One of the most frequent questions our customer service team hears is "What supplies do I need for my first martial arts class?" I'd like to begin by stating that it is always best to discuss this question with your instructor prior to purchasing anything, but we will cover some of the more common beginner supplies.

With the release of the new Karate Kid movie last week, many parents are wondering if they should enroll their child in a martial arts class. If you or your child has never attended a martial arts school before, it can be a scary decision that comes with many questions.

The biggest concern amongst most parents is whether or not their child will be safe when practicing with other students. That is a very valid concern, because many of the martial arts require some contact with other students when practicing self-defense techniques, throws, or sparring. However, most instructors request help from assistant instructors during kids classes to try to prevent accidents from occurring. In addition, most schools enforce a minimum age requirement for sparring and other techniques that require contact between students. The best advice I can give you would be to watch your child take at least one introductory class prior to joining any martial arts school. You will be able to tell very quickly whether your child is comfortable in the dojo by his or her body language when interacting with other students and the instructors. In most towns, there are multiple schools to choose from, so you will probably want to visit a few prior to joining any dojo.

When we first opened shop in the 1970's, there was not a huge variety of martial arts supplies for us to carry. We sold a small assortment of Karate uniforms, traditional weapons, books, and training equipment, but very little protective equipment or accessories. During the 80's and 90's, as the martial arts grew in popularity, we saw a huge increase in new items we were able to offer our customers. Over the last 10 years however, it has become increasingly more difficult to find new and unique martial arts supplies. Don't get me wrong, variations of existing products are developed regularly. Everyday it seems like I come across a supplier selling a new color of sparring gear or a kick-shield with a slightly different design, but I am always on the lookout for something completely different from the norm.

Choosing the right martial arts school for your child can be a very tough decision. Most parents are very protective of their children and want to make sure they choose a nurturing environment which will be beneficial to their child's wellbeing. As a father and martial artist, I wanted to give a little bit of advice about this subject to help other parents in their quest for the perfect school.

Recently, KarateMart.com began carrying some new lines of high quality Jiu Jitsu uniforms. We had always carried Judo uniforms in the past, but had never really considered carrying Jiu Jitsu gi because they are so similar and we didn't get many requests for them. Since adding them to KarateMart.com, one of the most common questions our customer service team answers is "What is the difference between a Jiu Jitsu uniform and a Judo Gi?". So, I figured this would be a great topic to discuss on our blog.