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Archive-name: martial-arts/faq/part1
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                  rec.martial-arts FAQ - Part 1 of 4
                  ==================================

The current maintainers of this FAQ are Matthew Weigel
(mcweigel+@cs.cmu.edu), parts 1-3 and Lauren Radner
(lradner@us.ibm.com), part 4.

The rec.martial-arts FAQ and Newbie Guide are available on
rtfm.mit.edu in the directory
pub/usenet-by-hierarchy/rec/martial-arts, with the filenames
rec.martial-arts_FAQ_part_1_of_4, rec.martial-arts_FAQ_part_2_of_4,
rec.martial-arts_FAQ_part_3_of_4,rec.martial-arts_FAQ_part_4_of_4,
and rec.martial-arts_Newbie_Guide.

There is an HTML version of the FAQ available at
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~mcweigel/rmafaq/rmafaq1.html (and rmafaq2.html,
etc.).  Other people are welcome to make and distribute copies (online
and off) under the same provisions as the regular FAQ: preserve the
copyright notice and disclaimer.

A note to all who try to use URL and e-mail addresses from this FAQ:
These links are provided by the contributors.  I frequently get 
e-mails complaining that this or that link is no longer valid.  The 
quick answer is: I'm not surprised, but there is little I can do 
about it.  Continuously testing the links in the FAQ, and then 
tracking down replacements for the "rotten" ones would be a
full-time job.  Contributors - please keep your links up to date by 
informing me of changes!

A note on Chinese romanizations: there are several different ways of
representing Chinese words in the english alphabet.  The FAQ uses the
"pinyin" romanization (except in mailing lists and web pages which
were left as written by the person that submitted them).  Below are
listed some of the common arts in pinyin and other forms for those
wanting to cross reference:

  Pinyin         Other

  Gongfu         Kung Fu
  Taijiquan      Tai Chi Chuan, T'ai Chi Ch'uan
  Baguazhang     Pa Kua Chang
  Xingyiquan     Hsing Yi Chuan, Hsing Yi Ch'uan
  Qinna          Chin Na
  Shuaijiao      Shuai-Chiao
  Sanshou        San Shou, San-Shou

Revision Notes 2-Feb-2004: Added URL header, updated address for Kyudo contributor.

==================================================================

                Topics Contained in this FAQ
                ============================

Part 1 of 4

     1) Introduction, and about the Newsgroups.
        1.1 What's with all of the off-topic posts? (RMA)
        1.2 How do I post? (RMAM)
        1.3 How do I contact the moderators? (RMAM)
        1.4 What is the procedure for approval or rejection? (RMAM)
        1.5 Why was my post rejected? (RMAM)
        1.6 Why aren't I receiving acknowledgement messages? (RMAM)
        1.7 Why don't I see my posts right away? (RMAM)

     2) What is a Martial Art?

     3) What kind of Martial Arts are there?  (the descriptions of
        various arts are in section 16, which is in parts 2 and 3.)

     4) Which Martial Art should I study?

     5) How do I choose a School?

     6) (a) This guy says that his style will make a Full Certified
            Warrior & Killer out of me in 3 months- is it serious?

        (b) What do I do to become the deadliest person in the world ?

     7) Should children study Martial Arts?

     8) I believe/don't believe in X.  Should I train Y?

     9) Rankings/Color Belt Systems

    10) What is Greenoch?

    11) What is Ki/Qi/Chi?

    12) Martial Arts Glossary

    13) Bibliography

    14) Sources of information

        14.1)  Martial arts schools in North America
        14.2)  FAQ ftp site
        14.3)  Aikido Dojo Directory
        14.4)  Classical Japanese Martial Arts Electronic Magazine
        14.5)  Traditional Karate Mailing List
        14.6)  Aikido Mailing List and FTP Site
        14.7)  Tuite/Acupuncture Discussion Group
        14.8)  The Martial Arts Digest
        14.9)  Jujutsu and Kokikai Aikido Mailing Lists
        14.10) Japanese Sword Arts Mailing List and FTP site
        14.11) Chinese Shao-lin Center Mail List
        14.12) Martial Arts and Sword/TV and Film Mailing List
        14.13) Tai-Chi Mailing List
        14.14) Neijia (Internal Chinese Martial Arts) Mailing List
        14.15) Kyudo (Japanese Archery) Mailing List
        14.16) Korean Martial Arts Mailing List
        14.17) Eskrima/Kali/Arnis Mailing List
        14.18) Miscellaneous Martial Arts WWW pages
        14.19) Kung Fu Mailing List
        14.20) Taekwondo Net Forum Mailing List 
        14.21) Kempo Mailing List
        14.22) Tuite-Ki Mailing List
        14.23) Policedo Mailing List

    15) Sources of equipment and material.

