Advice on starting up martial arts...

[Haggisdj]

Hi

This is not a question but a response to people wanting to start martial arts.

1. Before you select one ask around, or Google, because all styles are different and all offer different things (sport, fitness, self-detence, etc.).

2. If you can, go and watch a session before you start. See how the instructor treats his students - no pain, no gain isn't always the best approach.

3. Try and join an organisation that's has clubs throught the UK. A lone instructor may be the nicest guy in the world and a great teacher, but if he decides to give up, or move then you'll be up the swannie without a paddle. A large organisation will provide another instructor qualified to the same level.

Hope this helps.

[enigma]

Hi Haggisdj. I mentioned on John Lambert's thread that I am interested in taking up kickboxing but I wondered if you had to compete or could just do it for fun. Do you know ? I was a bit wary about joining because I didn't know what the average age group would be but since seeing that you and John go , I now realise that it's not just for spotty teenagers lol. I think that I would have died on the spot if I turned up to find that I was the oldest there ! I found a class a while back and coaxed my best friend into going with me but when we turned up , the alarm bells were ringing because it was in a garage in a secluded little industrial estate and there were no pupils ! The place was kitted out with all the equipment but no-one was there - only us and two guys , so we made our excuses and left. I'm not saying that the guys would have done anything to us but we just didn't like the look of it at all.

My daughter goes to Tae Kwon Do and I sit in with the other parents and watch her every week. It looks really good and i'd love to give it a bash but I don't know if they run adult classes or even what the average age of those attending is but that's really good advise about sitting in on the class to get a feel for it first , i'll bear that in mind with the kickboxing.

Oh and I have found you on Myspace and added you. I don't know how I couldn't find you the first time. What a doughball I am !!!