How do you know when you got a good instructor

[xena]

how do know if you got a instuctor what do i look for ?

what the best way to find a good instructor?

[ps1]

A good instructor is someone you feel comfortable talking to, teaches the things you are looking for, and is able to communicate the techniques/ concepts well.

The best way to find one is to visit all the martial arts schools in your area. Don't just depend on a phone call...actually go to the schools, watch or participate in a few classes.

[lordtariel]

You need to go and watch their classes. Not just a beginner class, but an intermediate and advanced as well. Does the person spend more time with the advanced students than the new students? Is it the other way around? A good way to tell quality of instruction is to look at the students. Do the advanced students look solid or do they almost fall over when they try and do a simple kick or punch?(It's more common than you think) Do the students just dance around and play tag when they spar? This isn't necessarily a big deal for some people if they are just doing it for fun, but if you want self defense application, some contact is necessary.

Talk to the instructor as well. Any mention of knowing "secret art" is a major red flag.(This happened twice when I was looking) Ask him how long he's been training and what organization he's with. Then contact that organization or look for him on the website. Check to see if anyone has at least first aid training as well. I think this is essential in a contact sport environment.

Also, look at the payment options. Do you have to sign a contract?(most places do) Can you get out of the contract?(family emergency, injury, ect) Does it automatically renew itself at the end of it's life.(Bad) How many classes a week can you go to for your money? Just a few ideas of what to look for.

[Montana]

The advice you've gotten so far is all good, but there's always the problem with a new, novice prospective student in that they have no idea what is good technique, and what isn't. The majority of peopkle see an instructor wearing a gi and black belt around their waist and assume that yes, he's good...no matter what he does. Add a few dozen (hundred?) tournament trophies (no sign of skill really), and your typical new student with no knowledge of what they're looking at, is impressed.

Every instructor you meet will tell you that what they are doing is the best...period. If he/she didn't believe that, then they would be doing something else. I'm no different. When someone invests the time, the sweat, and yes, the money into learning an art, they become followers and believers of that art.

As mentioned before, talk to the instructors (don't believe everything you hear though, especially really wild claims), and his students (wthout the instructor present if possible), take free classes, watch out for contracts, get on the net and research the heck out of every system that you have available in yoru area.

Can you tell us what systems are available in your area...maybe we can help there.

Good luck!

Oh...one thing to watch out for is someone that is in their 20's and claims to have a very high rank...say 4th dan or above. MAJOR red flag there in my opinion. Or anybody that claims national champion of this or that. References are good also. If an instructor takes offense to any questions you have of him/her...RUN! It's yoru money and you have every right to find out his/her qualifications before you sign on the dotted line.

[bushido_man96]

Good advise here. Look at every school you can. Eventually, you will see things that stick out, for good or bad, and send you signals. Good luck!

[marie curie]

I think that a good instructor is someone who teaches in a way that you can understand, practices in a way that you can want to emulate, and runs his buisness in a way that you can respect and support.

[Chuilli, Kyo Sah Nim]

The only way to tell is to watch them at work, and if they are willing to answer all your questions, then make sure whatever style it is, is fight applicable, if not then what kinda martial art is that? BUt definately check out all studios in your are, see which style you take to most, and which instructors come off the right way. alotta times you'll get that gut feeling that hey this studio isnt right, and alot of times it will end up being a belt factory. thats another thing to look for, how long til they reach black belt? anything less than 3 years, would be alittle sketchy to me. Also how long between regular ranks? Just simple questions and a general feel of the place should tell you what youre lookin for. good luck

[ninjanurse]

I think that a good instructor is someone who teaches in a way that you can understand, practices in a way that you can want to emulate, and runs his buisness in a way that you can respect and support.

I like this answer..couldn't agree more!

[YoungMan]

I think Montana raised some very valid points. Every Instructor thinks they do a good job, and every student thinks their instructor is the one. Because to think otherwise would invalidate all the time and effort you put into training. There are some things I would look for:

1. Certification. Under what organization is the Instructor certified? Did he create his own organization and certify himself through that? I know ones who have. To start, a legitimate Instructor should be certified through a respected organization (Kukkiwon, ITF, Jhoon Rhee etc.). Also, the Instrctor should not have any problems with his Instructor. If he does, that's not a good sign.

2. Being in a magazine means nothing. It just means you forked over a coupla grand to get your face in there.

3. How precise in the technique? Even a novice can tell when technique is decent, much like non-musicians can tell good music. Do the students have power? If they kick each other and nobody moves, that's not good.

4. Safety. If the Instructor does not seem to be concerned with safety, and students are using each other as punching bags, go elsewhere. You are not paying to get beaten up.

5. What do other Instructors who do not belong to his organization and are not certified through him have to say about him? That's a two way sword though. Junk Instructors usually hang out with other junk instructors.

[Montana]

1. Certification. Under what organization is the Instructor certified? Did he create his own organization and certify himself through that? I know ones who have. To start, a legitimate Instructor should be certified through a respected organization (Kukkiwon, ITF, Jhoon Rhee etc.). Also, the Instrctor should not have any problems with his Instructor. If he does, that's not a good sign.

Although this is a good rule of thumb normally to look for, it isn't always the case. In my case, for example, I belonged and have tested up through 4th Dan under a good organization, but since the head of the system passed away in 1999 the organization pretty much splintered and died. People went off in different directions and the successor of the organization (his son) turned more towards a more "sporting" attitude about the art. Nothing I wanted to be a part of. The organization I currently belong to is small, but dedicated to preserving the art as taught by our deceased leader. Nobody's ever heard of the organization, nor likely to, as we like it small and sort of "elite". So if a knowlegable prospective student came into my dojo looking for a large, well known national/international organization that I'm affiliated with, they won't find it.

2. Being in a magazine means nothing. It just means you forked over a coupla grand to get your face in there.

So TRUE!

3. How precise in the technique? Even a novice can tell when technique is decent, much like non-musicians can tell good music. Do the students have power? If they kick each other and nobody moves, that's not good.

This I don't agree with. Novice martial artists don't know squat about what they're looking at. They are easily impressed with flash and that BB worn around the instructors waist. Break a board or two for them and they think you're a God! BAH!

4. Safety. If the Instructor does not seem to be concerned with safety, and students are using each other as punching bags, go elsewhere. You are not paying to get beaten up.

Shhhh...don't tell them that they are paying to get abused...an instructors got to have some fun now and then! OK...serious now (that's not easy for me, but I'll try). You have to have safety in the dojo, but only to a certain extent. You have to expect to get bumps and bruises now and then. We're nto teaching ballet you know...we're teaching a fighting art form here.

5. What do other Instructors who do not belong to his organization and are not certified through him have to say about him? That's a two way sword though. Junk Instructors usually hang out with other junk instructors.

True. I don'[t know exactly how many different sensei there are in this particular area, but I'm not at all shy if somebody asks me about any of them in particular and will give my honest opinion of them and their art. Some are quite good and I would recommend them...while others...well, let's just say...not so good.