Part 2 of 4

    16) What are the different Arts, Schools, Styles?

16.1)  Aikido          16.2)  Baguazhang    16.3)  Brazilian JiuJitsu
16.4)  Bushidokan      16.5)  Capoeira      16.6)  Cha Yon Ryu
16.7)  Cuong Nhu       16.8)  Daito Ryu Aiki-Jujustu
16.9)  Gatka           16.10) Hapkido       16.11) Hwa Rang Do
16.12) Iaido           16.13) Judo          16.14) Jujutsu
16.15) Kajukenbo       16.16) Kali/Escrima/Arnis
16.17) Karate          16.18) Kendo         16.19) Kenjutsu
16.20) Kenpo (Amer.)   16.21) Kempo (Kosho Ryu)
16.22) Kempo (Ryukyu)  16.23) Kobudo        16.24) Krav Maga
16.25) Kyudo 

Part 3 of 4: 

16.26) Lua             16.27) MMA/NHB         16.28) Moo Do
16.29) Muay Thai       16.30) Ninjutsu        16.31) Praying Mantis
16.32) ROSS            16.33) SAMBO           16.34) Sanshou
16.35) Savate          16.36) Shogerijutsu    16.37) Shuaijiao
16.38) Silat           16.39) Tae Kwon Do     16.40) Taijiquan
16.41) Western MA      16.42) Wing Chun       16.43) Wushu/Gongfu
16.44) Xingyiquan      16.45) Yoseikan Budo

Part 4 of 4 - "Groaner" FAQ

====================================================================

1) Introduction

This FAQ is not intended to be a Martial Arts Bible, but to give some
help to those that are looking for a place to start, or those more
experienced that would like to know more about some different style,
have a particular doubt, etc.

Please note that this is not the Absolute Truth(TM) but rather an
attempt to give clear and basic information about this group and the
martial arts. Your suggestions, opinions, and additions are welcome;
send e-mail to mcweigel@cs.cmu.edu.  For an idea of what plans there
are to correct and update the FAQ, there is a by-no-means-exhaustive
tentative list of round tuits at
http://www.cs.cmu.edu./~mcweigel/rmafaq/TODO

Here are the items in the original rec.ma "charter" as they appeared
in the request for discussion before the group was formed:

 1) A new group proposal for the discussion of all aspects of the
    martial arts, both by martial arts practitioners and the general
    public interested in knowing more about the martial arts
    community.

 2) Increasing public awareness of the commitment of martial artists
    to public service, for example the D.A.R.E. program, its use in
    rehabilitation of prisoners, recovering substance abuse users,
    rape prevention, and increased quality of life for the
    handicapped.

 3) Personal experiences, anecdotes, myths, and folklore pertaining to
    the martial arts and information on the existance or location of a
    specific item, style, form, system.

 4) Postings of events, competitions, demonstrations, and seminars.

 5) ANY/ALL bigotry, grudge challenges must be E-mailed!

Rank does not mean authority in rec.m-a, for rank without wisdom means
nothing.  There may be wisdom in the words of a child, and even a 5th
dan can be a fool.

Please do not post binaries (pictures, etc.) in the group.  A better
way is to post the binaries in a binaries group, and post a message in
rec.m-a calling attention to the binaries post.

One more thing.  Please don't post the question "What is the best
martial art [for self-defense]?" (or similar) in rec.martial-arts.
That question has become a chronic irritant in this group, and there
is no simple answer to it; some would say it has no answer at all.
There are reasonable procedures for how one should go about choosing
an art/school here in the FAQ, and in another rec.martial-arts
periodic post, the Newbie Guide.  Read them first, then consult the
group if you have more specific questions.

1.1) What's with all of the off-topic posts?  (rec.martial-arts)

The Usenet is famous for topic drift, when people make small asides in
their responses, and other people make full-blown responses just to the
aside.

Further, it's as much a newsgroup "where martial artists meet to talk"
as "where people meet to talk about martial arts." If someone is
looking for a (verbal) fight, they feel confident that someone on
rec.martial-arts will oblige them.

In other words, it's a fact of life everywhere.  It even happens on
newsgroups devoted to topics ostensibly more deeply involved in seeking
'spiritualy perfection' than martial arts.

