Skip to Main Content

How do I choose a martial arts school for my child?


By Jessica Militello

When you choose martial arts for your child, they will gain physical and emotional strength like the child flexing in his gi in this picture.There are several criteria that are a good idea to look for when choosing a martial arts school for your kids. Obviously anytime you are investing time and money into something, you want to make sure it’s the right fit, but more importantly, you want to make sure your child is spending time in an environment that is conducive to their overall well-being and ensure they are getting the most out of their learning. Martial arts is a fun activity that can turn into a lifelong practice for someone and finding the right school can play a major factor in the length of a child’s training. 

Here are some things to keep in mind in order to find the right school for your child-

Great instructors vs good instructors

A good instructor will teach your kids martial arts, correct their mistakes, start and end class right on time, smile at the kids and parents, and simply do their job as they’re supposed to-and there isn’t anything necessarily wrong with that. But a student will go so much further in their training with a great instructor who is passionate about the art they are teaching and truly believes in the art’s philosophy in order to positively influence their student’s lives beyond the training floor. At our school, the instructors have over ten years of training in Jeet Kune Do. Many have experience in other arts but ultimately found Jeet Kune Do to be an art that is better for both their body and mind. And because the instructors here started as students and invested so much time at the same school, it’s not just a job for them, the school is a second home and the instructors care about the overall well-being of their students and fostering a positive environment in a place that truly means something to them.


 
Emphasis on character development 

Another really great attribute of martial arts training is the focus on growing and becoming better as a person, but in the midst of teaching techniques and mechanics, this lesson can sometimes get skipped over depending on what school you train in and whether or not they personally feel a need to emphasize these concepts. Throughout every class, parents can see for themselves if lessons of integrity, self-control, and discipline are being integrated in their kids’ martial arts lessons, and whether the way these ideas are being conveyed by the instructor is making an impression on kids. The instructors at our school put a lot of effort into making a positive impact on kids beyond kicking and punching on the training floor, and they care about making the school a positive environment for everyone who trains there.

 

Fostering an environment for making friends

 

Martial arts can be competitive and learning to challenge yourself builds resiliency, but it's also important to make sure your child’s martial arts school equally fosters the idea of working together and making friends. It’s important to be part of a school that learns how to balance these two concepts on the training floor, and it makes training a much more fun experience when students get along and actually enjoy training with each other. 

Learning how to fight for self-defense

While all martial arts has something to offer, Jeet Kune Do is an art that was designed for self-defense in a real-life situation. This differs from other arts that, while helpful, in some instances can have limitations when it’s geared toward competition where there are rules and restrictions that would not exist in a self-defense situation. The earlier your child starts training and stays with it, the better equipped they will be if they need to defend themselves. The instructors always emphasize that their training is meant for instances where the only route to safety is fighting and what they learn in class should never be used to show off or hurt someone unprovoked. 

What is Muay Thai?

Muay Thai is a type of hard martial art that is practiced in many parts of the world, but has the longest history in Thailand, where it originated and is now the national sport. The type of traditional Muay Thai that is practiced today is...

Karate vs. Taekwondo

When you’re thinking about engaging in martial arts training, you should first determine which form of martial arts is best suited for your abilities, philosophies, and lifestyle. Karate and Taekwondo are two common and separate forms for...

What is Kung Fu?

Kung Fu is a term that’s synonymous with the martial arts, but how much do you actually know about its meaning, history, and practices? Kung Fu is one of the most well-known and commonly studied styles of martial arts, second only to...

What is Self Defense Training?

No one deserves to be assaulted. No one wants to be assaulted. But unfortunately, as anyone who reads the news can attest, the frequency of unmitigated violence is too high to ignore. Whether we want to recognize it or not, many of us will be...

How Boxing Classes Can Benefit Your Body

If you’ve tried traditional workout methods, you’ve probably discovered that they can be tedious and it can take time to see results.  By taking boxing classes you can stay engaged and learn valuable self-defense techniques, while...

Lose Weight While Learning Martial Arts

Studying the martial arts is an amazing way to lose weight.  It’s such an entertaining way to exercise; you might not feel like you are performing a workout at all.  Spending an hour punching and kicking the pounds away will seem...

