Starting Martial Arts for the First Time
Sometimes the only thing standing between you and progress is taking that first step. Martial arts is different. For many people, getting started isn’t about knowing what to do; it’s about overcoming anxiety. If you are someone who desperately wishes to learn, your anxiety may be replaced with excitement, and starting will feel much easier. But if you want to learn and are a little shy or have no experience, even introducing yourself to an instructor can feel daunting.
Luckily, once you have walked through our door, the hardest part is over. One of our instructors will introduce you to the club and other students in your class, help you through your first class, and make sure you leave with a smile on your face.
The main goal of your first class will be to bring you up to speed on rules and etiquette. This will mean that you can move more confidently through the club, knowing what boundaries are in place for safety and as a matter of tradition. Next, they will take you through the fundamentals of the style. This will help you speak the language of martial arts. It is much easier to feel comfortable in a situation when you not only know what is happening but can use the correct words to describe it. The last thing your coach will do before a group cool down and stretch will be to push you a little bit. Most likely they will run you through the basics they taught you without helping you, allowing you to show off your new skills.
The things you should bring to your first class are a water bottle, potentially a hand towel for a sweaty brow, and clothes that you feel comfortable moving in. What you don’t need is a tonne of fitness, previous martial arts training, any equipment or gear, or even lots of confidence. That stuff you can gather along the way.
I can’t remember my first martial arts class. I remember where it was, my instructor’s name, the other students I trained with, and the feeling I had when I was there, but the memory itself is lost to time. I know it must have been a good experience, though, because I continued to attend that karate club for two and a half years until the instructor moved away.
That’s the feeling I want to recreate with all our new students. A feeling of safety, competence, and fun, the same one that I first experienced over 20 years ago.
