On Choosing a Style or System: A Chinese Kenpo Instructor Weighs In
May 8, 2008
In my experience, the particulars of how a system works typically means very little to the average prospective student. Instead, the most common interests expressed to me over the years by people considering taking up the martial arts are:
- The desire to learn self defense,
- To build confidence and
- To improve physical fitness.
How this was to be accomplished, more often than not, had little bearing on whether or not a student enrolled in my school.
It was once explained to me by one of my students who owned a tattoo business that the majority of his clients had only a vague idea what they wanted when they entered his shop. He continuously encountered this even though the choice his clients made would be with them for the rest of their lives. It was up to him to match them with the tattoo that was right for them.
Much in the same vein, the average prospective martial arts student normally does not have a great interest in the system; all they are concerned with is that it meets their needs. Interest in a system’s background and a sense of school pride often does not develop until later, perhaps even years down the road.
Based on this line of thinking it is my belief that finding a school that is right for you should be influenced just as heavily by the school environment and the personality and professionalism of its instructors as much as the system itself.
Having said that, I am going to explain just why I believe Chinese Kenpo is an excellent system that will meet the needs of most prospective students.
Chinese Kenpo is a striking based system that originated in mainland China around 2,000 years ago. Joint locks, holds, throws and ground techniques are intermixed in the system as a compliment to the striking skills. Over the years Kenpo has branched in numerous directions and has developed into distinctly different styles, with different looks, training methods and interpretations of this ancient art.
The word “Kenpo” (also spelled as “Kempo”) translates literally as “Fist Art”. Despite the differences from school to school, most Kenpo based systems typically rely on rapid hand strikes as their primary instrument of defense. This means that you do not need to be particularly flexible to practice the art, a bonus for many adult students.
The Chinese form of Kenpo is typically more fluid, circular and practiced with an emphasis on developing within the student the ability to quickly transition from one strike to the next. In addition, most Kenpo systems are known for their use of self defense techniques to teach responses to common self defense situations.
Training in Chinese Kenpo relies heavily on learning to practice with and without a partner, learning how to use forms and developing the ability to spar effectively. It is this emphasis on self-defense and practicality that makes the system so appealing to adult students.
All in all, Chinese Kenpo is an excellent choice for anyone who is just starting out in the martial arts. If you can find a school in your area, I encourage you to contact the school for a free trial lesson. Who knows? It may end up becoming a lifelong endeavor for you or your family.
—
About the author: Mark O’Dell began training in White Tiger Kenpo in 1984, and hasn’t stopped since. A full-time instructor for the last 23 years, he teaches Chinese Kenpo Karate classes in Moreno Valley California.
The Top 7 Things to Consider When Selecting a Martial Arts School
April 19, 2008
Congratulations on choosing to enroll yourself or your child in a martial arts program! As a 10 year practitioner of martial arts, I enrolled in 4 schools in different parts of the country before launching my own school in upstate
Below, I’ve outlined what I believe to be the key questions to ask yourself and your prospective school instructor. I often tell people that choosing a martial arts school is like choosing a college. You need to do your research on the curriculum being taught, the quality of the schools graduates, the cost, and then you need to visit the school to see if it “feels” right.
Traditional or Modern
Some schools are very traditional while others take a modern approach. Traditional schools often emphasize the discipline and uniformity that people associate with the martial arts. Modern schools may blend a variety of styles and have looser standards of behavior.
Children, Adults, or Both
Are you looking for a school for a child or for yourself or both of you? What does the school offer? If the school is solely focused on teaching children and you are seeking aggressive full-contact martial arts training, this might not be the school for you. The class schedule should reflect dedicated classes for adults and children.
Contact – light, medium, full
How hard do you want to hit or be hit? Most martial arts involve contact sparring after a certain period of training. Some schools believe pain and contact are to begin on the first class while others permit no contact until black belt level. It is important to match your expectations and ask the instructor what type of contact the school permits and at what level.
Style – Taekwon-do, Karate, Jiu-Jitsu, Kenpo, Wing-chun, Aikido…
The differences in martial arts styles are too varied to describe in a single article. Do your own research on this website or YouTube to get a sense for the different martial arts styles and their philosophies.
Instructor
Ultimately, the quality of the school rests upon the decision making of the instructor. When you meet him or her in person, you should be able to get a sense of the character traits and physical ability. Some schools are run by an instructor who owns several schools. The classes in other schools are only taught by the head instructor. Before enrolling yourself or your child, you should know who the instructors are and their teaching philosophy.
The students
Look around – are the students like you or your child? Are they your age and ability level? Are the exercises they perform in your range of ability? Do they greet you with a smile and encourage you to join? Try to talk to a few of them and find out why they chose the school and see if their answers are in alignment with your goals.
Pricing and commitment
Most martial arts schools ask for a 6-12 month commitment up f
As an instructor, I know that the first 3 months with a new student requires a lot of additional time and effort on my part that needs to be taken into consideration. I have to alter my classes to permit time for the new student to learn basic skills and routines. I also have to dedicate time to review the new student’s progress, physical wellness, and emotional contentedness with the school. This is my commitment to new students.
