The following is an excerpt from The Masters' Keys by Ron Heimberger and The Council of Masters.
Eventually, in your search for self-defense training, you will need to continue your training with a martial arts program. However, you might ask, "How do I find the right program for me?" That question has many answers depending upon your personal goals. To choose a martial arts program you need to ensure that you are receiving quality training and are not placing your money, and possibly your life in jeopardy with a rash decision. When searching for a program you can evaluate your choice based on three criteria: evaluate the teacher, evaluate the marital art and evaluate your personal goals. The Instructor:First, how can you evaluate a good martial arts instructor? Unfortunately, there is no governing body regulating martial arts teachers to determine qualifications. In fact, anyone can acquire a business license and begin teaching for profit. Let me help you with some key guidelines to evaluating an instructor. These guidelines are general enough to apply to nearly everyone you may investigate. One question might be as the British say, "Does the instructor try to sell himself large?" That is a funny saying, but it carries validity. Does an instructor try to come across as larger than life and yet has no documentation or references to give him credibility! The easiest aspect to check is documentation. You can ask to see the instructor's credentials given to him by his instructor. Most traditional martial arts have a larger organization that can be traced back to the founder of their style. Many of these organizations can be easily traced using the internet and a few phone calls. Usually, the instructor will be happy to provide this information to you. The instructor should be willing and able to discuss and prove his lineage or the origin of his martial art. Reputable instructors are proud of their martial arts heritage and understand the value added to your training by their lineage. Great teachers regardless of discipline constantly seek to improve their knowledge and training. In fact, most teaching positions in public education and collegiate education require teachers to constantly improve their knowledge and teaching ability in their chosen discipline. You should look for an instructor that keeps a close relationship with his teacher and is constantly looking to improve his skill. Consider that in the academic world, elementary and secondary school teachers require around five years of training including a bachelor's degree and teaching credentials. At the collegiate level, teachers generally require eight years of schooling and a Masters Degree; the Doctorate level could take as much as ten years. The analogy applies to martial arts. Qualified instructors on average require a minimum of six years to teach and at least ten to twelve years of study to reach a master level. Moreover, as in the academic model even master teachers require on-going education to maintain their credentials. On a final note, at the collegiate level Communications professors, for example would never be hired to teach Physics. Ensure that an instructor is qualified to teach and that he is teaching the style that he is fully trained in. Oftentimes, martial arts instructors will mislead students by proclaiming many years of martial arts training when actually they possess a much smaller number of years in the style they teach. It is not uncommon for instructors to list several different styles of study when the total number of years of training in any one style amounts to little more than beginning knowledge. You should evaluate how the instructor actually teaches his class. Is the instructor focused on teaching students or only on appearing superior? There are many good martial arts practitioners, but few great instructors. Obviously, instructors must be able to demonstrate their style, but it is more important to be able to pass on their knowledge to you. Take special notice of the classroom environment. Is the class taught in an open and friendly manner? Does the instructor allow advanced students to hurt the beginning students or are they actively helping to improve the others? Martial arts students should try to learn together as a group. Trained professional instructors are sufficiently knowledgeable to answer your questions effectively. Additionally, beware of instructors that maintain an air of mysticism in their answers, this is often a cover-up for a lack of knowledge or skill. Finally, do you like the instructor? You will be investing a great deal of time and trust in this instructor; make sure that you like him or her. Evaluate the Martial Art:Now that you have found a qualified instructor, how do you find a legitimate martial arts program that will fulfill your needs? If you are looking for self-defense make sure to choose a martial art that is practical and easily learned. For instance, do not study a style that focuses on competition if you are not interested in competing. Determine if the martial art you are investigating is complete. Does it address all areas of self-defense? Does the martial art address striking techniques, kicks, grappling and weapons? Remember self-defense situations include the full spectrum of combat. Martial arts skill requires self-discipline. You must know how and when to use these dangerous and potentially lethal skills. Beware of martial arts programs that do not provide training in culture, history and correct behavior. Without character training, martial arts only make people dangerous to themselves and others. Used improperly martial arts will lead to injury and possibly jail. Ensure that the style you are looking at can be learned by both men and women. Some martial arts require extreme strength or flexibility and may not be practical to women, people of small stature or the elderly. Does the style you are evaluating require complex and intricate acrobatic moves or is it easily learned and efficient? Most importantly get your information first hand and from the source. Do not ask a Kung Fu teacher to explain a Karate style or vice versa. It takes years of study to master a particular style and no professional instructor would try to explain another martial art that he has not learned. Go directly to the source to get your knowledge. It is a good idea to visit various schools in your area and choose the style that is right for you. Personal Goals:The single most important element to deciding on an appropriate martial art to study is your personal goals. Why do you want to study martial arts? Are you looking for fitness, sports or self-defense? If you are looking for self-defense, do not study a sport art. Are you looking for long-term or short-term training? Many martial art programs teach short seminars or courses specifically geared to short-term training in self-defense. These programs are an excellent way to get started and decide if your goal is just self-defense or actual martial arts mastery. If your goal is martial arts mastery, choose a complete martial art as explained earlier. Conclusion:Martial arts provide great benefits including; self-defense, personal fitness, self-confidence and personal improvement. Martial arts is an exciting journey so find the right program for you by evaluating the teacher, the martial art, and your personal goals. The Masters' Keys, Ron Heimberger and the Council of Masters, Council Press 2007
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AuthorKen Grange has been studying Wing Chun for 17 years in the lineage of Ip Ching of Hong Kong. ArchivesCategories |