Choosing an Instructor

This piece stemmed from my time working on delivering and teaching at university in the area of sport coaching. It was prompted by a post I spotted elsewhere but was for athletes whereas this is some of my thoughts on choosing instructors for children in martial arts. 

How to choose an instructor for our children in martial arts?

We are at the beginning of the school year, when traditionally the choice of new activities for the new school year takes place and sometimes we are also looking for new activities for ourselves. Occasionally we may be looking for something for the whole family. Though this is generally targeted for children it can reflect adult choices as well as those for all of the family.

Anyone sending their children to a martial arts activity is facing a serious problem. Namely – “how do I find the right instructor for my chosen martial art”?

Choosing an instructor is very important, as the wrong person can put your child off from martial arts forever, causing physical and mental trauma in the worst case scenario.

The instructor is a teacher, educationalist and physical activity coach and they should be familiar with scientific theories and practical exercises to achieve results. Martial arts, like any other sphere of human activity, obeys certain laws for the development of ability. That’s why good instructors will have studied and taken exams to gain their qualifications and education, like any other profession. At Ronin Budo all our instructors have taken a coaching module to ensure they understand the basic requirements of a good class. We are also Sport England safeguarding approved and several of our instructors qualified personal trainers.

Determine what your childs goals are with them when you start practicing a particular martial art: for excellence and to win at competitions, for maintaining fitness, or just for a hobby.

Look for information about:

• Education and qualifications- Just as we visit doctors when we require medical help and expect them to have degrees or similar or graduate architects when we need to develop a building; when we select a teacher/instructor/in martial arts, we need to know about their education and competitions in the activity they are professing to be expert in. What have they available for you to see? Do they have certificates in the art they are professing to be qualified in and additional coaching certificates? Are these from reputable sources?

• Experience – from when does the instructor teach and how long have they been training for and where they qualified under relevant instructor that can vouch for them? Are the instructors first aid qualified and safeguarding checked and approved.

• Achievements of the students trained by them – participation in competitions, honours and achievements of the students can reflect on the ability of the instructor.

• Atmosphere in the dojo/training hall – look around the hall itself, comfort and training conditions, social atmosphere, respect, training methods and relationship with the instructor – students can say a lot about a place, does it feel welcoming.

• Dojo/training hall equipment – is there the necessary equipment to practice the type of activity the instructor is saying they can deliver.

• Curriculum of Training – what is taught, are there established programs that are followed in the main course of training and subsequent development of the student.

The choice of an instructor should not be random or on the principle that this location is more convenient to me. It should be based on an-depth analysis on the above factors to make sure that our children train safely, calmly and comfortably and will progress in the martial arts activity chosen.

Charles Spring 7^th Dan Ronin Budo Martial Arts