Phone calls and private conversations are part of the curriculum to keep the student coming to class. New uniforms, student journals, certificates, belts, federation dues and training equipment are all costs to the school and may or may not be included in your tuition.
To summarize, making a commitment to a martial arts school is something to take seriously. Only by researching the style, the level of contact, the age and ability of the students and by meeting the instructor can you really predict how well you will adapt to the training.
If you think of it like choosing a college, you will surely know that you have chosen the right school for you or your child. It should just “feel” right. Congratulations on taking the first step. You may have heard that interviews with senior citizens reveal a simple fact time and time again: as we age, we regret the things we failed to try more than the things we have tried and failed.
So, start your research on the internet right now and make appointments to visit the schools in your area as soon as possible!
—
Tips for Finding The Best Martial Arts School for Your Child
April 16, 2008
If you have decided to enroll your child into a Martial Arts school, you may now be wondering which one to go for. There is usually more than one school available within an area so you should have a mixture of schools to choose from. This can be hard for many parents as how exactly do you know which ones are better than others?
Things to Look For With Martial Arts Schools
All Martial Arts schools are different and not just in the Martial Arts that they teach. The teaching styles are often different so it is vital that you choose a school which suits both you and your child. In order to do this it would be a good idea to visit the schools beforehand.
Visiting the schools will give you a chance to see for yourself exactly how classes are run. Observe as many classes as you like and see how the teacher is with the kids. Are they strict? Do they give the kids a chance to do things properly before reprimanding them? Do they answer any child’s questions helpfully? By observing their teaching style you will be able to see whether you are happy or not leaving your child in their hands. Something else to look out for is whether or not they are being false in front of you. You will be able to tell this if they are being overly nice and if they keep looking at you throughout the lesson.
Another way of finding out how successful a Martial Arts school is is by asking other parents and children who go to that school. Ask them if they are happy enough with what the children are being taught and also ask the children if they are happy there. By finding out from people who actually go to the school, you will have a much better idea of how good it actually is.
Some questions you should ask the teacher before making your mind up include:
• What age range is the class aimed at?
• Is the class separated by gender?
• How is a children’s class different to an adult one?
• How much exactly are the classes going to cost?
The budget will obviously play a big part in whether or not your child can go to a martial arts class or not. All schools will charge a different amount of money per class so it is always worth shopping around and trying to find the best deal as well as the best training method. Remember, if you are not happy with the training method you should not leave your child in that persons care. You have to be completely comfortable that the class will be right for your child and so you need to spend as much time researching beforehand as possible.
—
Article author: James Liu. For more information go to www.ocjj.com.
How to Choose a Martial Arts School
March 21, 2008
When you’re looking for a good martial arts school, it can be a little overwhelming. For one, there are a ton of martial arts styles to choose from, so if you live in a big city, you may have more choices than you know what to do with.
If you live in a smaller town, you might not have as many choices where style is concerned, but that still doesn’t rule out the fact that you need to try as many schools as possible before you make a final decision where you’ll train.
So, here are some tips to follow on how to shop for a martial arts school:
- Start with the end in mind. In other words, decide what your goal is for taking martial arts, so you’ll be able to pick a style and school that offers what you’re looking for. Do you want to get in better shape, to learn self-defense, to compete, or to earn a black belt someday? Do you want to learn how to high-kick and do cool-looking stunts, or to fight like an ultimate fighter? Do you want to learn weapons or to use your hands and feet? Do you want to grapple, to strike, or both? All these things will have a major influence on your decisions as you go about choosing a school. Write them down and keep taking notes as you go through the entire process.
- Before you shop, do your research. Browsing through the “Styles” section of this website is a good place to start. And, if you have friends who train, ask them about the styles they practice, and find out what they like and don’t like about their style and school.
- Remember, choosing a school is like buying shoes; that is, you never just buy the first pair that looks good. Instead, you try them on first to see if they even fit. Then, you look at a few more pairs to compare all your options. Once you’ve tried several different shoes on for size, you settle on the ones you like best. Same goes for choosing a martial arts school - never choose until you’ve checked out all your options!
- Make sure you get a “return policy”. That means if they don’t offer a trial period that allows you to back out of your membership, then go to another school.
- Never join a school that pressures you to sign a contract on the first day. If a school uses “hard-sell” tactics, that’s a good indication they are more focused on recruiting new students than taking care of the ones they already have. Try to find a school that allows you plenty of time to decide whether you like what they offer before they ask for a commitment of time and money.
- Never join for more than 6 months on your initial membership. Why? Because you might change your mind about what you want after a few months of training, and you need to keep your options open in case that happens. Most schools offer a six-month membership for beginners, and while it may be tempting to sign up for a longer term to get a discount, you’re probably better off paying a little extra at first in case you decide you want to train somewhere else.
So, there you have it - simple guidelines to help you when you’re choosing a martial arts school. Good luck with your search, and happy shopping!
—
About the Author: Mike Massie has been teaching the martial arts for over twenty years, and is a well-known and outspoken advocate on the topic of ethical martial arts school management. He resides in Austin, Texas and runs a full-time martial arts studio in nearby Hutto, TX.
Advertisement
|
|
|
-
Sections
-
Archives
-
-
