Why You Should Choose Christopher N. Geary's Shaolin Kempo Karate As Your Martial Arts School

"The world is a fine place and worth fighting for."
Ernest Hemingway

There are many things to look for when choosing a martial arts school. You must first decide what you want to gain from your martial arts experience. Everyone has different reasons to take up martial arts, but they usually fall into a few broad categories. Some want to learn self defense, others want to start a new type of exercise program, some want to start a new path to self-discovery and self-control, while others want to take up another sport for competition. For children, martial arts is an excellent way to learn discipline, self-control and coordination. Parenting Magazine published an article in the October 1998 issue discussing the benefits realized by children taking martial arts. The August 2000 issue of Newsweek also had an excellent article on the growth of popularity of martial arts as a healthy activity for kids.

Whatever it is that you are looking for, your priorities need to be in order before you start looking for a school. This will allow you to ask the right questions to find the school for you. No matter what your martial arts goals are you will need to make a commitment in order to succeed. A commitment to yourself and your school/instructor will be necessary for success, whether you are five or sixty-five years old. To gain a better understanding of the roots and heritage of kempo and other martial arts styles, look here. For a better understanding of the history and lineage of Professor Christopher N. Geary, Founder/President and overall head instructor for all the schools please read the Professor Geary page.

Now that you have made your commitment to success, you need to prepare yourself for a few rough times in the future when you or your child will feel frustrated and contemplate quitting. This test of commitment and resolve will decide whether you are going to make it to the next level of reward or not. Students and parents need to reflect on the benefits already gained from the time and practice invested, and realize that the benefits are going to become greater the more you follow through. Reflect on the reasons that you enrolled in class to begin with. Whether you are a parent or a student, self-control and discipline were probably two of the main reasons you decided to study Martial arts.

These principles cannot be taught, but the teacher can guide the student through such adversity to facilitate the triumph of the individual. These tests of mettle are the catalyst that will forge your confidence and strengthen your courage. Once you have faced the storm, the thunder no longer carries with it fear. This is a lesson that cannot be taught too early in life. Your children will be faced with situations that will test their ability to press on in the face of adversity even in pre-school. Ever notice the children that automatically shun from something new for fear of failure? Conquering this fear of failure will provide children with an important life skill to ensure success throughout their lifetime. Our schools offer six and twelve month programs to provide you with ample opportunity to succeed. Programs of a lesser commitment do not provide this opportunity.

There are many questions you should ask before deciding on a school; on the next page are several to get you started. Make sure you get a satisfactory answer to all the questions that are important to you before making a commitment to any school.