Potential dojo?!?

[hisdaughter22]

Check this out yall

 

I just been promoted to 8th kyu and then i had to move cause i graduated college...i located a dojo here in mississippi...the price is $90 for 8 weeks plus a uniform and a free gift..BUT, this school incorporates muay thai, kickboxing, ground combat, and weapons along with the shotokan??? The instructor told me that the women really liked the kickboxing..hmmm...He said that they incorporate that other stuff so the students won't get bored. Yall i really wanna learn shotokan and i'm really not interested in all that other stuff...what do you guys think?? Should I go for it??

 

thanks

 

sherry

[Red J]

Most schools will let you take a few classes to try it out. Ask if you can do that to see if you will like it. You can then make an informed decision. If you want strictly Shotokan, it doesn't sound like the place.

 

If they don't let you take a couple of classes or watch then do you really want to be associated with them? Also you need to find out how much it will cost after the first two months, including testing fees, etc.

 

Good luck.

[Red J]

If you want strictly Shotokan, it doesn't sound like the place.

 

Now having posted that, you may find that they do a really nice job of incorporating the other disciplines. I like the idea of a stand up school working in some ground work.

[delta1]

...the price is $90 for 8 weeks plus a uniform and a free gift..BUT, this school incorporates muay thai, kickboxing, ground combat, and weapons along with the shotokan??? The instructor told me that the women really liked the kickboxing..hmmm...He said that they incorporate that other stuff so the students won't get bored.

 

Couple of things bother me. First, the gimmicks- throw in a uniform and free gift. And they charge for eight weeks at a time, which most people figure is $45.00 a month but really is more. 45/mo would be 540/yr. 90/8wks is 585/yr. They basically get an extra months payment out of you. A little to 'selly' for my likeing in a martial arts school.

 

Second, the statement that they do the other stuff so the students don't get bored. It's a martial arts school, not an entertainment center. Muay thai, kickboxing, ground combat, and weapons are all good things to learn, but not for their entertainment value.

 

I'd suggest looking around an comparing what you find. You have enough experience to have a good idea what you want from the martial arts. And you probably have a gut feeling about this place, good or bad. Don't rush in to a decission, but decide based on what you want and what you know. If this is the only Shotokan school, and you don't like their approach, you might consider looking for a similar style and changing over to stay with a more traditional training approach.

[aefibird]

From what you've written about that club I get a bad feeling about it.

 

Firstly, the 'free gift' - it seems like a gimmick to get people in. Plus, it'll not be 'free' - the cost of it will be reflected in the amount you pay for training.

 

Secondly, whats with the paying in 8 week blocks? I'd prefer to pay monthly if I could.

 

Thirdly, your statement about them incorporating other MA aspects so that the students don't get bored. I agree wholeheartedly with Delta1's post - martial arts are not an entertainment centre. Students are there to learn and be taught a martial art, not just be given something to do to get them out of the house and away from the TV for a couple of hours.

 

Having said that... it may be totally different. I'd suggest the best thing to do is go along and try a lesson or two. Who knows? You might love the additional things that they train in. If not, don't give up hope. I'm sure you'll find a good club to train at, even if you have to switch to another style. Remember, the quality of the instructor is more important than the style!

[Shorinryu Sensei]

I'll third the two posts above me here. The "free uniform/gift" isn't free, because the sensei is adding the costs of them into his prices. The same thing applies to any business that offers something for free. You end up paying for them somewhere along the line, or the sensei is losing money.

 

Yes, it's odd that he wants you to pay for 8 weeks at a time. Monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or yearly are more normal.

 

And where he said "He said that they incorporate that other stuff so the students won't get bored." also bothers me. A sensei isn't there to entertain his students, but rather to pass on knowledge that he has to his students.

 

I don't know, but that dojo doesn't sit well in my gut and I'd suggest caution.

[ramymensa]

It look weird indeed ... the money stuff.

 

And a strong mixture is not good (when pretending to do a "pure style"), though sometimes it's OK to solve some of the shortcomings of a certain style. We've learnt to break some falls, do grappling and learn some locks taken from Aikido, so I say everything you can learn is good. Shotokan is our main style, but we did some techniques for self defence and I'm sure it won't hurt knowing them.

 

Still most of the time we do what's in Shotokan

[trekmann]

I agree with the others that the money side sounds a bit weird. But training at a dojo that incorporates some groundwork and weapons can be good from amodern day self dfence ponit of view. Try a few free lessons if they are offering.

[italian_guy]

My suggestion is that you should try.

 

How many times a week do they train? Maybe they do different things in different days of the week so it is not actually a mixture but a set of parallel courses. Certainly if it is a mixture it is strange. Not too much karate and weapons (that is usual) or karate and ground fighting (less usual but not too strange) but karate kickboxing and (especially) muay thai it sounds strange.

 

Anyhow the price doesn't look to be too high (but this depends also from the market place in your area and how many hours per week you train).

[stl_karateka]

Hey there --

 

You've gotten some sound advice! While there is nothing wrong with incorporating other forms, it seems as if they are doing it more for enterainment than to supplement the primary Shotokan training. If its just for show then I'd question the level of understanding you would gain from those different styles.

 

The price doesn't suprise me that much, nor does the free gi -- that seems to be standard operating procedures these days. Is that there "introductory packet"? Cause you are not a new student off the streets --- you have some experience....you should ask if you can take a couple classes for free with your own uniform. Then decide.

 

Keep us posted!

 

stl