-
Step 1
Decide if the desire to learn martial arts is fueled by a desire to find a challenging exercise program or the need to become a more effective fighter. If fighting is the focus, is it fighting for sport or practical self-defense?
-
Step 2
Determine if internal (also called soft) martial arts focusing on developing awareness and life energy, external (sometimes called hard) martial arts based on strength and other physical characteristics or a mixture of the two (known as hard/soft) seems the most intuitive.
-
Step 3
Consider whether or not the desire to study traditional weaponry such as swords and staves is a driving factor in the search for a martial arts school.
-
Step 4
Assess how much time every week or even every day could be devoted to the practice of martial arts and honestly consider what physical limitations need to be addressed.
-
Step 5
Search the local area for martial arts schools and ask friends, co-workers and neighbors if they have any first-hand experience with any of the schools. Develop a list based on proximity and personal recommendations.
-
Step 6
Contact each school on the list and interview them about their program and philosophy and compare to the answers from steps 1 to 5. The school with the answers most similar to those determined in self-examination are the most likely to provide the desired learning environment.
-
Step 7
Ask each of the top candidates to sit in on a class or two to evaluate if the tone and pace of the classes is acceptable. Use this first-hand experience to make a final selection.
