Experts assert that the best age to learn martial arts is between 3 and 10, and over 17% aof Flagstaff’s population is younger than 16. If you have been thinking about learning a martial art for a while now, you might be ready to take the next step. Or perhaps you just moved to Flagstaff and wanted to find a school offering traditional martial arts training to help with self-defense or rehabilitation from an injury.
If this is the case, it is important to find the right Flagstaff martial arts school for formal training.
Find a Qualified Instructor
A qualified teacher should have at least five years of experience teaching students of all ages, backgrounds, and experiences. Of all the different types of martial arts in Flagstaff, traditional martial arts are one of the most difficult to master because it requires constant practice.
If your instructor can not handle difficulties that arise in class, then they do not have enough experience and should not be teaching students yet. This may be a red flag, and you need to recognize this before anything else happens, or you wind up regretting your decision later on down the line when it comes time for belt promotions.
Learn the right techniques
Over 29% of Flagstaff’s population is obese, and martial arts training can make you fit. If you are looking for a Flagstaff martial arts school, you must take the time to meet your instructor face-to-face. This will give you an idea of what to expect during your first class so that you can be sure they are teaching traditional martial arts and not simply some self-defense tactics.
If they teach both, ask questions about their focus so that you can know which type of student would receive more benefits from taking classes with them. While body mechanics play a big role in any martial art, there needs to be more than just physical training if you want to learn true karate or judo.
Choose a School That Follows Traditional Values
There are around 13 martial arts schools in Flagstaff. Look for a martial arts school willing to work with you even after signing up and taking classes. It is important that they follow the same code of conduct as other type-4 martial arts schools so that students know exactly what their instructor expects from them and vice versa.
A teacher or sensei not willing to discipline their students for inappropriate behavior needs to be avoided at all costs. This means they do not care about teaching traditional martial arts anymore and just want you to sign up for another year.
Find the Right Program for You
If your goal is to learn traditional martial arts like judo, jiu-jitsu, karate, taekwondo, or something similar, make sure that your instructor can provide references from people who have taken their beginner, intermediate, and advanced courses.
This will ensure that you are working with someone who knows the difference between each belt color and can also give you an idea of what to expect in class based on what discipline they practice.
They should also show you where all the belts are located because this will help familiarize you with any art that you choose to take in the future. If they cannot tell you where each belt is located or what to expect, then it may be best for you to find someone else who can.
A school that teaches traditional martial arts should never use children during demonstrations because it sends the wrong message about caring more about money than teaching them proper technique.
To learn traditional martial arts, students must complete all requirements before being promoted to the next color belt. If this does not happen with your child, you need to ask why instructors will not hold their students accountable for fulfilling specific goals established at the beginning of class.
