The Special Merits of Karate
by Chojun Miyagi (1934)

A large space is not required.
It can be practiced alone.
Its practice does not require much time.
Men and women, young or old, can practice karate; it depends entirely upon one's constitution.
Proper kata can be selected and practiced at one's discretion.
One can practice with empty hands or the use of simple equipment can also be employed without much expense.
Training in karate improves one's health. This fact is evident from the physical condition of aged enthusiasts.
Physical and mental unity develops an indomitable spirit.


Choosing a Martial Arts School


With the coming of another New Year come a host of New Year’s resolutions. Among the most common resolutions are individual’s goals to get fit and adapt a healthy lifestyle. Many people will look to gyms, fitness centers, and yes, martial schools, to help achieve their goals. If you are one of those individuals looking to kick-start the New Year by learning a martial art, here is some guidance to find a school that helps you knock that resolution out. As a caveat to any sudden change in your level of physical activity, you should first let your physician know of your plans and discuss with them a safe exercise regimen. As you read through this article, we hope you consider our dojo –



What you want to get out of martial arts training? - Everyone has a reason for their interest in the martial arts. It's important to know your objectives and your options, so that you can have a positive experience and get the most out of your training. The following are typical reasons individuals pursue training in martial arts.
     •Fitness/Health
     •Family/Involvement with Children
     •Self Defense
     •Interest in Traditional or Cultural Arts
     •Full Contact/Combat Sports/MMA

At WARRIORS OF GRACE KARATE, Sensei Tony will be glad to help you explore your martial arts interests and fitness objectives.

What kind of school is suited to you? - Do you just want to get in shape and have some fun? Are you looking for a school where you can train with your kids? Do Japanese or Chinese martial arts traditions appeal to you? Are you looking to step in the ring to compete? Decide which of these best describes your ideal school. The focus of the school is more important than the style, although there is some correlation between the two.

•Martial Arts/Fitness Facilities - These schools are all about energy and generating customer enthusiasm. They tend to be very clean and well equipped; music is often an integral part of work-outs. They typically offer a variety of programs designed to get you in shape. Many offer matted training floors, weights, cardio equipment and nicely appointed locker rooms. These facilities aren't particularly interested in all the traditional cultural or full contact stuff. These facilities can be any style (or a combination of styles) or may not be tied to any real style. What makes them different is the fact that they focus primarily on fitness and offer many different classes and programs.

•Family Oriented Schools - These schools are probably the most common schools that you will encounter. Most of the time they teach one core style, and maybe an extra class here and there. Some may use music in their training. For the most part, they are the medium range between the martial arts fitness oriented schools and the old fashioned traditional schools. Instructors should be friendly, patient and good role models since a high percentage of their students are children. There tends to be a bonding among the students. The teachers take a close interest in young students’ behavior, activities and educational progress outside as well as inside of class.

WARRIORS OF GRACE KARATE promotes family involvement and family values as an integral part of our regimen. We strive to keep a family-friendly atmosphere and to maintain open communication with parents so that all students have a positive experience with martial arts training. Check out our Testimonials page to learn what people have to say about our family focus.

•Full Contact Schools - These schools are just like they sound - they focus on full contact fighting in the style of UFC and other ‘no holds barred’ type competitions. These are the hard core schools with emphasis all on fighting. They may teach one style or be a mixed martial arts school that teaches multiple styles. They focused on attack and defense drills and fighting combinations along with weight training, conditioning and sparring. There is little, if any, practice in formal techniques, such as katas. Nor is there much instruction on martial arts cultural traditions. Expect most of the students to be young adult males. The training can be very strenuous. If you aren't ready to commit to hard sparring with your classmates and others, then these aren't the schools for you.

•Sport Competition Schools - These schools may resemble the fitness or family schools. However, they also emphasize fighting but not to the same intensity as the full contact schools. Whether they compete in open tourneys or kickboxing, these schools will do a lot of light to medium contact sparring. They also tend to emphasize competitive empty hand and weapons routines. If you look in the window and see trophies, chances are you've found a competition school. All students are not required to compete, however competition is usually a source of pride for these schools and is heavily promoted. When training at a competition or sports oriented school, you really have to push yourself. Like the full-contact schools, these schools use human competitive spirit to motivate students to give 110% at every training session.

•Traditional Schools - These schools usually concentrate on one core system and work it to perfection. They do much more work with formal empty hand and weapons routines, with an emphasis on precision as opposed to the flashiness of the competition schools. These schools also promote martial arts cultural traditions and discipline. They retain strong ties to their Asian roots. Character and behavioral traits are considered as important as the physical training, so high value is placed on things like respect, discipline and decorum.

WARRIORS OF GRACE KARATE traces its ‘hard-soft’ Goju-Ryu style through karate’s roots in Okinawa and its influence from southern China. We are a traditional school that promotes strength in body, soul, and spirit. Our school operates on the principles of Strength, Discipline and Humility.

Is there a particular style that appeals to you? – This is an area that people tend to dwell on too much, especially in the beginning. It’s more important to match the focus of the school to your interests than to pick the ‘best’ style. That being said, it is useful to understand the basic features of a style and their influence on a school’s training focus. For example, some styles tend to be linked more closely to combat sports or competition. There are many martial art styles out there, some very popular and some very obscure. Each style has something unique to offer. You can do plenty of research on styles online or in your local library to find one that interests you.

So where do I find a school/dojo? - You can search by style, location, kind of school (as mentioned above). Make a list of schools in your area that match your interests, and make an appointment to go check it out. Don't worry about taking any introductory classes just yet. Visit the schools to get a first impression and see if it really is suited to your needs. Ask questions, such as the following:

     •What would you say is the focus of your school? - Fitness/Fun Related Interests; Self Defense;      Traditional Martial Arts; Full Contact/Combat Sports/MMA
     •How many classes do you offer a week? How many for children?
     •What times do you offer them?
     •How many students do you have in a class?
     •How many instructors do you have? How many teach children? What are the differences in      your children's class vs. your adult class?
     •How often can you attend each week? How often is expected?
     •What other events do you offer or tie to?
     •Are you affiliated with a larger, governing organization?
     •Do you test your students? If so, how? How often?

Come in and visit WARRIORS OF GRACE KARATE to observe our classes Monday through Thursday or Saturday mornings. Or contact Sensei Tony to learn more and set up a time that works for you to visit.

Try it before you buy it - Don't be afraid to ask for a free lesson. Even schools who don't advertise them will usually give you a free lesson if you request it, or at least offer a low cost, very short term introductory program. Be wary of schools that refuse. You wouldn't buy a car without test-driving it, would you?

We welcome visitors at WARRIORS OF GRACE KARATE, so come and check us out.

Still interested? - By now you should have a pretty good idea of which school is most appealing to you. Decide if you are still really interested in martial arts training and willing to commit to lessons. Most schools have you sign a minimum one year contract to join. Some may be flexible on that. Be sure to ask how programs and payment plans are structured. Also be sure to ask what happens if the school closes before the contract ends.

Ask about all the costs, not just tuition - When enrolling in the school of your choice, make sure you are aware of all the costs involved. Ask about any extra fees besides tuition (these include testing fees, organization memberships, required fundraising, special events, etc.). You will also most likely have to buy your uniform and sparring gear.

Sensei Tony will be happy to answer your questions and help you get started.

So come, on what are you waiting for?
Let WARRIORS OF GRACE KARATE help you achieve your New Years resolutions.

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