Goju_boi, Before jumping to conclusions about things you should meet and speak with the instructor, Sifu Brad Ryan, directly. It's best that you experience what is offered for yourself. Then, come to your own conclusion. From what I understand, Sifu Ryan offers a variety of options from monthly to long-term. As a teacher, you invest a lot of time and energy in sharing information with a student. It is better to have that student commit to something for a period of time rather than just come and go on a "whim." If you want to be successful at something you have to make a commitment. However, making an initial long-term commitment without knowing the benefits is kinda shady. So, Sifu Ryan starts with the 5-week trial (not the two-class trail as in the NAPMA model, BTW) and then has options for membership from short-term to long-term (whereas NAPMA suggests going from 2 class trial straight to 12 month commitment). The 5-week program is designed to educate you on what Sifu Ryan has to offer. If you don't want to continue - at least you made a minimum effort to find out what he's all about. With the 5-week program, you get classes, a uniform, and a textbook. I know of some places that charge as much as $60 for a uniform, tack on a $150 registration fee, and first month's payment - somewhere between $120-200 a month (for one person) all immediately after the two-class trail (which you also paid for, BTW). Oh, and you still need to get a school manual (at the least). You posted information from two sources - and they are completely different. One is a flyer on the Intro program and the other is a flyer for members of Sifu Ryan's program (not for beginners or non-students) talking about the path to become an Instructor or Disciple. The Instructor and Discipleship "tracks" do require review and introduction to the Grand Master. If people are going to represent the system, they have to meet certain minimum standards in skill, knowledge, and etiquette. The HFY system has a clear history going back to the Southern Shaolin Temple and each generation is clearly defined. Sifu Ryan is a 10th Generation Disciple. Most beginners don't understand the responsibilities that come with being a Disciple - which is why that conversation is generally reserved for people that have a strong connection to the system. For those that don't, there is the regular student track. Not all Hung Fa Yi schools and teachers use the exact same business model. The overall HFY organization does have manuals to educate teachers on how to teach and how to run a business but that comes after several years of training and experience - but the focus is on maintaining quality rather than how to generate quantity. One of the challenges of the Internet is that things can quickly be taken out of context. As you can't develop skill by reading or watching a video, you have to actually do something. It's best that you speak with Sifu Ryan yourself rather than ask a general population. Everyone is free to make assumptions and jump to conclusions rather than go directly to the source. Imagine you decide to date some girl and then you get on the Internet and ask people what they think about it. Sincerely, Sifu Jeremy Roadruck
