People are attracted to the Martial Arts for a wide variety of reason. Some want to be the next Bruce Lee, Jet Li, Chuck Norris or Helio Gracie. Some are looking for an energizing and stimulating workout that has practical applications. Some are the competitive type and are looking for a challenging sport to test their abilities. Others are looking for self-discipline, an Eastern approach to health improvement or spirituality. Still others are seeking a real-world solution to protecting themselves and their families in a violent world.

No one martial art is going to be right for everyone, and so the purpose of this article is to answer a few questions, give you an overview of what we teach at the Modern Martial Arts Institute, and — if you think we have a good match — guide you through the next steps of beginning your martial arts training.

Which Martial Arts Are Right For Me?
Finding the right martial art for you depends on your goals and expectations. What do you want to do In your martial arts training, and what do you want to get out of it?

We teach the Southern Chinese art of Wing Chun and the Filipino art of Balintawak Escrima. These are fast, furious and practical combat and self-defense systems. If you’re goal is to train in a martial art that can help you protect yourself and your family, you’re probably going to really like Wing Chun and Balintawak.

Neither of these arts is competitive, however. There are no Wing Chun tournaments or Balintawak forms competitions. If you’re interested in competition, sport-oriented martial arts like Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Judo or even wrestling and boxing would be a much better fit.

You’ll find the training at Modern Martial Arts Institute to be a great workout, but with a focus that’s different from the more common “cardio kickboxing” classes. We concentrate on conditioning, endurance and drills to cultivate lightning-fast reflexes and sensitivity. As you train, you’ll find yourself toning up, slimming down and getting into “fighting” condition. There are a great many other benefits of our training, too. Click here for a more in-depth look at the advantages of martial arts training.

Try It On For Size
Probably the best way to see if our martial arts are right for you is to come out, schedule a free lesson and talk with one of our instructors. Simply call ahead — 205-216-3183 — and set a time for your visit to make sure than an instructor will be available to spend some time with you one on one.

When you visit, wear clean, casual, loose-fitting clothes that you can move freely in. A T-shirt and sweat pants are great for your intro, hands-on lesson. If you have questions, you’re welcome to write them down and bring notes so that nothing gets forgotten.

We’ll be happy to give you the tour of the school, explain the schedule and programs, and go over all of the available training options. We look forward to talking with you soon!