sensei8

This question shows up here at KF every once in a while, quite interesting on the variety of private lesson fees. So many things have to be considered when deciding how much to charge for private lessons. Where the MA school is located can be the barometer of what to charge for private lessons. I truly like what Noah offers for his private lesson across the board. My private lessons were $100 per lesson overall. My ratio was 80/20. with the 80 being for group lessons VS the 20 for private lessons. The smaller ratio for private lessons wasn't primarily due to the cost, but it was more due to my Student Body preferred the sizes of the group lessons.

Thank you so very much, Brian!! I too, hope to hear more great news from Dr. Goodman. Good luck at the Super Bowl tomorrow!! GO CHIEFS!!

02/09/2023 9am for an MRI Lumbar Spine with and without contrast. DONE!! As I've mentioned before, MRI's aren't my most favorite scene because I'm claustrophobic. I actually freaked out as I was inserted into the MRI machine, inasmuch that I tell the tech quite forcefully to get me out...but I take a few breaths in order to collect my wits about myself...I feel better enough that I ask for the tests to continue. I can barely see the opening whenever I tilt my eyes back as far as I can see in order to see that opening...I'm INSIDE this fandangled contraption. "Breath Bob...just breath!!" This MRI also takes 30 minutes. Like last time I had a MRI back in December 2022, the Tech piped some fantastic rock n' roll through the headsets, like, Queen, Billy Joel, The Beatles, Journey and Eagles so I didn't quite mind the MRI tunnel...just as long as I kept my eyes closed. The last 5 minutes, which turned into 10 minutes because the Tech has to redo a scan, the tech gave me a shot in my left arm this time. This shot is a dye that helps the doctors see things much clearly. This Monday or Tuesday I'll get my blood work done. I didn't do my blood work on 2/10/2023 because I forgot. February 21, 2023 is my appointment with Dr. Goodman. It was supposed to be on February 17, 2023 but it was rescheduled. This appointment will be a Progress Report as well as Treatment Plan.

Very excited for and with you as your search continues. Kyokushin would be a great addition to your MA background...nothing but respect for Kyokushin. Thanks for the update and I look forward to future updates on your search.

Our Soke and Dai-Soke were not great fans of promoting Dan ranks by what they've brought of any positive notice to Shindokan whether it be directly or indirectly. Those actional types were reserved for the Shogo Titles. Once Shodan, and all the way up to Hachidan, those black belt level were required to train as though our lives depended on it. Matter of fact, we trained even harder with Soke and Dai-Soke than ever...that was expected and if any Yudansha thought they were special or that they were going to coast, well, they were sadly mistaken. No less than three black belt or advanced classes had to be attended each week, especially if you were a In-House black belt. Whenever I was in a position where I wasn't In-House anymore, I still trained at the Hombu once or every other month for a solid week with Dai-Soke. Both Soke and Dai-Soke's core to their promotional consideration stemmed from the level of maturity of that Yudansha. No improved maturity of self and technique meant no promotional consideration. When they both passed away our training was stymied, but it never ended because training to improve owns MA betterment and maturity is a never-ending journey...so it still goes on.

Congrats, ryanryu; well deserved!!

I wholeheartedly agree!!

Solid post!!

I've never attended any teacher trainings or certification courses (online or in person) for martial arts instructors because I was taught by both our Soke and Dai-Soke for many decades; they owned and operated a highly successful Hombu and Governing Body. I've ran a very successful dojo and MA Supply Store for many decades. Rinning a business has its highs and lows, and when the lows hit, that's when some serious learning takes place.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, not all black belts can teach. Having to have a certain rank to teach makes sense but then again, it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. If someone can teach effectively, then I don't care if that teacher has any rank or not because the student just wants to learn that which is effective even if an inner tube is teaching. I'm old school traditionalist however certain ideologies need to wake up in the 21st century including that a CI must be at least a Sandan to open and teach a dojo. Of course, what any MA teacher and/or a MA school owner decides is their business,

Solid post!!

Definitely a perfect example of being caught between a rock and a hard place with the CI being dead set on one way or another; a Catch-22. Traditional teaching VS Progressive teaching is the choice of the CI, and therefore, the Student Body AND the Instructor Staff will have to make their own decision as to which method best suits them. I choose the Traditional teaching method. Why? Throwing the student into the deep end without first teaching them how to swim is irresponsible to the Nth degree. There's a process when it comes to teaching any method. Teaching means to teach not only the how but the why. If not, then teach whatever rank any whatever technique no matter the befallen results. Baby steps not gigantic steps in teaching AND learning any MA techniques, well, in teaching and learning anything. Like John reminds us..."There is a reason we don't start teaching kids algebra in Kindergarten."

