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When you first start a new job, you want fit in with the work group, but you feel awkward. The same holds true for the first time you start training in a martial arts class. It is also an established group of people who have adjusted to each other and get along in a civilized manner. As a new student, even if you have had previous experience in the martial arts, you want to make a good impression. Although fitting into a new class may be awkward, there are some things you can do to make the process go smoothly.

Be yourself

First, be yourself! If you are nice person, everyone will recognize it and will warm to you. If you are obnoxious person and try to hide it, while people may be fooled for short time, they will quickly figure you out and feel betrayed by your behavior, and will make you feel like an outsider for as long as you remain with the school. If you let your obnoxiousness show from the beginning, the group will quickly learn how to deal with it and you will have your place within the group.

Do not try to impress

You should not try to impress anyone, neither instructor nor fellow students. It is natural to want to impress, but resist the impulse. If you are a beginner, your fellow classmates will think you are a showoff. If you are experienced, they will think you are trying to put them down. Remember, the class was doing just fine before you arrived. You want to blend in with them, not try to force them to conform to you.

When you are performing techniques, quietly do your best. If you are a beginner, do not complain about not being able to do them properly, no one expects you do learn quickly. If you are experienced, do not make remarks about how your previous way of doing it was better. If you are experienced, you will be expected to have some difficultly in learning a different way of doing things. If you are experienced and pick up things quickly, you will not be expected to perform things in a way that makes everyone else look badly. Once the other students see that you are an ordinary person, they will readily accept you.

Do not be overly exuberate

Do not be a wallflower who does not associate with other students, but also do not be overly exuberate. Be pleasant and polite, but check your ebullience at the door. Do not make jokes or spout off when the instructor asks questions, or when in friendly conversation with other students. Just be one of the students and let your personality and effort speak for themselves. After a few weeks, you will have built up enough good will to let your true self shine through.

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