How
To Choose the Best
Martial Arts School For Your Child
In this
free report you will learn everything you need to know about martial
arts schools and how to choose the best one for your child. My goal
is to make you a “Black Belt” Shopper! Once you understand
the differences between schools, you will be able to make a good decision
instead of guessing. Don’t be fooled by flashy techniques and
window dressing! You are shopping for your child’s future –
you can’t afford to make the wrong choice!
This is
an educational service provided by:
Denny Strecker and Denny Strecker's Karate
Background
Denny
Strecker's Karate has been servicing Warren and the surrounding communities
since 1997. In those seven years, the school has helped hundreds of
parents give their children a brighter and better future. The school’s
unique approach to teaching martial arts makes it easy for children
of all ages to learn in a fun, exciting and healthy environment.
My name
is Denny Strecker and I
have been working with children for over fourteen years and I am the
driving force behind the school’s education system. I started
training martial arts in 1987 and felt that something was missing
– the improvement of the mind. Schools were teaching the art
of self defense, but no one was teaching any useful “Life Skills”.
As a student, I figured I was much more likely to use the skill of
“Goal Setting” before ever throwing a jump spin kick to
knock out someone trying to hurt him - but this training wasn’t
around. In 1992, I started to teach classes and immediately began
to implement this method of teaching. “Life Skills” and
self-defense combined in the class room. The mentality I used at the
time, that still exists today is, “Hopefully you will never
have to use your self defense skills, BUT, you will
use your Life Skills EVERYDAY in one fashion or another.”
Now, 14 years later, the teaching system in place works for hundreds
of children in the community giving them a better life.
Imagine
if you were introduced to the skills of Goal Setting, Time Management,
Public Speaking, Teamwork, and Leadership at the age of your child
now. How much further would you be in life? How much happier would
you be? By investing in your child’s future now, you are giving
them the benefits that will last a lifetime.
The 3 Dangers of Choosing the Wrong
Martial Arts Program for Your Child
1) Wasted Money - All
too enough, parents run down to the closest school - or worse - look
for the cheapest school, and enroll their child, only to find that
weeks later their child doesn’t want to go any more. Now, they
have wasted their money on a program that did not meet their needs
or expectations.
2)
Trying New Things
– As a parent, you know how difficult it can be to introduce
something new to your child. Once they have had a negative experience
with anything, it is twice as difficult to get them to try it a second
time. If a child does not like their martial arts program, they believe
ALL programs are the same, so they will not want to try any other
activities.
3)
“Life Skills” Education
- By not getting your child into a quality martial arts school, they
are going to miss the opportunity at “Life Skills” training
that is not given any place else - Goal Setting, Time Management,
Leadership and Public Speaking. Imagine your child is at a job interview
and it is down to two people – your child and one other candidate.
Both have equal schooling and skills, but your child brings up they
have skills in Leadership, Time Management, Public Speaking, Commitment
and Goal Setting. Who do you think the boss will want to hire?
How
to Avoid the 2 Biggest
Martial Arts Rip-Offs!
1) Promises of What You Want to Hear
– Not all martial arts schools are created equal! Do your research.
There are a variety of teaching methods and styles. Call all of the
schools in your area and more importantly, visit them! Schools have
been known to make all kinds of promises over the phone. By visiting
the school, you can truly SEE what their program teaches and if they
are going to be able to benefit your child.
2)
Don’t Sign a 24 Month or Longer Contract –
Just about every school will offer an Introductory Membership. This
can range from 1 free class to a discounted 1 month program. The bigger
question is “What happens next?” A non-professional school
will want you to sign a 2 year, or even longer contract, right away.
The reason behind this is due to the fact that your child will not
want to come back after a month or two of classes, but you end up
paying the school for years. A school that offers month to month agreements
is just as bad. The trouble with month to month agreements is two
fold. First, the school can raise its rates ANY TIME it wants to.
So you could sign up for a low rate, but within six months, that rate
could be doubled. Second, if there are not enough students paying
for the month the school will not be around for long. A professional
school will generally offer a standard 12 month program for new members.
This locks in your rate for 12 months so it cannot be changed.
4 Costly Misconceptions About Martial Arts
1) One school is just like another
– This could not be any further from the truth. Each school
is going to be set up and run in its own fashion. There is no standardization
from one school to the next. Don’t settle on your child’s
education. Make sure you find the school that best suits your needs.
2)
Martial Arts teaches children to fight or be aggressive
– Martial Arts doesn’t teach children to be aggressive
– Television does! Children watch TV shows and watch cartoon
characters or super heroes punch and kick the “bad guys”
and destroy them. It isn’t any wonder that these same children
then go to school and use similar techniques on another child that
has been mean to them. Quality schools will teach children several
Conflict Resolution techniques so that they don’t have to punch
or kick another child.
3)
Martial Arts takes a lot of time out of the week –
Basic Martial Arts classes meet twice a week on average. Classes should
range between 30 to 45 minutes. Anything longer, child psychologists
agree isn’t beneficial. The class tends to become boring and
drawn out. In a quality martial arts school, a student should be able
to reach Black Belt in 2 to 3 years training two days a week.
4)
The instructor has to be a “World Champion”-
It is next to impossible to look at an ad or talk to a school where
the Instructor is NOT a world champion of something. The key to remember
is that the rank of the instructor, or the world titles they have
won, doesn’t mean that they can teach your child. The analogy
I like to use for this is Mike Tyson. He may be one of the greatest
boxers in history – but I would never let him near my children
– let alone teach them boxing.
