Choosing a Martial Arts School for Your Child

How To Choose A Martial Arts School For Your Child

Let’s face it, most of us choose our personal services (barber, dry cleaning, etc.) by location, and many times this list includes martial arts. But when you’re choosing a martial arts school for your child, it’s important to keep in mind the primary purpose you’re enrolling your child. If your primary purpose is for convenience, then location may be your first consideration. However, if you’re wanting your child to experience a martial arts school where they can learn life enhancing skills and be motivated to be the best they can be, then location may have very little to do with your decision.

In fact, there are five rules to consider when choosing a martial arts school for your child:

Rule #1 – It’s all about the Instructor

As a martial arts instructor for over 30 years, my number one and primary recommendation to all parents, or anyone seeking a martial arts school is always the instructor. In essence, you’re not selecting a location or building for your child’s martial arts training, you’re selecting an instructor. In some martial arts schools, there’s one primary instructor and all the students are taught by this one instructor. In some larger schools, instructors may be hired on to teach classes, especially classes for the lower belts. This can be a drawback for some students who seek to have the same instructor from white belt through black belt. Personality traits is another primary deciding factor. You’ll want to select an instructor in which you can easily communicate, takes parent and student issues seriously, and shows a general respect and courtesy toward students, parents and guest. You can also consider the teaching abilities of the instructor, noticing: Does the instructor maintain good control of the class while also using positive reinforcement and encouragement? Is the class high energy? How much down time is there per class? By the way – if a school refuses to allow you to watch a class before enrolling, then politely seek another school. Schools that have ‘closed’ classrooms are sometimes not the best choices.

Rule #2 – Consider the curriculum of the martial arts school.

For children, curriculum is a primary concern as you want your child to learn more than just punches, blocks and kicks. The truth is, they’ll likely never need to use their martial arts for self-defense, so what is it that you want to look for in a youth martial arts course? Look for ways the martial arts school you’re considering works in the important life skills such such as respect, discipline, perseverance, etc. Our online martial arts course is well suited for adults and children. We go to extra efforts to include life skill training so that our students don’t just experience success on the dojo floor, but also in the classroom and boardroom.

Rule #3 – Don’t make it hard on yourself!

Look for a martial arts school near you that’s also convenient…. – Ok, so i said don’t choose a marital arts school for your child based solely on location, but you also need to consider class times, not only when they start, but also how will their schedule change as they rank up in their belts? Sometimes you’ll find a martial arts school that has a great schedule for lower belts, but then as your child ranks up, the schedule becomes less flexible. One positive aspect of training martial arts online is that you get to make you’re own schedule!

Rule #4 – Cleanliness!

This is a rule I use when visiting any establishment. When choosing a martial arts school for you child, cleanliness should be at the top of your list. It shows the amount of pride and respect the instructors have for their teaching space. Are the mirrors clean, carpets or dojo mats look kept up and clean? How about the bathroom, changing area and other common spaces? Cleanliness is something any martial arts school owner can manage. If it’s not important to the instructors, then student will start showing up with dirty or wrinkled gi’s. We strive hard at Karate Academy Online to instill self-respect in all our students and that includes presenting themselves in clean uniforms and gear.

Rule #5 – Know what you’re getting into before signing any contract or making any commitment. 

Take an introductory class so you can see how your child interacts with the instructor and to make a note of the other things on this list. In fact, I would suggest visiting several schools and taking an introductory martial arts course so that you can compare and make the best decision. Most schools will have a 2-3 class introductory course, or perhaps a monthly trial. This is especially important when making a long term agreement. Should you sign a contract? – We find that schools with contracts are typically more stable than those that don’t. This is because the school makes a commitment to its students, and the students make a commitment to their training, and in the end, goals are achieved and expectations are met. However, all we’re advocating is that you try it before making a final decision.

Things that aren’t as important for choosing a martial arts school for your child:

#1 – The style of martial art

One of the questions prospective martial arts students ask me is this: What style of martial art do you teach? For some this may be an important question as there may be a particular style of martial art they’ve trained in before. But most likely the style of martial art your child learns will be less significant than the five rules for choosing a martial arts school for your child listed above.

#2 – Location of the martial arts school

While you don’t want to be driving clear across town two or three times a week, it may be worth it if the instructor is a better fit for your child than one that’s more local. Common sense I know, but when we’re making decisions to be involved with a program for years, it’s important that we make a decision that’s a good fit for everyone. And while location may be great for your schedule and ease of travel, that’s not the goal! Hopefully the goal for your child’s martial arts education is to improve their life physically and mentally.

#3 – Considering the Cost

While this is by far the first question that is asked by most perspective students, this should not be the top concern. We all must be responsble with our finances but this isn’t an area you want to make as the determining factor. Cost is important, and we strive hard hear at Karate Academy Online to keep our costs to a minimum and pass that savings over to our students. I believe you’d be hard pressed to find a martial arts program for just $37 month!

The bottom line is this: Take your time finding the right martial arts course for your child – and consider the lifetime impact this training is going to have on them.

Of course, we advocate our online martial arts program for children as we’ve gone to great lengths to create a black belt program that will instill life skills so our students experience the maximum benefit throughout their lives. We have a lot of students who start with us as an introduction to martial arts training, and end up staying with us because they see the value of the training and the flexibility of training whenever and wherever you like.

If you want, try out our Online Martial Arts Course here and discover the benefits of training with Karate Academy Online! And if you choose to seek out a local option, I hope these helpful suggestions will help guide you on your decision as you see out a martial arts school for your child.

All the best to you!

Until next time….it’s to your success!
Sensei Mark Roscoe