1.2) How do I post? (rec.martial-arts.moderated)

Simply post to the group as you would any other.  The difference is
that your post in routed by e-mail to the moderation team for approval. 
You can submit posts directly by e-mail by sending them to
rmam@news.cirr.com.

1.3) How do I contact the moderators? (rec.martial-arts.moderated)

Send technical complaints to rmam-admin@news.cirr.com.

Send policy complaints to rmam-board@news.cirr.com.

1.4) What is the procedure for approval or rejection?

Shortly after you submit your post you should receive an e-mail message
acknowledging receipt.  The post is then examined by the robomoderator
and possibly a human moderator.

If your post is rejected you will receive a note explaining why. If
your post is approved you will receive a note indicating that it was
posted.

1.5) Why was my post rejected? (rec.martial-arts.moderated)

Your post will be rejected if it does not conform to the charter.
To view the charter point your web browser at:
http://www.windowswarrior.com/rmam/rmamcharter.htm

Here is a short list of reasons why your post may be rejected:

 o commercial content,
 o insufficient martial arts content,
 o use of an anonymous remailer,
 o excessively belligerent content,
 o engaging in a style war,
 o off-topic discussion of competition,
 o discussion of fictitious matches,
 o bigotry,
 o trolling or flamebaiting,
 o inclusion of large binary files,
 o improper text format,
 o insufficient new content,
 o incorrect cross-posting,
 o long line length,
 o large signature,
 o general charter violations.

1.6) Why aren't I receiving acknowledgement messages?
(rec.martial-arts.moderated)

You are probably using an invalid reply address in your posts. If you
have intentionally modified your reply address in order to block spam,
you can still post to RMAM.  The only requirement is that the
moderators can determine your actual address.

1.7) Why don't I see my posts right away? (rec.martial-arts.moderated)

When you post to RMAM through your news reader/browser, your news
server automatically e-mails the post to the RMAM moderation
facilities.  There may be a delay depending on how busy the moderators
are.  When it is approved it gets posted through the moderation news
server, which is On-ramp.  So you may then experience a delay due to
the propogation from On-ramp to your own news service. Your post may
also get to many other news servers more quickly than if you posted to
an unmoderated newsgroup on your own news server. This is a particular
distinction of moderated newsgroups. If you are impatient, you can
check www.zippo.com, which is a free web-based news service that seems
to have very little lag for RMAM.

=====================================================================

2) What is a Martial Art?

A Martial Art can be defined as a system of techniques, physical and
mental exercises developed as an effective means for self-defense and
offense, both unarmed and with the use of weapons.

The origin and history of Martial Arts is a controversial issue.  We
can see signs of Martial Arts in Greek, Egyptian, African, Japanese,
Chinese, Thai, as well as other cultures.  There is a clear trail
leading from the Southern China-regions up to Korea, Okinawa and
Japan.  The details before that, and the exact details of that
transfer, are greatly debated by historians and Martial Artists.

Some people think that martial arts are, to quote "Stonwulfe,"

        ... supposed to be a physically, mentally, and spiritually
        beneficial activity; a source of enlightenment and a path for
        healthy living and longevity.

The real binding part of all the different martial arts described, and
not described, in this document is that they try to teach students how
to fight.  Some do that better than others, some incorporate other
things such as spirituality or meditation, but there is no common
thread beyond fighting.  So while it might be appropriate to claim that
your martial art, or even maybe the family of martial arts your martial
art hails from, is expected to provide something beyond fighting skill,
it probably doesn't apply to all martial arts.

=====================================================================

3) What kind of Martial Arts are there?

There are many ways in which martial arts can be divided.  Here are a
few of them that might be useful to use in defining Martial Arts and
discussing them.  These are not necessarily consensus definitions but
they are commonly held.

It is also useful to remember that very few of these martial arts are
just one way or another...they are all mixtures of these elements in
various degrees.  When we say a style is "hard" what we mean is that
the predominant expression of that style is hard.  If we say Shotokan
is linear, it does not mean Shotokan has no circular techniques.

"Sport" vs "Fighting Art" vs. "Exercise" vs. "Philosophy"

These are usually NON-useful comparisons because people tend to be
very strongly opinionated on this matter.  Most people want to think
their art is an ancient "fighting art" and can be applied thus on the
street.  Some styles truly are all four, and to some degree all styles
contain all four elements.

In discussions of a style it is most useful when people highlight
which area or areas their style emphasizes.

