karate, Kendo, or Kung Fu. The differences
between styles may also help you to determine where to look. The main difference between most martial arts style is focus. Some arts like
Tae Kwon do focus on large kicking movements, while others – like Kendo focus on a particular weapon. Body type and interest (as we
discussed before) will help you think a little about style focus. For example: I am not very tall nor too short and of stocky build, I am
somewhat normal and I am very interested in the self defence aspect of training. Goju Ryu Karate turned out to be the best style for me as it
focuses on preventing being smashed up, unbalancing the opponent, the kicks are varied, and the fighting in close is where we short guys
excel. Beyond focus is a scale of formality to informality. To me formality is a measure of emphasis on things like training etiquette,
ceremony, style of dress, method of addressing seniors etc. Many Japanese and Korean styles are very formal. On the far end of the
informal scale you might have a cardio kick boxing class at the local gym. On the far end of the formal scale you might have a style like
Kendo which places a lot of emphasis on appearance and etiquette. Neither formal nor informal is better or worse; it is a matter of
preference. I personally enjoy the formalities of traditional Okinawan/Japanese martial arts.
For me, they build character and shape a strong state of mind that carries over into day to day life. For others, the formalities may be difficult
to grasp and they may wish for something less strict, but on the other hand, they could also come handy when travelling to any of these
places of interest.
While you’re on the web already, it would pay off to do some research on our website. Ours is a good as any, we’ve been told. Look up a
few other sites and have a look at some of the styles. Get some general information about focus and formality. See what strikes you as
interesting. Make a small list of styles you might be interested in pursuing.
4. Practical Issues
OK, now you’ve done some soul searching and some research and you have a list of styles you might be interested in learning. Now we
have to talk a little bit about lifestyle. If Kendo interests you, but the nearest school is 200 km away – it may not be a practical choice. You
can certainly look through your yellow pages to find schools close to you or ask people you know if they know of any schools. A word to the
wise: friends will always try to get you to come to their school and may get offended of you don’t or if you visit and then don’t want to sign up.
That’s definitely something to consider. Some practical things to consider are school location and proximity to home / work, costs and your
ability to pay dues and other fees, class schedule and how it fits into your schedule. Other things may also be important to you like parking,
and facilities – write them down. You should narrow down your potential list of schools based on your criteria, but you should still plan on
visiting more than one to give you a sense of comparison.
5. Choosing a Dojo/School
The following, are a list of things that should be suggested you look for when choosing a school or instructor. To me, these factors are
more important than any other of the above factors and can make or break your martial arts experience.
When you call the school, are all your questions answered, and answered honestly? Sometimes someone will answer the phone that may
not be able to answer all your questions. They should pass you on to someone who can, or have someone call you back.
Do you hate answering machines? Well, not everybody can afford a secretary but at least there was a message which was clear and
formal for you to leave your particulars. Did they call you back, though?
Every school out there should offer at least one free trial class before you sign up. How else can you determine if you want to study there?
Your best bet is to try out several different schools to give you some comparison. When you visit the school, is the practise safe, or are
students allowed to train in dangerous ways or without proper supervision? Is the school itself hygienic and free from unsafe conditions?
Do students and teachers show respect toward everyone? This extends beyond formal bowing and address to making sure everyone is
learning and nobody is being abused. Be prepared that many schools these days require a contract, like a health club. Make sure you are
clear on the terms of the contract if you do decide to sign one, and do not be afraid to walk out if you are uncomfortable with the terms. We
do not offer any type of contracts. Be very wary of cult-like schools that try to up-sell you to intensified black belt programs and the like.
While some of these may be legitimate, there are many scam artists in black belts out there. You should be very clear about what you are
paying for up front. Do the teacher and senior students display a lot of skill in the art they are teaching? This may be hard to determine
since great martial artists are often very subtle. However, the teacher and students should display knowledge, skill, and balance which
might be more obvious.