What is Jeet Kune Do?

Jeet Kune Do (JKD) is the name that the legendary martial artist Bruce Lee gave to his unique combat system and philosophy. The underlying tenets of JKD are to use minimal movements to maximum effects, all at extreme speeds. The effect is...

The Benefits of Taking a Grappling Class

It has been well established in the health and wellness community that the benefits of regular exercise are too numerous and essential to ignore. There are a lot of ways to approach exercise—and it can take some trial and error to discover...

Benefits of Martial Arts Training for Children

In a culture that seems to be saturated with violence in movies, television, video games, and even on the news, it’s normal to have some apprehension when your child tells you she would like to sign up for karate. Like many other things that...

Everything You Need to Know About Krav Maga

Krav Maga, translating to “contact combat,” is a style of mixed martial arts that was invented by the Israeli military in the 1940s. This style of training has been growing rapidly in popularity over recent years in the United States....

The Hidden Benefits of Martial Arts Training

The martial arts are a set of ancient practices that date back so far it is unclear when they truly began. While the physical aspects of martial arts are obvious, some of the greater benefits of practicing this long-standing tradition are related...

The Benefits of Learning Kickboxing in Little Neck NY

Although kickboxing was developed in the ‘60’s, its popularity has exploded in recent years as people discover the large number of benefits the sport has on their body and mind. Kickboxing is a full-contact sport that combines various...

Benefits of Martial Arts Training

One of the common responses as to why an individual would like to do martial arts, is "I want to get in shape but I find the gym very boring."  Martial Arts classes are then the perfect solution.   The reason for this is...

Simple. Direct. Non-classical

Bruce Lee often described his art of Jeet Kune Do as:   Simple, Direct, and Non-Classical     Simple:  Instead of adding more and more to your art,  you take out more and more.  Like Lee would say,"Hack away...

Limiting the opponents tools

In a Jeet Kune Do class it is often overheard that a good fighter limits his opponents tools.    What does this statement mean?   In simple terms, limiting my opponents tools simply means that I put myself in a position where I...

What is Basic Front Hand Education?

When reading Bruce Lee's notes it is clear that he was a firm believer in placing the strong side forward.  90% of our striking should be done with our strong hand and our strong leg.  The reasons are two fold.  First, because our...
Page: 1234567 - All

The Best MMA Documentaries to Watch

By Jessica Militello There’s a lot of great documentaries on interesting and inspiring stories from the world of combat sports and the incredible stories of the fighters who are brave enough to step inside the ring. It’s hard not to...

Francis Ngannou Fighting Technique

By Jessica Militello Francis Ngannou most recently defended the title for the heavyweight championship on February 22 at UFC 270 against the interim champion Ciryl Gane. Ngannou is known for being a knockout artist with punching power equivalent...

Bruce Lee: The Greatest Martial Artist of All Time

Originally posted on 05/29/2020 It is widely accepted by fighters and other people around the world that Bruce Lee was the most influential martial artist of all time. From his famous action movies to his unique martial art of Jeet Kune...

Five of the Biggest Upsets in UFC History

By Jessica Militello Throughout the three decades of the UFC, there have been tons of historical moments and unforgettable upsets that shocked fight fans everywhere. These days, if you ask anyone what their favorites were, you’ll probably...

Sean O’Malley’s best fighting tactics

By Jessica Militello “Suga” Sean O’Malley’s career has been on the rise since he first got on the UFC’s radar back in 2017 on Dana White’s Contender Series. Since then, he’s had an impressive record of...

Looking back on the UFC-then and now

By Jessica Militello The UFC recently marked the 28th anniversary of their first fight card on November 12, 1993. At the time, the promotion had entirely different owners and was a fight to the death with virtually no rules in a quest to see...

How to Fight Like Nick Diaz

By Jessica Militello One of the UFC’s most legendary and respected fighters made a very long-awaited return to the octagon at UFC 266 for a rematch with Robbie Lawler that was 17 years in the making and many couldn’t even believe it...

