Jane The Obscure

I guess it is part circumstance and part preferance. What I'd ultimately like to do is set up a non-profit organization to teach martial arts to at risk kids and troubled teens in the late afternoon. At my old job I was able to work a split shift, so I would use the middle of the day to go teach karate at this alternative high school where a lot of troubled and at risk youth went. They received a P.E. credit for it and it was a graded class. After two years my schedule changed and I wasn't able to continue, but it was great and that's what kind of gave me the idea for this other thing. People have different reasons for both teaching and studying the martial arts. It's not that anybody's really right or wrong, it's just the methodology that's different. I figure the people running what has been described here as a McDojo have something to offer as well. Those schools seem to take younger children than other places and I've seen them offer after school pick ups, a nutritious snack, and even homework assistance. I'm sure the parents paying for those contracts think those services, in addition to the actual karate sessions, are worth the money they have committed. They feature specific awareness and educational classes on stranger danger and other safety issues for families and the kids from those schools seem to be very motivated, positive and exhibit good sportsmanship for the most part. Now i have always had reservations about places that promote 7 and 8 year olds to black belt, but at least the parents are proud of their achievements. It may not mean as much in the martial arts community at large, but it means something to those families.

I am part of the 30 crowd, too! I just turned 30 a couple of months ago, but I totally forgot to update my license. I had to go through this huge ordeal the other week just to go get the new one. It was pretty classic.

Oh no, no you didn't offend me at all! One of the things I really enjoy about the Martial Arts is the sheer diversity of it all. The funny thing about working with seniors is how sometimes it CAN be like working with children! They'll admit it, too! It's hilarious! I don't know that it's a conscious descision to remain small as much as it is circumstance. One of the downfalls of my class is that it occurs on Monday and Friday nights so a lot of families prefer to reserve Fridays for other things. The class I teach is also in a rural area. Baseball, Soccer, Cub Scouts, church activities and Football take top priority when it comes to extracurricular activities. So participation has this ebb and flow depending on what activities are off-season. As I mentioned before, we can only have class there twice a week (plus, it's a 160 mile roundtrip commute for me, so it is quite a drive), so despite my constant encouragement to practice outside of class as I also do on my own, the commitment from students to stay on top of training isn't the ideal (or at least my idea of ideal ). Things slow down over the summer and fewer people sign up for the classes (they run in six week sessions for $30) because many people go on vacation. In the fall when public schools open back up we will have a huge influx of beginners. But for the most part we average about 15 people. I have two assistant instructors, so it's great because we can really make sure every student gets individual attention throughout each class. As far as my income from class goes, it pays for my gas to drive up to the class where I teach. Sometimes I take a loss and am paying out of pocket to teach because the cost of the class is really low. Especially with the way the gas prices are going now! I guess the only personal gain I am seeking out of all of this is to better myself (training with other people/ teaching other people motivates me to work harder on my own technique), learn from my students and cherish the opportunity to share with other people all of the wonderful things I have had the privelege of learning from my Master. I feel an obligation to pass on what he has given me- and it's way more than just the karate itself. I have an extended family because of him, I feel as though I have an extra set of parents in him and his wife! I never could have done so much of what I have accomplished with the rest of my life without karate. So I have this compulsion to share it with other people. Because the area where I teach is so rural, there isn't as much to do in the way of "fun" or "constructive" things out in the country. The closest shopping mall is at least 45 minutes away, there are two grocery stores in the whole county, only a handful of restaurants and no real public parks other than the areas around the schools. So many of the people there don't have a lot of disposable income either. By teaching martial arts at a very low cost I can provide a service to the community that is otherwise lacking. People have an opportunity for recreation, frustrated and overworked parents can have help instilling discipline in children, someone who is being bullied in school or who lacks confidence can grow emotionally and achieve a more positive and assertive outlook on things, kids who live spread out in contrast to normal suburban neighborhoods have a chance to socialize with others and it promotes a healthy active lifestyle in the community. The part I play in the martial arts as a whole is focused on success through enriching lives of others without really worrying about the money side of it, because I'm not really into money. Each MA practitioner is a piece of a never ending jigsaw puzzle, so there are countless motivations for becoming involved and every piece has a place to fit in the overall image. Every reason and every motivation is correct for that individual, IMO.

Martial Arts IS my whole life. I strive to live the martial way 24/7 regardless of whether I am wearing a gi or not. Besides, I have to pay my mortgage. To start up a full-time dojo requires too much collateral. I used to work in the management office of a shopping mall and it's crazy what businesses pay out in leasing and CAM charges. It would take something like 5 years to determine if the business was successful enough to cover operating costs AND supply income to any employees. My mortgage company wouldn't be so lenient as to let me off the hook for five years if I wasn't making any money. I'd rather have my house to live in and teach somewhere that I don't have to pay through the nose for an insurance policy and operating expenses. Anyhow, I love my day job as well. I work with older adults and, because we have a variety of exercise classes at the activity center, I am able to incorporate martial arts into some of the programming. I been able to create an exercise program for seniors that incorporates flexibility/range of motion, strength building and low impact maneuvers in order to suit their level and promote good health. Additionally, the vast patience I have tempered through self-discipline in karate helps me in so many ways when dealing with some of the difficult personalities here. My master told me once that karate was 90% mental and 10% physical. The 10% is pretty hardcore, but you can't even accomplish that without a healthy spirit and a sound mind. So, during my day job, I try to maintain the mental mindfulness and humble spirit I have learned from studying martial arts and it is in this way that I am able to live it every day.

I think the idea that small schools are a result of closed-minded practicioners is sort of a generalization. My Master's class and my class are both small, but we don't do it to make money. I teach for a community parks and recreation program as my master had also done before obtaining the use of a small facility in conjunction with another style. We teach out of enjoyment in sharing the art with others, not as a means for financial gain. I don't consider a large class roster and a fat bankroll to be the "litmus test" on which to base the concept of a successful dojo. As for skill and technique, I've seen high levels of proficiency in both kinds of class settings. Also, an advantage to smaller classes is a more personalized training opportunity than some people have in a franchised facility. Both sides of the coin have their advantages. Because I work out of a gym in an elementary school, we can only have class for two hours twice a week. The larger schools with full-time employed instructors are able to provide several classes each day of the week. Either way you look at it there are positives and negatives.

I really enjoy reading in my spare time and my middle name is Jane so my screen name is based on the title of a novel by Thomas Hardy.

I like Dave Lowry's writing as well. Moving Toward Stillness is a great collection of his essays written for various magazines over several years. Beyond the Known and Toward the Unkown are two interesting books by Tri Thong Dan. The author was proficient at several systems (mantis, Hsing-I, Pa kua), but the parables in his books are transferable to any style because the principles focus mainly on mindfulness in martial arts practice in general.

Thanks for the welcome!

I like the Bollywood movies I've seen so far. I really enjoy the music in them. My favorite one was Boghban and it was about a husband and wife who are separated after his retirement because they each had to go live with one of their sons and weren't able to continue to live together even though they wanted to. There are a lot of metaphors and parallels throughout the movie and it was a really sweet story.

Hi all! I just happened across this place today and have found it to be way more interactive and comprehensive than some other places I have been before. The discussions are great and I have been enjoying reading a lot of the articles posted on this site. I live in Virginia and study an offshoot of Kyokushinkai called Hokori Shin. It's refreshing being able to meet with other martial artists online and discuss all of the intricacies of MA in general.