Be very wary of Martial Arts schools where the instructor wears a junior belt (black with a white stripe). These instructors are not fully
qualified to teach, and wear what you can call a “provisional” belt, meaning they haven’t completed their black belt apprenticeship. Most
importantly, trust your instincts. If something about the school doesn't feel right with you, then it probably isn’t right. Look out for the fast
talking instructor/salesman who tries to sweep your concerns under the rug. Remember that choosing the right teacher and the right
school is more important than the actual style. If you choose a school that you enjoy, study with a teacher you like, and train with students
that inspire you – you are likely to stick with your martial art. The longer you stick with it – the better you’ll get. Hopefully you will discover a
very positive lifelong journey that will shower hidden benefits on you as my martial art has upon me.
Meet the Karate Teacher
Martial Arts teachers? Well, they come in all shapes and sizes, all temperaments and personalities. There are good teachers. There are
bad teachers. There are mediocre teachers. There are amazing teachers. When we look at these mysterious men and women in karate
Dogi (the uniform) we need to keep in mind that they are just regular folks like the rest of us. As teachers they should receive the same
regard, and scrutiny, that other teachers in our lives receive. We have all had rotten math teachers, but hopefully, we have all had great
other teachers too. Many would have inspired you to become what you are now, and many would be still at it bringing up some of our
younger exponents.
When you meet the karate teacher for the first time it is OK to shake his hand. You needn't bow to him (except maybe if your teacher is
Japanese and you are training with him in Japan). In fact, you should feel comfortable shaking the karate teacher's hand anytime that you
meet him outside the dojo as well. Some teachers extend the habits of the dojo to the outside world in an Australian context,
mmmmmm!.
This practise is somewhat questionable though. Bowing in Japan can be as simple as a handshake and it is the seated bow (seiza)
which is performed inside the dojo. When an Australian teacher expects his students to bow outside the dojo, it is exactly parallel to a
karate teacher in Japan expecting his students to drop to their knees and press their foreheads to the ground if they should meet outside
the training hall. Bowing to another person in Australia has a much heavier psychological weight than it does in Japan. I caution people to
know in their hearts why they bow, and whom they bow to.
But most of all, “understand” the way you feel inside the dojo. There will be many instances where you are not going to feel comfortable
with the person in front of you, and regardless of what he/she does it may not be the best for you or your children. Walking away is not going
to change anything, and you‘ll be as happy as when the first time you met him/her.
At least make the effort to come up and say hello, and to survey the environment you or your children will be practising under, perhaps for a
few weeks, perhaps for ever. If you are happy with what you see you are going to enjoy the atmosphere in offer, and I can assure you it’ll be
a very pleasant experience for you and the kids.
What you don't want to do though, is to sign up to someone who came to your door offering this or that without certifying most of the facts I
have put in front of you.
Most door to door salesmen are just that...salesmen!
and more importantly which school to choose, are fundamental decisions someone should make. The answer should usually be
something like, -“choose the school and the system that you are going to stick with and stay with it for the rest of your life.”
The reality is that the answer is going to be different for every person. This is a set of general guidelines. We will talk in very broad terms
about different martial arts, and what to look for in a school. Ultimately every teacher, at every school, in every system is going to be
completely different.
It is surprising that in contrast to finding the right store for a pair of shoes, most people spend almost no time looking for the right dojo to
train in. Since most Australians live in a free-market society it is a wonder why more don't take advantage of this situation and get the best
martial arts instruction that their hard earned money can buy. Or better yet, maybe you will find the perfect non-profit dojo to train at that has
the perfect teacher for you or your child. Many people settle for the first dojo (Hall of learning) they come across mainly because they often
cannot tell a good one from a bad one, or a great teacher from one who is, well, not so great.
Since the dojo you finally choose as the place you are going to train in may be the one you spend a good portion of your free time, the
decision ought to be made carefully, prudently, and judiciously.
1. Dispelling a common myth
Finding the right kind of dojo with the right kind of teacher can seem a little daunting. After all, if you have had no experience dealing with
martial arts types what kind of questions can you ask? First of all, is it safe to ask? If I ask the wrong thing will some crazy costumed karate
guy karate-chop me? These are some of the things that first time students have going through their minds when they approach a dojo or
martial arts school.
