Most martial arts instructors have their hearts in the right place. They are teaching the martial arts out of a genuine love for the martial arts, and a heartfelt need to share this wonderful gift with others.  There are, however, many frauds out there. If one is not careful, these people will rob you blind. There are usually only a few ways to identify these people, and that is the point of this article.  What follows is a short list of possible warning signs which you should be on the lookout for when selecting a martial arts school. Claims that there is an attempt to suppress their knowledge or teaching. This is usually not the case, as nearly all legitimate martial artists are always on the lookout for anything which will further their study. The frauds will always appeal to your sense of “looking out for the little guy” and make these strange claims that the larger martial arts community is out to shut them down. Claims that their “master” had superhuman abilities. I have, in the past, personally sought out people claiming superpowers, and have walked away disappointed every single time. If it sounds like something from a comic book, it probably is. No one can verify their past training. No one has ever come up with a real breakthrough in martial science through secluded and secret training outside of a movie! Charges outrageous fees for training. All martial arts schools should charge a tuition at least comparable to the other schools. If you go to a school, and they try to charge you a small (or large) fortune, walk away. You can learn just as much self defense in any martial arts school as you can in any other. The biggest factor you need to be concerned with is a.)    your rapport with the instructorb.)    the convenience of the school’s locationc.)    and your personal schedule working well with the school’s scheduled classes.