FAQ

• What are the benefits of martial arts training?
  • The benefits of martial arts training include improved focus, self-discipline, determination, goal-setting and achievement, self-respect, self-control, self-confidence, fitness, and good health.

• I want my child to have more discipline. Will martial arts help my child learn discipline?
  • Martial arts is the best way for a child to learn discipline; Martial arts teaches self-discipline. Instead of discipline being imposed upon an unwilling child, self-discipline comes from within the child. When a child learns self-discipline, the child develops a good habit that will help the child succeed throughout life.

• I want my child to do well in school. Can martial arts help?
  • Yes, martial arts is a great way for children to excel in school, and in life. By training in martial arts, children learn and develop the core martial arts qualities of focus, self-discipline, determination, setting goals and working to achieve those goals, respect, self-respect, and self-confidence. Learning and developing these traits will help a child succeed in school and in life.

• How old should my child be to start martial arts training?
  • Typically, children as young as age four are developmentally ready and able to benefit from martial arts training. While there is no upper age limit for martial arts training, the sooner a child starts martial arts training, the sooner they can develop the coordination and muscle memory that enable them to do well not only in martial arts but other sports as well.

• Are martial arts safe for my child?
  • Physical activity is necessary for the health of children and adults. In fact, physical inactivity is one of the major causes of chronic diseases. In any physical activity there is always some risk of injury, but the health risks of inactivity far outweigh the risks of sports-related injury. At West Coast World Martial Arts Santa Clara, the health and safety of our students is of paramount importance, and we have fifty years of experience in safely teaching martial arts to tens of thousands of students to back that up.

• Will martial arts stunt my child’s growth?
  • Martial arts is a very healthy physical and mental activity. Some years ago, an  article claimed that impact sports like gymnastics would stunt a child’s growth. There is no evidence to suggest that martial arts limits a child’s growth in any way, and at West Coast World Martial Arts Santa Clara, all of our classes are held on 1.5 inch thick foam mats, virtually eliminating any possibility of impact to a growing child’s bones.

• Will martial arts make my child more violent?
  • Martial arts do not make children more violent. To the contrary, the vast majority of martial arts students learn self-discipline, self-control, and respect for others. Occasionally, a student who is experiencing problems outside of the school will need to be reminded and guided back to the core martial arts values of self-discipline, self-control, and respect for others.

• What style of martial arts do you teach? Do you teach karate? Do you teach Brazilian Jiu Jitsu?
  • At West Coast World Martial Arts Santa Clara, we teach a unique curriculum of martial arts with three core components. For defending yourself while standing, we teach Taekwondo, one of the most popular martial arts styles in the world. Taekwondo is an exciting and effective Korean martial art and sport that is known for its dynamic kicking techniques, and is based on Karate and ancient Korean martial arts. For defending yourself on the ground, we teach Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, which is another one of the most popular martial arts in the world. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a grappling art based on the ground-defense techniques from Judo. And for self-defense involving weapons, we teach the Filipino martial arts of Arnis, Eskrima, and Doce Pares, which use sticks to disarm and strike an attacker. These core components of our martial arts curriculum were developed by Great Grandmaster Ernie Reyes, Sr. to train students to become well-rounded martial artists who are competent in every aspect of self-defense.

• How long has your school been in Santa Clara?
  • We first opened our doors in 1978, and have been at the same location in Santa Clara since 1988. When you come to West Coast World Martial Arts Santa Clara, you’re not just learning martial arts or getting a workout in, you’re becoming part of our West Coast World Martial Arts family, a world-renowned Santa Clara tradition with decades of history and involvement in our community.

• How much experience do your teachers have?
  • Our Head Instructor is Ernie Reyes Sr., an internationally-acclaimed, multiple award-winning martial arts master, 10th degree black belt, national champion, teacher of national champions, and innovative creator of our unique curriculum of martial arts. Our Master Instructors are 9th degree black belt students of Great Grandmaster Reyes. Together, our Head Instructor and three Master Instructors have a combined total of 163 years of martial arts training, and a combined total of 144 years of martial arts teaching experience.

• Are your teachers good with children?
  • Our instructors are world-class experts at teaching children. We have taught thousands of students since first opening our doors in 1978, with over 1500 of our students graduating to black belt level and beyond. Our students have gone on to successful careers as doctors, lawyers, engineers, professors, successful business entrepreneurs, and film and television stars. Our instructors are so well-known for their expertise in teaching martial arts to children that they created and developed the Century Martial Arts “Lil’ Dragons” curriculum for 4 to 7 year olds that is used by many non-affiliated martial arts schools across America. Many of our students who started training here as children grew up, got married, started families of their own, and have now brought their own children to learn from our Master Instructors, right here in Santa Clara. That vote of confidence in us speaks volumes about the special bond between our Master Instructors and the children they teach.

• I’m worried about Covid-19. How can I be sure it will be safe for my child to take part in a class?
  • At West Coast World Martial Arts Santa Clara, we have taken a proactive and innovative approach to protecting the health of our students and instructors. Currently, all of our classes are conducted live online via Zoom. Our world-class instructors teach live online daily from our school, which enables our students to continue learning and making progress in the safety of their homes. We will continue to teach remotely until public health authorities determine that it is safe to return to group classes at our school.

• Do remote classes on Zoom work? Can a student really learn martial arts online?
  • We have been teaching classes online since public health authorities first ordered non-essential businesses to close their premises to the public because of the Covid pandemic. But does it work? Yes! Our online classes have been a resounding success! We regularly hear from the parents of our students about how good our Zoom classes are. In fact, our online classes have been so successful at helping our students to continue their progress in martial arts that over 500 of our West Coast World Martial Arts students from across the country were able to continue their training for their next black belt test from the safety of their homes– and then tested for their black belt from home in the world’s first-ever virtual Black Belt Mastery Test!

• Can adults benefit from training martial arts?
  • The benefits of martial arts training– improvements in focus, self-discipline, self-confidence, results-oriented goal setting, and good health– are as important for adults as they are for children, and are a benefit for martial artists of all ages.

• Am I too old to start learning martial arts?
  • Students of all ages and physical abilities enjoy the benefits of training martial arts. If you’re able to engage in physical activity, and are wondering if martial arts is right for you, it’s never too late to start.