"Linear" vs. "Circular"

This distinction refers to lines of movement, attack and defense.
"Circular" styles use circular movements to block, attack, or move.
Around and aside... "Linear" styles use direct, straight-on movements,
attacks, or head-on blocks.   In and out...

Styles can, and sometimes do, mix circular blocks with linear attacks.
This is a subtle distinction and not absolute, but it gives some
information.

"Soft" vs. Hard"

"Soft" styles tend to redirect energy, channeling and diverting
momentum to unbalance an opponent, or to move them into striking
range.  They tend to be lower commitment and use less force.  Thus,
they are less likely to be unbalanced and can recover from redirection
easier.   Examples are Taiji, Aikido, Ninjutsu, or many Gongfu 
styles and sub-styles.

"Hard" styles tend to direct energy outward and meet energy with
energy. They will tend to strike more, and deliver more force with
each strike. Hard stylists will often damage with their blocks,
turning them into attacks. They deliver more power, and thus are
harder to turn aside, but they are higher commitment, and thus don't
recover as well from mistakes. Examples are Karate, Tae-Kwon-Do, Muay
Thai, and some Gongfu styles and sub-styles.

"Internal" vs. "External"

"Internal" styles are styles that emphasize the more non-tangible
elements of the arts.  They utilize chi/ki/qi flow, rooting, and those
elements which some people consider "mystical".   They tend to
emphasize meditation, body control, perception, mind control (self,
not others!), and pressure points.  `Typically' internal styles are
soft.  Taiji is an internal style.

"External" styles tend to emphasize body mechanics, leverage, and
applied force.  They tend to use weight, strength, positioning, and
anatomy to optimal advantage.  `Typically' external styles are hard.
Tae-Kwon-Do is an external style.

"Complete Art" or not

The term "complete art" is sometimes applied to arts that include
strikes, kicks, throws, pressure points, and joint locks.  The arts
most often mentioned in this regard are some Gongfu styles, Jujutsu,
and Hapkido.  Although some arts contain more techniques than others,
no art is "complete" in the sense that it includes all the important
techniques from other arts.  In general, every art has its strong and
weak points, and each has something to offer to the lexicon of martial
arts techniques.

=====================================================================

4) Which Martial Art should I study?

That's a question that only you can answer, maybe with a little help
of your physician (in determining whether you should practice martial
arts at all).

While some people advocate that "my style fits any individual", it is
very debatable if any single individual would adapt to *any* style.

It depends heavily on your objectives, but remember, these may change
with time.  Many people who begin martial arts training strictly to
learn self-defense become quite interested in other aspects as their
training progresses.

(a) What are you looking for?

For instance, if you are looking for "on the street" self-defense
training Taiji or Kendo might not be your first choice.
Some choices: Jujutsu, Hapkido, some Gongfus, Karate, Ken(m)po,
              Baguazhang, Tang Soo Do, Muay Thai, Tae Kwon Do,
              Ninjutsu, Kali/Escrima/Arnis, Silat, or Xingyiquan.

If you are looking for meditation and philosophy Western Boxing is
probably a poor choice as well.
Some choices: most Gongfus, Aikido, Taiji, Kendo, Kenjutsu,
              or Iaido.

If you are looking for a sport and competition, Shaolin Long Fist
would probably be a bad choice.
Some choices: Fencing, some Karates/Gongfus, Judo, Boxing, Kendo,
              Tae Kwon Do, Savate, or Shuaijiao.

If you are looking for intense body conditioning and muscle
development, Aikido is probably not the style for you.
Some choices: some Okinawan Karates, Judo, some Gongfus, Muay Thai,
              Tae Kwon Do, Capoeira.

Now these are general guides - in truth any art can be taught in a
manner which promotes any of these things - Taiji masters have
competed, some Aikido schools have rigorous workouts associated with
the class, etc. The way to find out is to look at three things, only
one of which is directly linked to the style.

- -The basics of the style (what does it teach, what is it used for)
- -The skill and the teaching style of the teacher
- -The purpose and the logistics of the school.

See Section (5) "How do I choose a school" for the answers to the last
two questions.

Also remember that more "complete" arts (ones with more techniques)
naturally require longer periods of time for a practitioner to achieve
a given level of proficiency.  This is neither good nor bad; there are
good points on both sides of the debate.  This is simply another facet
to account for in your decision.

(b) Advice of many experienced Martial Artists here on NetLand
    coincide in the point of "go, read, look around, ask---then
    decide".