Just like with religion and politics, many people honestly believe that what they do is the best thing in the world. Maybe we are too naive, or
too full of our own ideas, or too easy to be deceived. So many schools out there claim to be teaching, “the ultimate, deadliest, most secret
guarded system of self defence ever invented by the Gods of combat, or most commonly, the biggest and the strongest.” To be quite blunt
– they are full of crap. In one respect, much of this stuff is a marketing strategy. Well, everybody wants to study the best thing in the world. If
such a thing existed everybody would study it. Some martial arts schools can become very cult like as well, and this is where naivety comes
in. The practitioners actually believe their marketing stuff. The truth is that style is not going to defend you – you are. Every person is
different and there is not one best system for everyone. It would be quite scary for me to face a Sumo wrestler in combat, but it would also
be silly for me to expect to take up Sumo and be good at it. Claims of superior systems that can make you as deadly as an Australian SAS
soldier in 24 hours also stem from the 21st century culture. It is unfortunate that we of the MTV and Internet generation are always looking
for a shortcut, a quick fix. It makes many of us miss a lot of very valuable and important stuff.
2. Let’s start with you
If we could help you answer a few key questions about yourself and your interests, you will have done most of the work toward picking out a
martial arts/self defence school that is best for you. First and foremost, what do you want to get out of karate/self defence training? We
know you want to learn self defence, – that's OK. But people study martial arts for a variety of reasons. You want to get some exercise, you
want to meet new people, you want to get rid of stress, you want a new hobby, and you think the uniforms look cool. Really think about it and
write down your reasons. Everything is valid and your reasons are your own. Then we can prioritise your reasons – which ones are more
important than others. Maybe getting into shape is your main goal – if so, that may help determine a place to study.
3. What style?
About systems and/or styles. A system is just the type of martial art you will be studying like Karate, Kendo, or Kung Fu. The differences
between styles may also help you to determine where to look. The main difference between most martial arts style is focus. Some arts like
Tae Kwon do focus on large kicking movements, while others – like Kendo focus on a particular weapon. Body type and interest (as we
discussed before) will help you think a little about style focus. For example: I am not very tall nor too short and of stocky build, I am
somewhat normal and I am very interested in the self defence aspect of training. Goju Ryu Karate turned out to be the best style for me as it
focuses on preventing being smashed up, unbalancing the opponent, the kicks are varied, and the fighting in close is where we short guys
excel. Beyond focus is a scale of formality to informality. To me formality is a measure of emphasis on things like training etiquette,
ceremony, style of dress, method of addressing seniors etc. Many Japanese and Korean styles are very formal. On the far end of the
informal scale you might have a cardio kick boxing class at the local gym. On the far end of the formal scale you might have a style like
Kendo which places a lot of emphasis on appearance and etiquette. Neither formal nor informal is better or worse; it is a matter of
preference. I personally enjoy the formalities of traditional Okinawan/Japanese martial arts.
For me, they build character and shape a strong state of mind that carries over into day to day life. For others, the formalities may be difficult
to grasp and they may wish for something less strict, but on the other hand, they could also come handy when travelling to any of these
places of interest.
While you’re on the web already, it would pay off to do some research on our website. Ours is a good as any, we’ve been told. Look up a
few other sites and have a look at some of the styles. Get some general information about focus and formality. See what strikes you as
interesting. Make a small list of styles you might be interested in pursuing.
4. Practical Issues
OK, now you’ve done some soul searching and some research and you have a list of styles you might be interested in learning. Now we
have to talk a little bit about lifestyle. If Kendo interests you, but the nearest school is 200 km away – it may not be a practical choice. You
can certainly look through your yellow pages to find schools close to you or ask people you know if they know of any schools. A word to the
wise: friends will always try to get you to come to their school and may get offended of you don’t or if you visit and then don’t want to sign up.
That’s definitely something to consider. Some practical things to consider are school location and proximity to home / work, costs and your
ability to pay dues and other fees, class schedule and how it fits into your schedule. Other things may also be important to you like parking,
and facilities – write them down. You should narrow down your potential list of schools based on your criteria, but you should still plan on
visiting more than one to give you a sense of comparison.
5. Choosing a Dojo/School
The following, are a list of things that should be suggested you look for when choosing a school or instructor. To me, these factors are
more important than any other of the above factors and can make or break your martial arts experience.
