How to Choose a Martial Arts Instructor

Don't worry about whether you should take Kung Fu, Karate or Tae Kwon Do. All the martial arts styles borrow heavily from each other; ultimately, there isn't much difference between them. What's far more important is finding the right instructor for you or your child.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Ask about the instructor's credentials. Find out if he belongs to a national or international association which has authorized him to teach students. If not, then the belts or sashes you earn won't mean anything at another school. There's also a good chance that the instructor gave himself that high rank and fancy title.

2. Observe a class. Watch how the instructor interacts with her students and see if she is encouraging or abusive. Does she ensure that the students don't risk injury? Determine if she stresses the importance of healthy living and discipline in all areas of life.

3. Question the instructor about his martial arts philosophy to see if it matches your own. Does he stress form over fighting or consider form to be a waste of time because it can't be used "on the street"? Does he emphasize tournaments and trophies or consider competition to be a corruption of the art?

4. Get a trial membership. Go to a few classes to see how well you get along with the instructor and the other students. If it just doesn't feel right, don't make a commitment for more classes; rather, seek out another instructor.

Tips & Warnings

• Most martial arts styles consist of both form and fighting, and both are important. Do your best to learn both, and participate in some competitions so you'll get a chance to see how you perform against other schools and styles.
• Martial arts should be about more than self-defense; it's a way of living that encompasses general health and fitness and your approach to all aspects of your life. Any school that doesn't teach this is giving you an incomplete education.

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