As above the teacher and the school have as much to do with what you
will learn as the style.  Check out the styles in your area. Go see
some classes of the different styles and see what interests you and
what you think you would stick with.

(c) Many people change from one style to another.  While this is a
common practice, accepted as a means of development, it is known that
the first style is normally the one that leaves the base, the more
profound "marks". Try to choose a style that suits your needs and at
the same time offers you a kind of "challenge" to go on learning.

=====================================================================

5) How do I choose a School?

This question is integrally linked with Question 4 "Which Martial Art
should I study?".

A couple of things that are important parts to look at in the process
of choosing a school:

        -The environment where you'll learn and train
        -The peoplem that will be your partners
        -The instructor
        -The logistics of the school

(a)     The environment where you will learn and train

Don't get impressed by the size of the place - just be sure that you
feel "ok" in there.

Also don't necessarily be impressed by huge number of trophies.  They
may indicate a very successful competitive school (if that is an
aspect you are interested in) or they could be all show.  Check
carefully.

If you are not allowed to watch any classes, you may not want to
invest your time and money.  Without seeing a class you will not be
able to get a good feel for the school.

Ask questions - don't worry about looking stupid or asking the "wrong"
question.  They are going to be teaching and training you- you want
to get any concerns or considerations you have out before you commit
to anything.

If you feel bullied or threatened in any manner, look somewhere else.

(b)     The people that will be your partners

Go, watch some classes (without participating), then ask to
participate- see if the behavior of the students changes by the fact
that there is a new person in their class.

What follows is a quick and dirty check list, to which you can add
your own points, based on what you consider important.  Remember:
these questions and suggestions are just guidelines, not hard and fast
rules. There will always be exceptions.  But if you look in these
domains you will have a solid ground to choose from.

        - How good are the students?

This is more of a measure of the quality of the students as students
than their skill at martial arts.  See if you can picture yourself
with these people.  Are they attentive, respectful, interested in
being there? Those are all good signs...

        - Is there a mix of upper and lower ranks?

This is not always obvious in the styles without belt rankings, etc.
It is generally a good sign if advanced, intermediate and beginning
students are practicing together.  Check the approach the higher
ranked students take to you- their help will probably be very
important in your advancement in the Art you choose.

Some schools have classes separated by rank though.  Ask.

        -Is there a mix in the type of people in the class?

Although this doesn't necessarily mean anything if it is not present,
it is a good sign if there is a mixture of males and females, older
and younger people in the class.   It is a pointer to the efficiency
of the Art if it can teach a wide variety of people together.

        - Do they move the way you would like to?

This will give you some sense of what you can achieve.  Look to the
senior students and see if they move the way you want to move.

        - Do they help one another?

In a small class this may not apply, but in larger classes it is a
good sign if the senior students support and assist the junior
students. This kind of personal attention will aid you greatly in your
training.

        - Do the senior students seem fit and relaxed?

This will give you a sense of the atmosphere of the school.  If the
senior students are uptight, nervous, unfit, out of shape, or unhappy,
it may be a sign to move on.  However, do not be put off by a single
occurrence, i.e. because on THAT day the senior student was in a poor
mood.  It should at least prompt you to look carefully though...

        - How common are injuries?

As most martial arts involve vigorous physical activity and contact,
injuries will occasionally occur.  However, if injuries are common
and/or serious, there is likely a problem in how training is
supervised, and you will probably want to look elsewhere.  It will be
difficult to tell what the frequency/severity of injuries in the class
is in one or two visits. Ask the instructor.

(c)     The Instructor

- -You'll need some basic trust in the individual, as a beginning.

The instructor is the person who is going to be guiding your
development as a martial artist.   You need to feel comfortable with
him or her, and feel secure in receiving instruction from them. If you
have some unease or personality conflict with the instructor(s) you
might want to look elsewhere.

        - Do the students get personalized attention?

This will be a good judge of how valuable your time will be.  If there
is a good amount of instructor to student attention there will be more
value for you.

        - Does the instructor differentiate between forms and
          function?

Another good indication is to find out if the instructor(s)
differentiates between form and function.  In other words do they do
it "because it looks good" or "because it works."  This may not apply
if you are looking for a martial art as a performance art or as an
exercise (though then you want to look at the efficacy of their
exercises...)

        - Does the instructor(s) differentiate between tournament and
          self-defense?

