The Nervous Newbie

When someone new comes into our school, he or she tends to be pretty intimidated.  It never matters how old or young or which style is being studied; people tend to be intimidated when they come in the first time.  This is common and something we are very comfortable handling.  I wanted to take a minute and just share some of the things new students could keep in mind when they first come in to learn martial arts.

First, it's important to relax.  So often, people get so nervous and preoccupied that it is tough for them to hear what is going on or to see some of the details of what is being covered in class.  Just relax.  There's no need to try to impress anyone your first day.  In fact, it's usually more impressive when someone can relax and just observe what is going on around them.  If you have previous experience, it's good to let us know.  However, give yourself the opportunity to just come in and learn how we do things.  You don't have to forget what you've done before, but do set it aside so that we can just work without too much interruption.  If things look good, we'll be eager to move into the next idea.

Second, realize that you'll have to trust someone whenever or wherever you decide to do martial arts.  Of course, no one wants to be ripped off or wants to waste their time or money.  However, give someone the benefit of the doubt.  If you come in and do our 2 week intro for $50, you're going to know what we're about and if we're a good fit for you or your family.  Actually, most people know within 3 classes.  As much as you're checking out the school, the staff here are making sure that the person coming in has a sense of community, is considerate of the others in class, and listens well.  We never know what someone's past training or life experience is when they come in.  We want to make sure that we maintain a safe yet challenging training environment for everyone here.  If we have someone that comes in secretly thinking they are the star of their own reality kung fu television show, we will encourage them to either change their behavior or go elsewhere.  It doesn't do anyone any good to have people on the mat who are inconsiderate or cruel, after all.

Lastly, remember that training is hard and challenging, but also has a lot of joy in it.  We will always do our best to keep the training challenging, but also positive and engaging.  Don't be afraid to smile!  While we want to be serious in the training area, everyone here genuinely likes each other and looks forward to working together.  Many of the friendships forged here become life long and for good reason.  We train and grow together like a family.  All of us are eager to bring new people in and to have new people to train with, new ideas to explore, and new minds to offer up ideas when they have experience and understanding.

So don't let the natural nervousness of coming into a martial arts school keep you from doing it.  If it is a good training environment, the people will be supportive and welcoming as they get to know you.  Let yourself relax, give the staff the benefit of the doubt, and allow yourself to be challenged while enjoying the journey.  After a few classes, you'll know if the training is right for you without any ambiguity.