First I would like to acknowledge, there are many good Dojos in your area, so take the time to do your research!

At the same time you will also see that there are a few that don’t quite meet your needs, or make you feel uncomfortable.

You should always take your time before you commit to a Dojo,  especially if they demand contract.  Contracts can be both lengthy and costly.

Not all schools demand contracts, and not all contracts are bad.  Sometimes contracts are driven by the bank or the landlord to show the Dojo is solid financially.    But  the Dojos, who demand yearly upfront payments should be avoided.  Martial arts are very physical and may not be for everyone.    The good Dojos will allow you to leave at no cost to yourself.  The bad ones will want to make you pay to leave.

If the contract has a cancellation fee,  then do not sign up at that Dojo.  It costs them nothing to stop your payments, so you should not be incurred a cost.  No one should take money for training they are not providing you.

Below is a list, of some items to consider.  Watch out for these:

The instructor shouldn’t demand respect.  He or she should earn it. The Sensei is there to serve the students, not the other way around.

If the school claims to have several Black Belts as part of their school, but you never see them attend or instruct you should ask why.  Most often it results in a conflict of interest or authority between the head instructor and the others.  Join a dojo that has cohesive training, and promotes growth and encourages learning from all levels and disciplines.

Be wary of Dojos that claim any number of these items as well:
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1. Your sensei is a “grandmaster” with 7th Dan or above, yet under the age of 50.  Grandmasters are reserved for the highest of honours for those lifetime students of the martial arts.
2. Questioning the style, techniques, teacher, lineage or dojo is a big no-no.  Asking questions is learning.  Do not register with a school that makes you afraid to ask “why” you are doing something a certain way.  The instructor, if they know their material, should be able to do so.
3. If they charge you for “tipping,  putting little stripes of tape on your belt” you should walk away.  This should not be an additional charge.  Dojos like this are looking for any way to make money.
4.  There are 7-year old black belts. With all due respect, you have to be mature to wear a black belt, Black Belts are not just about punching and kicking.
5. The instructor uses students as punching bags.  Karate is a contact sport and to ensure technique works, students must work together to hone their technique.  But that shouldn’t come at a price of abuse by the Sensei.
6.  Movements don’t have names – they have numbers.  You will never remember or be able to associate with a number system on the street.  Each move has a name usually associated with the reason for it; learn it and remember it as you train.
7.  Kids’ classes are more games and chaos than actual Karate.  Kids need to have fun and be kids, but they can still learn and develop necessary Martial Arts skills while having fun in an organized manner.
8. Your Sensei rarely teaches material him or herself, instead assistant instructors or other students predominantly do the work.  Ask how often the head instructor is on the floor stretching, training, and providing instruction.  It should be the MAJORITY of the time!  As a part of their learning, higher belt students should be required to teach the lower belts, but this is only as a supplement to the CORE material.
9.  Cross training is discouraged.  As you can see from my history, I have learned from many disciplines.  This provides depth of knowledge in teaching producing well rounded students.
10.  Your Sensei does not encourage you to visit other Dojos.  Visiting other schools gives you a different perspective, and can also reaffirm that your current school is the best one for you!
11.  You are rarely taught philosophical concepts, strategy or theory.  That is the reason why there IS Martial Arts.
12. Showing techniques you learned at another school is frowned upon. That school would be too linear and one dimensional.  Join a school that encourages knowledge and skills learned from other Martial Arts or schools.  The more we learn, the better we become.
13. If you make a mistake, it is quickly (and often loudly) pointed out by the Sensei.  Learning is all about making mistakes.  There is nothing wrong with making mistakes, only not learning from them.

Don’t take my word and the words of others, seek and ye shall find.  Take the time to check different schools, speak with the head instructors personally, watch the interplay amongst the students, talk with the some of the students if you can.  It’s your learning, make sure you are in control of it.