When you call the school, are all your questions answered, and answered honestly? Sometimes someone will answer the phone that may
not be able to answer all your questions. They should pass you on to someone who can, or have someone call you back.
Do you hate answering machines? Well, not everybody can afford a secretary but at least there was a message which was clear and
formal for you to leave your particulars. Did they call you back, though?
Every school out there should offer at least one free trial class before you sign up. How else can you determine if you want to study there?
Your best bet is to try out several different schools to give you some comparison. When you visit the school, is the practise safe, or are
students allowed to train in dangerous ways or without proper supervision? Is the school itself hygienic and free from unsafe conditions?
Do students and teachers show respect toward everyone? This extends beyond formal bowing and address to making sure everyone is
learning and nobody is being abused. Be prepared that many schools these days require a contract, like a health club. Make sure you are
clear on the terms of the contract if you do decide to sign one, and do not be afraid to walk out if you are uncomfortable with the terms. We
do not offer any type of contracts. Be very wary of cult-like schools that try to up-sell you to intensified black belt programs and the like.
While some of these may be legitimate, there are many scam artists in black belts out there. You should be very clear about what you are
paying for up front. Do the teacher and senior students display a lot of skill in the art they are teaching? This may be hard to determine
since great martial artists are often very subtle. However, the teacher and students should display knowledge, skill, and balance which
might be more obvious.
Be very wary of Martial Arts schools where the instructor wears a junior belt (black with a white stripe). These instructors are not fully
qualified to teach, and wear what you can call a “provisional” belt, meaning they haven’t completed their black belt apprenticeship. Most
importantly, trust your instincts. If something about the school doesn't feel right with you, then it probably isn’t right. Look out for the fast
talking instructor/salesman who tries to sweep your concerns under the rug. Remember that choosing the right teacher and the right
school is more important than the actual style. If you choose a school that you enjoy, study with a teacher you like, and train with students
that inspire you – you are likely to stick with your martial art. The longer you stick with it – the better you’ll get. Hopefully you will discover a
very positive lifelong journey that will shower hidden benefits on you as my martial art has upon me.
Meet the Karate Teacher
Martial Arts teachers? Well, they come in all shapes and sizes, all temperaments and personalities. There are good teachers. There are
bad teachers. There are mediocre teachers. There are amazing teachers. When we look at these mysterious men and women in karate
Dogi (the uniform) we need to keep in mind that they are just regular folks like the rest of us. As teachers they should receive the same
regard, and scrutiny, that other teachers in our lives receive. We have all had rotten math teachers, but hopefully, we have all had great
other teachers too. Many would have inspired you to become what you are now, and many would be still at it bringing up some of our
younger exponents.
When you meet the karate teacher for the first time it is OK to shake his hand. You needn't bow to him (except maybe if your teacher is
Japanese and you are training with him in Japan). In fact, you should feel comfortable shaking the karate teacher's hand anytime that you
meet him outside the dojo as well. Some teachers extend the habits of the dojo to the outside world in an Australian context,
mmmmmm!.
This practise is somewhat questionable though. Bowing in Japan can be as simple as a handshake and it is the seated bow (seiza)
which is performed inside the dojo. When an Australian teacher expects his students to bow outside the dojo, it is exactly parallel to a
karate teacher in Japan expecting his students to drop to their knees and press their foreheads to the ground if they should meet outside
the training hall. Bowing to another person in Australia has a much heavier psychological weight than it does in Japan. I caution people to
know in their hearts why they bow, and whom they bow to.
But most of all, “understand” the way you feel inside the dojo. There will be many instances where you are not going to feel comfortable
with the person in front of you, and regardless of what he/she does it may not be the best for you or your children. Walking away is not going
to change anything, and you‘ll be as happy as when the first time you met him/her.
At least make the effort to come up and say hello, and to survey the environment you or your children will be practising under, perhaps for a
few weeks, perhaps for ever. If you are happy with what you see you are going to enjoy the atmosphere in offer, and I can assure you it’ll be
a very pleasant experience for you and the kids.
What you don't want to do though, is to sign up to someone who came to your door offering this or that without certifying most of the facts I
have put in front of you.
Most door to door salesmen are just that...salesmen!
 |  |  |  |