The 3 Deadly Secrets About
Martial Arts Schools
1) Most schools don’t have a teaching
background – For all too long the standard for
teaching has been the highest rank belt would teach the class. There
are hundreds of instructors teaching a class simply because they were
the highest belt rank available. Some have gone through a very short
seminar on teaching and then are left to fend for themselves. Make
sure your instructor is not only training, but continuing his or her
teaching education as well.
2)
Instructors that have not earned a rank
– With no standardization in martial arts, there are schools
that take advantage of that fact. A person with little, or no martial
arts training, can open a school and call themselves a “Grandmaster”
and be elevated to 8th Degree Black Belt. Can you imagine if your
elementary school teacher didn’t have to get a degree and just
one day decided to become a teacher. They walk down to the local elementary
school and sign up to be a teacher. How effective would they be? I
certainly would not bet my child’s future on them.
3)
5 schools close and 5 new schools open every month
– Too many people have the belief that because they have earned
a Black Belt, that they now can open a school and teach martial arts.
My analogy for that is just because you graduate from high school,
doesn’t make you a high school teacher!
3 Mistakes to Avoid When
Choosing a Martial Arts School
1) Shopping strictly on price alone
– If a school is charging $40 per month there is reason. Professional
schools will charge between $119 and $149 a month. If you are not
interested in education, the $40 to $80 a month school or program
will be all right. But, if you want a better education, you will want
to find a higher quality school. Also, just because a school is the
most expensive doesn’t mean it is the best. Shop by the value
you are getting from the school, not just the cost of the program.
2)
Choosing a school simply because it is the closest to your home
– This is one of the worst reasons to select the school that
is going to educate your child. Don’t fall into the trap of
thinking just because the school is close, you won’t have any
trouble making classes. If your child is not having fun, it doesn’t
matter if the school is across the street, or a couple of miles away.
3)
Choosing a school that doesn’t have a “family atmosphere”
– It is easy to tell what type of clientele a school caters
to simply by watching classes. If the school is full of adult males
in their early twenties, the school is probably pretty militaristic
and hardcore. This would not make for a good match for a young child.
Look to see if multiple family members train. Are there programs and
classes for everyone interested? A professional school will be able
to offer a variety of programs under one roof for the entire family
to enjoy.
Why You Want Your Child to
Study Martial Arts
Martial Arts offers a variety of benefits to children of all ages
- Increased Focus and Concentration, Better Grades, Goal Setting,
Teamwork, and Self-Confidence just to name a few. No other activity
teaches both mental and physical benefits to the extent of Martial
Arts. Martial Arts is also the perfect compliment to any other sport
or activity – better eye-hand coordination, stronger legs, better
balance, and better cardiovascular ability.
4 Steps to Getting Your Child
Started in Martial Arts
1) Make a commitment to act
– Many people say they are going to start something, but they
never take the first step which is finding the schools in your area.
2)
List your objectives
– Start a list of the most important objectives. Examples would
be: helping your child become more self-confident, finding positive
role models for your child, find an activity to help your child loose
weight, or any of a hundred other reasons. Make sure the school is
going to meet these objectives.
3)
Ask questions
– Have a list of questions prepared ahead of time. Don’t
rely on your memory. You are going to be gathering a lot of information.
I can’t tell you the number of times I have had a parent say
to me in an interview “There was something else I was going
to ask, but I forgot what it was.” Remember, you are the customer
– make sure you are an educated customer by getting all of your
questions answered.
4) When you find the right school, act
– Similar to step #1, once you find the school that is right
for your child, get them started. A professional school will have
open enrollment which means new students can join at any time. Start
on an Introductory Program which can be 2 to 4 weeks of classes.
One of the many things that make Denny Strecker's Karate unique is
our 100% Money Back Guarantee. If you sign up for any of our programs
and don’t see any difference in your child within the first
90 days, we will refund 100% of your money. That is how sure I am
that our program works. I often wonder why all schools don’t
offer this, but to date, I don’t know of any others in the area
that will stand behind their service as much as we do.
I would like to thank you for taking the time to read my free report
on “How To Choose the Best Martial Arts School For Your
Child”. I hope that you found it informational and
useful for your needs. If you have any questions or would like more
information, please feel free to contact me at:
Denny Strecker
Denny Strecker's Karate
28724 Ryan Road
Warren, Mi. 48092
(586)573-3881
denny@warrenkarate.com
“We started our program about six months ago, and being
in the education field, I have learned so much from this program even
just by watching it. Joshua has grown tremendously. His focus has
improved and he looks forward to coming to class…even if he
has a bad day at school he wants to come to karate. I would highly
recommend this class.” – Melanie Rainwater
(Educator/Parent of Joshua Rainwater)
“Allen has grown socially since starting the martial arts.
We can see more of his training showing up in his everyday thoughts
and actions…He is making efforts to include everyone in playtime
by introducing everyone to one another.” - Kathy
Dahlka (Parent of Allen Dahlka and Tai Chi Student)
“Sensei is an excellent resource person. He has a great
ability and willingness to help both students and parents. He works
well with the students and has the ability to motivate them. He provides
a positive environment for the students to learn and feel good about
themselves and their accomplishments.”
- Debbie Calvert (Parent of Justin Calvert)
“Self control and leadership has been another positive aspect
of their training at Denny Strecker's Karate. I can see how this helps
my children in their day to day interactions at school. They clearly
will stand up for what they believe in, no matter how much they get
teased.” - Lisa Kulesza (Parent of Jennifer and
Alyssa Kulesza)
