Martial Arts Friday, May 16th, 2008
Whether you’re looking for self-defense classes or just a great way to keep in shape, martial arts are both educational and physically demanding.
Martial arts are as much a study in mental mastery as they are physical exercise. And very traditional schools sometimes also incorporate spiritual teachings into the training as well.
The first step to finding a martial arts program and instructor to try out a lot of styles and do some research.
Look all over the internet and try classes at different schools. Many offer a free or introductory priced trail class. These are great to make use of.
While it may take several tries to find the perfect chemistry, trust your instinct and you’ll know when you’ve found the right dojo and instructor.
There are many, many styles and it can get VERY overwhelming. In addition there are teachers and masters coming out with their own styles as well that are new or incorporate teachings of many styles they have learned.
While each discipline can be sub-divided into specific categories and techniques, the main thing to look for is wether it is a kicking and/or boxing style, grappling style such as wrestling, weapons teachings, or a mix of all the above.
Here is a list of some of the most popular styles.
Aikido. The Japanese art of unarmed self-defense, Aikido encourages discipline and is comprised of moves made of joint twisting, grabbing and bending.
Judo. Meaning ‘The Gentle Way,’ Judo is a method of turning an opponent’s strength against him or her through a series of throwing and flipping techniques.
Karate. An offensive and defensive art form that contains both hand strikes and kicking techniques, Karate includes a variety of blocks and powerful blows.
Kung Fu. A Chinese art form, Kung Fu is divided into several different styles, and is made up of balance and combination techniques. It also incorporates an arsenal of unique weapons.
Tae Kwon Do. Perhaps the most popular martial art among American children, Tae Kwon Do is a native Korean art form comprised of mostly kicking.
Once you’ve found a discipline that’s right for you, it’s time to look for a studio, often called a dojo, and an instructor, called a sifu or sensei. There are different terminologies and language used depending on where the style origionated from.
Unlike most traditional exercise classes, the relationship between sensei and student is more involved. The teacher is more aware of what each student is doing and corrects technique, and if it is a traditional style studio the teacher also teaches spritual teachings as well as mental and emotional techniques.
The relationship is grounded in tradition and should be one built on mutual respect and positive reinforcement. A good instructor is demanding, but never demeaning. Never train with anyone who treats you like a jerk.
Colored belts show your progress in most styles, but some do not use this system.
The colored belts worn by students in martial arts classes indicate levels of progression.
The sequence of colors differs with each style, but one example is white, yellow, orange, green, blue, red, brown and ultimately, the black belt, and from there there are additional levels which are master levels.
Each belt requires examinations (sometimes both physical and written) for advancement; and each student moves at a different pace. Some schools only have specific times they test, so if you want to move ahead quicker you must find a studio that has that built in or train in personal one on one lessons.
While the cost may vary from school to school, your cost will average approximately $100 per month for beginner classes that meet twice a week.
If you take private lessons the cost will be dramatically different, and if your teacher is world famous that will also increase costs; expect these to be at least $120-$180 a lesson.