Main Page Contents of Main Other Main Pages     Once you have narrowed down the list of martial arts in which you are interested, or at least have found which ones are in your area, the time for the true hard work begins; namely, actually sitting in on classes, observing the instructors, and selecting a dojo. Each part of the selection process is vital, some more than others, and will thus be covered separately.

The Instructor

    The instructor will be the single most important factor in your martial arts training. Instructors ultimately decide who they train, what training will occur, who tests, rank requirements, etc. They are the kings and queens of the dojo.

    I strongly recommend calling ahead of visiting a class and get a feel for the instructor. This has several advantages:
  1.   It gives you a chance to speak to the instructor about the class, and about the martial art at a time when he/she does not have to concentrate on teaching or supervising a class. If you call at an inopportune time for the instructor, most will arrange with you a mutually agreeable time when you can either call back, or come in for a personal visit.
  2.   It allows you to make a preliminary assessment of the instructor, if you have the opportunity to have an extended conversation. It also allows the instructor to do the same to you.
  3.   You can find out first hand when a good time to view the class is. Some dojos have instructor's meetings during the times when some people want to visit. Since these meetings are used to make evaluations on students, and discuss business critical to the dojo's functioning, it is not a very good idea to break one up unnecessarily.
    When physically in the dojo, there are things to watch for in the instructor. Watch for interaction with his students. Is he cold and aloof? Does he make jokes with them? How much time does he spend giving back input? Does he stop someone who is doing something wrong, correct them, and then move on; or does he stay to ensure that his corrections were understood and the student able to follow through.

    Another thing to look for while observing the martial art class is who exactly does the teaching. Many dojos offer a multitude of classes that students can attend, but how many of these does the instructor actually attend, and how many are handled by her assistant instructors? If the instructor has more than one dojo, how much time does she spend at the one you will be training in? If aspects of teaching are handled by assistants, what level are they and what aspects are they in charge of? You do not want a school where most of the classes are taught by anyone ranked under a black belt. You want as many classes as possible to be taught by the "head" instructor.

The Environment

    The environment is everything short of the physical location which goes into making the class. First among the different aspects are the other students. My sensei says you shouldn't train with someone who has only low ranking students. I'll soften that and say that you should be wary of instructors who do not have senior ranking students. The reason for this is that there are quite a few instructors out there who seem to be allergic to giving rank to deserving students. So, in going to a class, you will see students who obviously are very capable, who have great technique, but who have very low rank. The way to spot such instructors is by asking what the requirements for rank are. If she wants you to study for 12 years before teaching you pressure points (and I have heard such stories) then chances are you're going to be waiting a while.

    Also on the topic of students is the number of students. How many students are in the class. I have heard of schools where classes range in the dozens. Personally, I like small classes. For one thing, it allows for more personal interaction with the instructor. She can spend more time with each student, correcting errors and ensuring that each has a firm grasp on the technique.

    The second part of the environment is the atmosphere of the dojo. What "vibe" do you get while being there? Are the students comfortable with each other? Do they laugh and kid around? Is everyone completely serious? Does there seem to be a lot of tension in the school? Basically, you want an environment where you feel comfortable. Me, personally, I'm a goof. I love to have fun with my training; if I ain't laughing, chances are I ain't havin' a good time. So I definitely don't want to be in a dojo where everything is totally serious, where no one ever smiles. I can function in such a setting, even learn, but I won't enjoy the experience as much as I do a more relaxed dojo. If, on the other hand, you're the kind of person who needs perfect concentration while training, then you would definitely be better of in a dojo where things are not so laid back. The only proper environment is one in which you feel most comfortable.