Let’s Keep It Simple
This guide will attempt to weight the pro’s and con’s when choosing the right martial arts / self defense class for you or a loved one. In an attempt to keep it simple I have given a very generic outline of different class: types, skill levels, prices, and purposes.
Every class is unique, even if the main style being taught is the same throughout the different studios and centers. The instructor/assistant instructors are the heart and soul of the class, their tempo, attitude and teaching style will set the tone of the class, therefore it is wise to of course for you to try out your center of choice for AT LEAST 2-3 sessions before making a long term commitment.
Be sure that you or your loved is in a nourishing and comfortable environment suitable for growth, the easier it is for you to learn obviously the faster you will learn your skill of choice and progress as far as you would like to achieve in your current discipline.
We hope this guide helps you enjoy your experience in the awe inspiring and fantastic world of Martial Arts, after all, the reason that we made this site is to share the little experience we have with you, we hope you find it enjoyable and informational.
How much is this gonna cost me?
The price of Martial Arts, just like everything else in this world, is completely contingent upon how much someone is willing to pay for it. Instructors do not have a guideline that they have to follow in order to set pricing, typically the prices will be set according to competition in the area, as well as the instructors overall goal for their dojo.
Some instructors want to make enough to keep the doors open so that they may pursue their souls path of transferring tradition and instilling warrior ethics and morals, some just want to make some dough.
You could pay upwards of $300 per month for a “high-caliber” franchise-esque Martial Arts studio, or you can find a youth center / private dojo for much less. Also keep in mind that most places will have package deals available that can signifigantly reduce the cost of training, they sometimes include gee’s and simple
The quality of training does not necessarily go down if you pay less money, some people spend $150 a month to be looked at once a class in order to make you feel like your getting your money’s worth.
Other classes are completely hands-on, the instructor will focus on a smaller number of students whereby allowing the greatest transference of knowledge by allowing them to critique your actions during class so that you may perfect your discipline faster and more thoroughly.
You’ve got some killer style
Like I said earlier in this article, PLEASE try out your studio of choice before you make a long term decision, you may even have to acquire a few belts before you truly know that this way of life is right for you.
In the next section we will get into the type of styles that you have to choose from, stripped down to their bare essentials to make it easier to understand the underlying mechanics behind the names that we all hear in the Martial Arts world. (Example: Judo, Kendo, Iaido, Karate, Taekwando, etc)
Basic Self Defense
These type of classes are best suited for the beginner obviously, if you are someone who would like to learn the best methods for defending yourself against the harsh reality of our un-civilized world, start here.
Everyone else who has not been in Martial Arts for at least 1-2 years depending on your confidence and learning ability should start here.
When you join most studios you will automatically become a white belt which means that you have no blood on your belt so to speak, the darker your belt the more experience you are said to have, so automatically you will be in the basic self defense category.
Advanced Self Defense
This category of self defense is mostly reserved for people who have been in Martial Arts for quite some time and who are comfortable with the ABC’s of their discipline such as: basic punches, basic kicks, body awareness, balance, and basic parrying of attacks.
At this point it should become almost second nature for you to respond to someone’s limb flying at you, and you are comfortable with hand-to-hand contact. If this is you, the best route for you is to go into a higher contact sport such as Judo, Jiu-Jitsu, or even Krav Magav.
Any other discipline will do as long as it keeps within the basics of these styles which entails full contact and longer duration of fighting, combined with a little bit of competitive pressure on you so that your mind is forced to think under strained conditions faster and more efficiently.
Mixed Martial Arts
Well here it is, MMA, king of the cage, testosterone oozing, lungs feel like their on fire, adrenaline surging through your veins like you are the primal version of you eons past.
This is for the select few that love to get beaten, there’s no dainty way around this, you.. must.. like.. pain… period..
But for those who decide to participate in this style of training it can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life, or you just might break your neck, either way it’ll be memorable experience that will linger with you for the rest of your life.
If your reading this and you’re interested in this style of martial arts, heed my warning, practice at least TWO different disciplines before you enter into a training center for MMA.
With that said, god speed and I hope to see you on TV one day, but I’d much rather see you pass the knowledge you gain through your experiences to the youth of our world and make their future’s brighter than yours will ever be.
Combination Classes
Combination classes are our particular favorite because they are so diverse and affect so many different parts of your mind, body, and soul. The key difference between a typical class and a combo class is the diversity of skill-sets that are taught by the instructor.
The skills can range from: basic self defense moves, advance self defense moves, weapon handling, kata’s / forms, meditative states, mind over matter, situational awareness, fitness training, and so much more.
You can see the cornocopia of knowledge that can be received from one of these classes however, there is a catch, they are hard to come by. Instructors teach as they were taught, personality influences the retention and mood of the overall class, but what is essentially time-tested tradition is kept basically the same for long periods of time, that is until someone absorbed
Energy Harnessing/Clearing
For those of you who are interested in spiritual / energy techniques, there are a few options that you may pursue depending upon your taste, one of my favorite’s is Qigong. (Pronounced “Chee-Gong”)
Qigong is a fantastic way to improve your mental, physical, and spiritual health, if you haven’t heard of Qigong before I will give you a brief synopsis of what your getting into if you decide to learn this technique.
Qigong is the training of your energy body to increase your storage capacity for “life force” energy, it is typically associated with the practices of accupuncture and herbology in traditional eastern medicine and is used widely as a form of holistic healing. Most of what we know today about energy healing comes from this ancient traditional art form that has been passed down from generation to generation because it simply works.
Here is a fantastic video about Qigong:
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