Start here

Start with what's close

Distance is the most common reason people stop training. Look for something near your home, your school, or somewhere along a route you already travel.

Search online for specific martial arts (jiu jitsu, aikido, judo, karate, kendo, boxing, wrestling, muay thai, etc.) near you and see what comes up. Read the recent reviews instead of the overall rating, and pay attention to what people say about the instructors. If you know anyone who trains, ask them.

Most schools will let you watch a class or try one before you join. Visit more than one if you can. It's easier to judge a place when you have something to compare it to.

What to look for

Green flags

  • The instructor is teaching, not running the class from the side of the room.
  • Beginners are looked after, and learn and drill before they're put into hard sparring.
  • The senior students help the newer ones.
  • People seem glad to be there.
  • The place is clean and someone is clearly responsible for keeping it that way.
  • You can ask questions without it being awkward.
  • Nobody pressures you on your first visit.
  • There are classes at times you can actually make.

What to avoid

Red flags

  • You're pushed to sign something before you've trained.
  • The cost isn't clear, or there are fees nobody mentioned up front.
  • Injuries get brushed off.
  • The instructor can't be questioned or corrected.
  • You're discouraged from training anywhere else, or visitors aren't welcome.
  • Someone is singled out or humiliated in front of the class.
  • The place is dirty.
  • You leave feeling worse about yourself than when you arrived.

One of these on its own may not mean much. Several together usually do.

Money and contracts

Before you sign anything

Ask what the membership includes and what you'd pay for separately. Ask whether there's a contract and how long it runs. Get the answers in writing.

If you're applying to Budo Scholar or already enrolled, talk to us before you sign. Email scholar@budoaccelerator.org.

You don't have to get it right the first time

If you try a school and it isn't for you, you can leave. Plenty of people train a few months somewhere before they find the place they stay.

You also don't need a school picked out before you apply. Finding one is part of what the first few weeks are for.

Back to Budo Scholar → See the student experience →

Budo Scholar is a program of Budo Accelerator, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.