Karate in America Today:

Martial arts training in the United States has fallen victim to many problems in this day and age. Unfortunately there is no real regulation system to control the legitimacy and caliber of instructors and as a result it has become more difficult to find quality training. There are however things that a student or prospective student can do in order to be certain that they are getting the training they desire. Here are what students should keep their eyes on when they are looking for a place to train:

#1 Look at the experience and certifications of the instructor. Just because they are wearing a “Black belt” does not necessarily mean anything, belts can be bought. Most all instructors will hang certificates in their offices or training halls that clearly show what ranks they have achieved and what organizations awarded them the rank, if they aren’t easily displayed then ask to see them. What is important is the organizations that promoted the instructor, if they do not sound familiar then research them. If you have any doubts to the instructors legitimacy then perhaps consider contacting the organization that most recently certified the instructor to find out if the instructor is still certified and in good standing with a reputable organization.

#2 Find out how long the teacher has been training and teaching, rank is not everything. In Tang Soo Do a student can potentially become certified as an instructor after 5 years if their training and dedication are of the highest caliber though usually it takes longer and only in the most extraordinary situations can a student become legitimately certified in less time. Most teachers will usually have much more experience than this, and all Master instructors will have 12-15 years experience minimum. Different martial arts will have different standards and ranking systems but always try and find out how many years of training and teaching experience an instructor has.

#3 Look at the quality and cleanliness of the training hall. What to look for is functionality and cleanliness. A serious instructor will keep a very clean and respectable school. An instructor that does not keep a clean school is also more likely to not take their school seriously even if it is legitimate.

4 Look at the other students and classes. Sit in and watch classes at any school you are considering signing up at. Look at the quality of the instruction in progress, the seriousness of the students and their strength and spirit. If you don’t know anything about technique just look at the technique of the higher ranking students in the class and the instructor and ask yourself if you want to aspire for what they’ve achieved. A legitimate school will let you sit in and watch any class, and you should. Try and watch a full class, come on two different days and watch two classes if you can. Any school that won’t let you watch classes likely has something to hide.

#5 Keep an eye out for long contracts or pricing scams. All karate schools will require tuition of some amount. As for pricing, there are a lot of variables that affect the price of karate. The area of the school, the length of time you sign up for, what sort of package or deal you might get. The best thing to do is check around at the schools in your area to get a general idea of price. Be on the look out for deals that sound too good to be true, and cheap marketing ploys such as offering a uniform and 3 months of classes for a very low price with a catch like only being able to attend one class a week for those three months.

Never sign a contract for a very long period of time without trying out a school either. Some schools will try to sign people on 2-3+ year contracts the first time they walk in the door, don’t get sucked into something like that. Many good schools will offer an introductory deals such as 3-6 months or sometimes even 1 month for new students. Never sign up for an initial contract that is longer than 1 year when you first start. One year contracts are sometimes used as a standard even in good schools so don’t be alarmed if this is your only option to sign up but make sure you watch a few classes to know what you’re getting yourself into. Any teacher that tries to sign you up for longer than a year before your first class is likely more concerned about your money than your training.