| We are spoilt in Peterborough in that there are a | | | | concentrating on sparring and competition fighting |
| large number of martial arts school offering a | | | | will be fantastic for fitness and will give a |
| wide and diverse range of styles. | | | | grounding in self defence and if a martial arts class |
| New students start for any number of reasons | | | | produces more confident students, then they are |
| including, a desire to improve their fitness in a new | | | | less likely to need physical self defence. |
| and exciting way, learn practical self defence skills, | | | | A self defence oriented system such as Kempo |
| to compete in competition, the love of the arts | | | | Jujitsu, which is taught purely for self defence, |
| and the culture, to improve their confidence, or | | | | and will provide good realistic self defence skills |
| simply as a social activity or new hobby, or indeed | | | | combined with improved fitness and confidence. |
| any combination of these. | | | | Should a student be more interested in weapons |
| However, many instructors are not only excellent | | | | oriented martial arts then again there are many |
| martial artists but expert sales people as well, so | | | | choices. For a good all round fitness and |
| a student should first be satisfied that they | | | | coordination weapons art which offers a dynamic |
| understand their own reasons for wanting to take | | | | mental and physical workout together with useful |
| up an art before researching what is. | | | | skills for self defence, the new student could |
| Any style will certainly help with improving fitness, | | | | consider Eskrima (Filipino stick fighting) which can |
| coordination, flexibility, balance and confidence. | | | | practically be transferred to a walking stick or |
| Indeed all the martial arts clubs I have found in | | | | umbrella. |
| Peterborough provide quality instruction in | | | | If looking for a gentler form with positive health |
| environments that offer friendly and social | | | | benefits then Tai Chi is an option which should be |
| interaction. | | | | considered. |
| So again the prospective new student must | | | | The new student should research what is available |
| understand exactly what they want from martial | | | | and appropriate for their needs. We at KSOMA - |
| arts and make the appropriate choice. | | | | King's School of martial arts can offer classes in |
| If for instance the prospective students primary | | | | Kempo Jujitsu, Eskrima, Tai Chi and self defence |
| goal is to learn effective self defence then many | | | | and also offer pure fitness classes based on |
| will ask the question, 'What is the best martial art | | | | martial arts. |
| for self defence?' there is only one correct | | | | We have classes for all age groups and abilities |
| answer and that is 'The martial art that you train | | | | throughout the week, daytimes, evenings and |
| in'. Every martial art has its benefits and some are | | | | weekends, and offer flexible and affordable |
| more suited to self defence than others. For | | | | training programs and any student can have their |
| instance a sports oriented martial art | | | | first lesson for free before deciding to join. |