Even though Bruce was against labeling JKD, he did exactly that. That's the path of any course whether it be artless or not. "I don't hit, it hits all by itself" is a type of an Artless Art. To have "no technique" is a type of Artless Art. "There is no opponent because 'I' does not exist" is another type of Artless Art. “You must be shapeless, formless, like water. When you pour water in a cup, it becomes the cup. When you pour water in a bottle, it becomes the bottle. When you pour water in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Water can drip and it can crash. Become like water my friend.” This too, is a type of an Artless Art. Bruce despised labels yet he was a prisoner of them himself. That which he couldn't escape from became a constant to him. An Art has boundaries; limitations that bind the martial artist, and of these handcuffs that bind, "self is a hinderance" becomes that constant one way or another. The Artless Art exists whenever it doesn't, and it doesn't exist whenever it does. "It" just exists because "It" just does. One needs to be careful how the word Artless is used because it's defined by lacking knowledge, or skill being uncultured, made without skill being crude, and this I believe what not Bruce and/or JKD by any means. The seamlessness of the Aesthetic world of the soul just grabs right at me in a beautiful way because within the Artless Art, one can be appreciative of, responsive to, or fervid about the beautiful responsive to or appreciative of what is pleasurable to the senses. Imho.

Inside of the jacket? Is that kind of like a tag so you can tell that that jacket is yours?? At the most I'd put my initials in the inside of the collar with a Sharpie. Yeah, does seems weird. I wouldn't want my face to on my jacket inside or outside for any reason, but to each their own.

Ken, Your knowledge and experience are growing some very strong roots across the board. Your dedication to training as well as your class and teaching time are slowly becoming more than capable of many a thing. With anything on the floor, time is an alley, and the floor has no mercy in revealing both strengths and weaknesses equally. Accepting what the floor reveals takes much more MA maturity than one might except. You're doing just fine on your MA path and journey. Train hard and train well, my friend.

Hey Brian, Both personally and professionally, I've always encouraged those practitioners to search out any training videos by Morio Higaonna regarding to Sanchin because I don't think anyone can go wrong with any of his training videos. Imho.

After nearly 60 years, 1964 to current... Shindokan Saitou-ryu Karate-do: Kudan Shindokan Saitou-ryu Kobudo: Hachidan Chang Moo Kwan/Kang Duk Won TKD: 6th Gup after 1 year.

I wholeheartedly agree!! Sanchin is NOT any part of the Shindokan curriculum but I still learned and trained Sanchin because of the important of it.

Both my Soke and Dai-Soke were dead set against us from cross training for their reasons. Many of us fought against their orders, however, persistence paid off and we were allowed to. Biggest thing was that I was the first one to take the plunge in the arena of cross training by my taking TKD against their wishes, of which I knew that it was my choice and not theirs. Change is inevitable even if that change is a forced one. Right there, is what I always say...Not all black belts can teach, nor should they. That CI has NO integrity whatsoever.

Proof!! Everything that is Art requires proof and, in the MA, the proof is found on the floor. The floor has no mercy, and its judgement is harsh, Therefore, without proper reflection, there cannot be any mastery whatsoever.

Yes, there's a limit to someone's potential!! No, a fighter can't continue growing indefinitely!! In short, none of us can stay at our most effective physical peak forever. Age catches up to everyone whether one likes it or not. Accepting that, well, that's an entirely different thing.

Congratulations, Montana; very, well deserved!!

Not bad at all; congrats, John!! Good luck to next months tournament.

What I love is that your MA journey is YOURS and while your inspirations have helped to formulate the MA journey that you're on. Your eclectic training catapults your core into other effectiveness that heightens your training. While a punch is just a punch and a kick is just a kick, your MA betterment finds that ideology to not be accurate, which is Shu Ha Ri over and over again. I'm so glad that you've found the inspirations that you've found, and that they've been positives in your MA journey. Brain, here at KF, and yourself certainly have the same drive for the longsword and other medieval weaponry.

"What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger." That's generally used as an affirmation of resilience. Yet, in this matter it serves no purpose whatsoever. To fail a student in a Testing Cycle to just see how the student deals with failure is very damaging to the student. There MUST always be a cause for failing a student because of the importance of the Test Cycle. Testing Cycles are NOT something that should be treated as a means to entertain the CI. The Testing Cycle is a very serious test across the board. Since when did the Testing Cycle become are toy for the CI to play with!?! Things like this destroys the Testing Cycle's integrity and should never be tolerated by anyone, particularly the student!! This is akin to just plucking off the fly's wings just to see how it reacts. It's uncalled for and cruel to the Nth degree. Anyone else who sat on the testing panel and agreed with this charade should be ashamed of themselves and shouldn't be teaching anything as well as being unceremoniously terminated for cause immediately. Parents have every right to act upon this type of deliberate sabotage for the sake of the overall Student Body and the Testing Cycle's integrity. This is exactly what I mean when I say not all black belts can teach, nor should they...EVER!!