How to Choose / Pick the right martial arts

Finding the right martial art can be a challenging task. For anyone interested in taking martial arts or sending the kids to martial arts, there are a lot of questions to ask before finding the right one. How often can I train? How far away is it? What's the price? Is this the best style for me? Will it teach discipline? Etc, etc.

There are many things to consider, and there's no one answer that fits everybody. I personally have trained at dozens of schools. Some I was in for the long haul, while others I went to for a specific goal or to stay in shape. There incredible differences between each school, even if they teach the same style. I paid attention to some things to help me figure out what was best for me. Here's a list of those things I noticed.

• School style (Kung Fu, MMA, Aikido, etc)

• Skill vs Fitness (while most martial arts offer exercise, some dedicate a higher portion of their time to either skills or fitness)

• Instructor Interaction: this is how the instructor (s) presents themself. Some take a distant approach. They teach thru demonstrations, often with their highest-ranked students to show the best version of the lesson. On the other end of the spectrum is an instructor who trains alongside the class. Often a member of practice groups as though they were a student.

• Formalities: Some arts focus highly on living a traditional. This often includes uniforms with indications of your rank, bowing ceremonies and quotes in English or other languages, and a focus on rank. The other end is the more casual style (which typically comes from more fitness or combative styles). Casual schools often come from non-traditional backgrounds, and are thus not necessarily connected to historical lineages.

• Student Interactions: This is how often you get to interact with the other students in your class. This also includes social opportunities you get with those students. In some schools, so much time is dedicated to the curriculum, being social doesn't take as high of a priority. Highly social schools insure to mix up partners, encourage talking at the appropriate times, and even can have after-class social events.

• Organization: Some martial arts are connected to organizations. This means that no matter where you go, if you find a school in that organization, you can continue your training that you had at different locations of that same organization. These schools often have annual events, international travel, tournaments, trophies, and a rank system that is consistent everywhere.

• Seminar Opportunities: Seminars are extra classes that pop up on occasion. They are great ways to meet new people including instructors, travel to other schools, learn new lessons that are harder to teach in the normal class, and connect more deeply with your school.

• Coolness: Sometimes a martial art just seems cool.

• Mindfulness: Do they have a creed or code that they recite? Do they practice breathing exercises or meditation? Do they have discussions on modern issues, or do they let the training do the talking? Do they get you thinking about training after class, or is it a place where it all goes down on the mat?

• Age Range: This is a big one. I think there are 4 major 'age' ranges to consider. BABIES-anyone under 7. Find a school that focuses on a fun routine, clear rank goals, interaction, and social activity. Babies often don't continue martial arts past a few years. I think at that age they focus on exploring and 'being'. They may not have developed passion, so even if they love a martial art, they often move on. You want them to develop confidence and the ability to grow and be disciplined.

• Age Range Youth: This is for anyone over 7 and still in grade school. I would say that the majority of martial artists are in this age range. Don't quote me on that. Youth at this age can benefit from a variety of martial arts styles. They can benefit from activities found in baby martial arts, competitive martial arts, even adult styles. I suggest matching the energy of the martial arts school with the energy of the youth. Martial arts can do a lot to shape one's personality, but it's important to find a style that is close to their personality. There is often a temptation to make youth 'sink or swim' by placing them in a martial art that would seem to 'fix' some issue. It's best to be comfortable and happy. Energetic kids should get into an energetic martial art. Calm youth should get into a calmer school. Martial arts makes us better all around, so if you spend time in a school that you enjoy, we automatically gain a lot of positive side effects.

• Age Range Adult: Adult martial arts also have a wide variety of school types. I think the only commonality is that adult schools typically don't or rarely offer games as a part of the teaching method.

• Age Range Special Needs: Having a special need can come from a lot of areas. For the sake of argument, I'm focusing more on bodies that haven't been exercising in a long time, and need to ease on into training. Or bodies that could be damaged easily, or bodies that can't or do not wish to involve in the more extreme side of the martial art. Talk to your instructor and be realistic about what you can do. Check to see if there are / were any other students in your situation and get their perspective. Some arts are naturally softer and easier on the body. Aikido and Taichi are prime examples.

• Sparring: Many people join martial arts to spar. This is a friendly fight competition with a peer. There are many ways to spar, to include using gear or not, using select techniques like only punches, or even grappling to a pin. If sparring is important to you, find a school that spars, like Warrior Path Martial Arts. There is no substitute or replacement for a student who wants to spar.

• Price: Check around for prices. Most schools don't show prices until you're ready to sign up, so it's hard to take a tally. As of writing this in July 2022, the high-end cost is around $200 a month, Average is around $120, and martial arts at community centers can be included in fees, or even go as low as $30 a month. Many schools have contracts. I would train for 2 weeks at any place before I signed a large contract (6 months or longer). You want to make sure that the school does or could one day feel like home. Whatever the price of the school, if you love training there and you can afford it, you should. Martial arts is one of those things that sticks with you for your whole life. An investment in well-being.

Told you there was a lot. Even with all that, there's still more. When I started training, I wanted to be the best fighter in the world, and learn a bunch of different styles to have a universal skill. And I wanted meditation and chi gung too. I was highly influenced by martial arts media, obviously!! The more I stayed in martial arts, the more my motivations shifted. I think we enter martial arts to answer or fulfill a big question or need. It could be for fun, fitness, to hone a craft, to make friends, to carry on a lineage, to win, to be safe, anything! The most important thing is to find a school that gets you closer to those answers, and has people there who you want to be around.

Thanks for reading.

-Sensei Kye Brown-