Boxers Who Fight with Their Strong Side Forward

By Jessica Militello Most fighters that you watch from boxing to MMA adopt a stance that is either orthodox or southpaw. In these combat sports, it has always been a tradition to stand with your less dominant side forward and your lead hand...

Should the Oblique Stomp be Banned from the UFC?

By Jessica Militello Every once in a while the MMA community revisits the debate of whether or not moves like the oblique stomp should be made illegal in the UFC. The question has been getting attention again lately after viewers watched the...

Best Martial Arts Styles for Kids

By Jessica Militello If you are looking for a martial art to enroll your child in, you may be wondering which style is the best for them to learn and have fun while still being appropriate for their age. Every martial art has a list of benefits...

Should I Put My Kids in Martial Arts?

By Jessica Militello With all of the many choices of hobbies and sports to enroll your child in, it can become a little overwhelming to find the best one that both you and your child feel most confident about signing up for. Martial arts is a...

Can Martial Arts Help Kids Dealing with Anxiety?

By Jessica Militello Anxiety can be very uncomfortable and scary for anyone to deal with, but for parents who have children who deal with anxiety, it can feel frustrating to watch your kids struggle with it, especially if you are unsure of how to...

Cobra Kai Characters We Love and Hate

By Jessica Militello Warning: This article may contain spoilers if you have not completed the first three seasons of the show Cobra Kai. While fans of Cobra Kai anxiously wait for season 4 after a pretty intense season 3 finale, it’s...

Some of the Most Vicious Knee Knockouts in the UFC

By Jessica Militello Some of the most brutal and historic moments in the UFC have been from fights finished with knockouts using knees. Fans have a tendency to look at a fighter’s grappling, striking, and kicks, and can tend to overlook...

Using Jeet Kune Do Footwork to Avoid Getting Punched

The art of Jeet Kune Do created by Bruce Lee integrates all facets of combat. Various styles are borrowed from boxing, fencing, and other types of fighting. But one of the things that makes it truly unique is Jeet Kune Do footwork. If you...

The 5 Most Effective Types of Takedown Defense

If you want to achieve success as a martial artist, you need to improve your takedown defense as a way to avoid being brought to the ground during a fight. When mixed martial arts (MMA) first started, skilled grapplers won many of the first...

Helpful Head Movement Drills for Self Defense

There’s a saying in the martial world that says, “Either you move your head or he’s gonna move it for you.” Effective head movement is used to avoid oncoming attacks and also to set up strong counter moves. It can...

Why Martial Arts Is More Than Just Kicking

  Martial arts was initially seen as combative and puzzling. It was mostly learned and practiced by adults and was chiefly about self-defense. Martial arts has ever since grown from that stage of tiny dirty schools to schools teaching...

Fencing without a foil?

Bruce Lee often called his art of Jeet Kune Do, fencing without a foil.  In this entry we will be discussing what he meant by that statement.   If you take a look at fencing and Jeet Kune Do, you will not a few similarities.  One of...

Finding a Little Bruce Lee in All of Us

A slew of Bruce Lee types, embracing both men and women, could soon be making their way through the streets of New York--but with an added physical dimension; expertise in rough, tough and often savage street fighting.  In brief, those bad...

Doing Your Own JKD Thing

By Cass Magda   JKD has its own identity and follows a design with a purpose. It is a system. A JKD man's movement is definitely different and distinguishable from other martial arts such as Thai kickboxing, wing chun, or karate. The physical...

Getting To The Roots of JKD

By Cass Magda   In the Tao of JKD Bruce Lee said, "I hope that martial artists are more interested in the root of martial arts and not the different decorative branches, flowers or leaves. It is futile to argue as to which single...

Jeet Kune Do: The Way of The "Stopping Fist"

Jeet Kune Do is training and discipline toward the ultimate reality in combat. The ultimate reality is returning to one's primary freedom, which is simple, direct, and nonclassical.  A good Jeet Kune Do man does not oppose force or give way...

Jeet Kune Do's Five Ways Of Attack

1. SDA (Single Direct Attack) A direct attack is composed of a single movement. The objective is to go to the target by the most direct route. Although it is the simplest of the attacks, it is the hardest to complete successfully because the...