As above, your reaction to this question's answer will depend on what
your goals are.  However, there is general agreement that tournament
training and self-defense training, while highly related, are
different. If the instructor does not differentiate the two - that may
be a danger sign!

        - Violence in the class

If you see an instructor hitting students, or a senior student hitting
students, be very clear that it was appropriate before you consider
that school.  Though be aware - if you are unfamiliar with the art,
medium or full contact sparring may seem overly violent to you.
Violence as discipline is to be avoided.

        - Are adjustments made for students of differing body types
          and limitations?

Another good sign is if the instructor adjusts the training of his or
her student's physical realities:  telling a slow person to work
contact, a fast person to work ranges, a heavy person to work
leverage, a light person to work speed, or, conversely, concentrating
on their weak areas to compensate.

(d)     The logistics of the School

        -Money

This is an important element to be clear about.  You don't want to
commit to a school if you can't afford it.  It is impossible to address
what a reasonable price would be here, because the benefits offered,
the local economy, the quality of instruction, and the amount of
instructor time are all variables in the equation.  The best way to
determine if a school is being reasonable is to compare what they offer
for their prices.

Find out if there are extra charges for going up in rank, find out if
there are organizational dues, tournament fees, mat fees, etc.

But do not be upset when a Martial Arts instructor charges money- they
need to eat and have a place to stay.  In our culture money is the way
that happens.  We do not feed and house wise old men, and unfortunately
the costs of a school, equipment, and insurance are frighteningly high.

[From Kirk Lawson:]

There are several options for those short on cash who still want to
learn a martial art.

First, many school's will work with a student who truly wants to learn
but is tight on cash.  Talk to the head instructor.  Frequently a deal
can be struck that involves cleaning the school or some such.

Second is the option to find what I call "Garage Schools."  These are
instructors that teach out of their garages and basements.  They almost
always have a "day" job and teach simply for the love of the art at a
vastly reduced price; Sometimes $20 a month or less.  Sometimes these
Garage Schools teach through your local Park and Rec. program at
similar cost savings.

Third, for High school and college students, check with your Student
Association or similar body.  Schools and universities frequently have
Martial Arts Clubs opperating through the school.  You can usually join
these clubs at no or minimal cost if you are a student.  Sometimes
these clubs are open to non-students as well.  Further, some
progressive universities offer a Martial Arts class for credit as part
of the physical fitness curriculum.

Naturally, there are sacrifices in each approach.  To cut a deal with
an instructor, you may have to eat humble pie by admitting that you're
in a tight spot right now.  It's something that many are loath to do. 
Finding a Garage School has it's own challenges as well.  They usually
don't advertise and so you only hear about them by word of mouth.  You
have to expend some effort looking for them to find them.  Sometimes
they are upper rank black belts in another school that they themselves
travel some distance to train in.  The advantage of a Garage School is
that the instructor is interested in passing on the art, not making
money, and the classes tend to be rather small.  Thus, you typically get
a very high level of instruction.  Finding a Park and Rec. program is a
bit easier, but you still have to contact the Park and Rec. program or
admin. to find out. You can usually do this by contacting your local
Civic Center or, for people entering a new area, check the contents of
your Welcome Wagon basket.  With both Garage Schools and Park and Rec.
schools, you typically have a more limited selection and may not be able
to find exactly the school you want.  In the university and school
programs, as with the Garage Schools, your selection is frequently more
limited.


        -Location

If you are intending to spend a lot of time at the school you want it
to be accessible, and convenient enough for you to get their after
work, on weekends, etc.

        -Classes

Another thing you want to be clear on is when you can go to the school
and when classes are.  Some schools are open almost all the time and
have lots of classes.  In some schools you can only come when an
official class is being held. An open school is usually better for
obvious reasons- convenience, practice time, access to mats, etc.

        -Commitments and Promises

This is an important thing to know about any school you will be
joining. Be very clear on what they will expect of you and what you
expect of them. Some teachers want to teach only people who are
willing to commit to them and their style, some are willing to
introduce you to their style and let you dabble, some will teach you
as long as you show up. None of these are intrinsically better or
worse, but you want to know where they are coming from so you and they
are not surprised.

Find out if you are required to attend classes, find out about being
late, find out what the policy is on school rules of behavior and
etiquette. Find out how you are supposed to interact with the teacher
and other students.  There are many styles for all these things so
make sure you find out.  The easiest way is to ask these questions.

There may be other questions you want to look at and specific
questions you have about an instructor, school, organization, or
style you are looking at. Know the questions you want answered and

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