Your First Martial Arts Class: A guide to getting started and what to expect
Introduction: Embarking on Your Martial Arts Journey
Are you ready for your first martial arts class? This guide will provide you with some essential information to ensure you get a smooth and enjoyable start to your martial arts journey. You will be both excited and nervous to discover what awaits you as you step into the martial arts club for the first time. You should prepare yourself for an enriching experience that combines physical fitness, self-discipline, and personal growth. Of course every martial arts club is different and will have their own uniqueness, but below we have tried to generalise points that we, here at Cojalina, think are important for nurturing your journey.
Finding the Right Martial Art Style: Exploring Your Options
On the 21st June 24 we wrote a complete blog about this topic alone, feel free to go a read that for more information about choosing the right club for you. With that in mind we will keep this section short, the first thing you need to do is to ask yourself “what do I want from martial arts”? There are various martial art styles to choose from, each with its unique characteristics and techniques. Take the time to explore different styles and find the one that resonates with you. Whether it’s Karate, Kickboxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, taekwondo, or another discipline, your first class will give you a feel of the discipline you have chosen & is the beginning of an exciting journey.
The Welcoming Atmosphere: A Supportive and helpful Community
From the moment you walk into your first martial arts class, you’ll be greeted by a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere. The martial arts community is known for its support and camaraderie, with instructors and fellow students eager to help you along your path. You’ll quickly realise that you are part of a team, where everyone is committed to helping each other succeed and supports each other in achieving set goals. The instructor should explain how the class runs, where everything is, like toilets and changing facilities etc.
Understanding the Basics: What You May Learn
Martial arts classes usually have a focus for that class, this could be self-defence, sparring or fundamentals like blocks and kicks, whatever the focus is, in your first class you will either join in with everyone else or be taken to the side with an instructor. The lesson should be structured following a pattern, starting with a warmup, the lesson theme and finishing off with some sort of cool down, throughout the lesson you will be shown what you are required. This could include learning proper stances and interesting details about the technique you’re studying. Your instructor will guide you step-by-step, ensuring you grasp the core techniques and principles of that lesson. You’ll gain a solid foundation that will serve as the building blocks for your martial arts journey. There are some martial arts clubs that, for the first lesson only, will give you 1 to 1 tuition. We do not do this at Cojalina as we believe it doesn’t give a realistic feel for the class dynamics.
Practise Makes Progress: Repetition is key
Martial arts are all about practise and repetition to increase speed of recall and over time you will start to see refinement in your technical knowledge. As you attend more classes, you’ll continue to develop and improve your skill set. Working with partners or in groups, you’ll engage in flow drills that allow you to practice techniques and receive feedback from your peers and instructors. Embrace the process, knowing that progress comes with consistent effort and dedication. Don’t be put off, if in your first class, you are only shown a couple of techniques and you just spend time doing those.
A Mind and Body Connection: Beyond Just Punching and Kicking
Martial arts aren’t just about physical fitness; it also cultivates mental discipline and focus. During your first class you’ll learn to channel your concentration and develop mental resilience. This will continue develop the longer you attend classes and in your first class you will be able to see others demonstrating this concentration and focus. You may also be shown how breath correctly in your first class as this is a basic requirement to produce power in any technique.
Equipment, Requirements and Cost: Can You Afford it
In you first lesson you should expect to be told what equipment is required by you, for example uniform, do you get that as part of an enrolment package, is it supplied by the club or do you need to buy your own. What is essential to have and what is nice to have. What equipment is supplied by the club to facilitate training, example things like kick shields and punching bags. Most places in the UK, but not all, will give you free trial lessons, these vary from club to club, with some giving 1 trial lesson. Here at Cojalina our policy is to give you 2 free trial lessons before ay sort of commitment. The cost of each lesson should be explained to you and how this is paid or collected. Again, this will vary from club to club and will depend on their overheads but do you research as some will charge £30 a month whilst others will charge £75 a month for the same amount of training.
Respect and Etiquette: Embracing Martial Arts Ethos
Martial arts are deeply rooted in values such as respect, discipline, and humility. In your first class, you’ll learn about the etiquette and traditions that accompany martial arts training. This includes showing respect to your instructors and fellow students, following proper protocols, and upholding the values that are integral to the martial arts community. Marial arts lessons should start and end with a bow. You should be shown in your first lesson how to enter and how to leave the mats. Many martial arts have shouting in them, this is often referred to as the KIAI , at first it may seem strange to shout but you will soon get into it, we have a separate blog dedicated to the importance if the KIAI in martial arts, go have a read. Your instructor should in your first lesson explain how you refer to them many traditional martial arts refer to the instructor as sensei or sifu, depending on the art.
Completing Forms: The Art of Paperwork
In your first class you may be asked to complete some forms and some places may ask you to complete these online prior to attending. These will include things like PARQ and insurance details, N.O.K forms should someone need contacting whilst you or your child is training. You may also be asked to complete forms about the clubs marketing. If the club uses direct debit or standing orders as tuition payment methods then expect to complete forms that include personal bank details too.
Make a List of Questions: There Are No Stupid Questions
Before attending you first class make a list of questions that you would like to ask, at the end of the class spend a few minutes ticking off those that have been covered and don’t the scared to ask those that haven’t. Below are some suggestions for your list.
What style is it
How long have you been doing it
Are you qualified as an instructor
How much does it cost per lesson
How many times can I train
What are the belt colours
How long is each class
Where do I get the uniform from
Can I see your DBS, insurance policy and any other credentials
Who is the governing body
How do I progress
Will my lesson payments increase as I get higher in rank
Will I need a different uniform as I progress
Finally
Remember, every martial artist started as a beginner, so embrace the learning process, stay open-minded, and enjoy the adventure, your instructor was once where you are now! 🥋👊
Do your research, clarify what you want to achieve and then go have a trial, go to a few different clubs and chose the one you feel most comfortable at, the one you enjoyed the most, forget about style or type. Do you
already attend martial arts classes, have you had trials already, let us know your experiences below.
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