There's something fishy going on at the West Wind dojo!

[Beka]

I live two doors down from them, and from my desk I can see into the parking lot that they always use (which isn't even theirs to begin with). I came home today and I saw a new red BMW in the parking lot. I said to my boyfriend: "10 bucks that thing belongs to a West Wind instructor". I just looked out the window and saw some (chubby) guy run by with his West Wind Instructor shirt on, and where does he go? Right to the new red BMW!!! And that's on top of the *other* two BMWs that belong to head instructors, and the two Escalades that have confusing ownership, but belong to West Wind people. The black Escalade belongs to one person, but the White one (that is so new it doesn't have its own license plates yet) is fiddled with throughout the day by all the different instructors.

 

I'm sorry, I just think it is highly suspicious that the most prominent instructors there drive luxury vehicles. This is, of course, not the only reason why I question their validity and motivations.

 

I think they are having a black belt demo today, which explains why there are so many of them milling around today.

[Musse]

Looks like the fat guy got himself a good business. Anyhuu, you can't really say that because he's rich, the dojo is bad. The little man isn't always better.

 

- Musse

[Gumbi]

I heard those guys charge outrageous rates- I heard one college student say they charged close to $400 a month, which is double what I pay for training in BJJ (which as far as I know is the most expensive MA). Even Renzo Gracie's school in NYC is seen as expensive (since its Renzo, and its New York) and its still half of that West Wind school.

[Shane]

Skills that pay the bills!!!!!!!!!!

 

If people are willing to pay that price let them.

 

CRAZY

[Squawman]

I have seen alot of MA school owners that drive nice cars. It's all a status symbol they just want to look good in front of all their instructor friends. The funny part is that they have a nice car and that's it. They probably live in a little apartment and are paying a huge monthy payment on the car, which to afford that they have to screw their students over by getting as much money as possible out of them.

[Randy]

My sensai drives a pretty crappy car and lives in a shed, so atleast i know he isnt in it for the money. Classes are pretty cheap, theres no contracts or any of that crap and his accounting system relies mostly on the honesty of his students.

 

I think what he gets out of teaching is the satisfaction of teaching people and watching them & his dojo grow.

[AngelaG]

For heaven's sake! At what point did it become a crime to actually earn some money doing something you like? Seems to me like there's an awful lot of jealousy around.

 

At least an instructor who makes a profit is not going to have to shut down unexpectedly because of lack of funding. The likelihood is that they will be able to put on more lessons a week as well.

 

And as for screwing people out of money... no one FORCES anyone to pay for these lessons. People pay whatever they think it's worth, if they don't think it's worth it they will find somewhere else which does fit with their expectations.

 

Just because someone drives a nice car does not make them bad people! Just because they are full time instructors does not make them bad people, nor does it mean that their instruction will necessarily be poor.

 

Stop believing what you are spoon fed and start thinking for yourselves! Life is not so simple - it is not black and white, there are shades of grey everywhere!

 

[Sasori_Te]

I've got a solution! Stop looking out the window.

[Red J]

And as for screwing people out of money... no one FORCES anyone to pay for these lessons. People pay whatever they think it's worth, if they don't think it's worth it they will find somewhere else which does fit with their expectations.

 

Economics 101

[Gumbi]

For heaven's sake! At what point did it become a crime to actually earn some money doing something you like? Seems to me like there's an awful lot of jealousy around.

 

At least an instructor who makes a profit is not going to have to shut down unexpectedly because of lack of funding. The likelihood is that they will be able to put on more lessons a week as well.

 

And as for screwing people out of money... no one FORCES anyone to pay for these lessons. People pay whatever they think it's worth, if they don't think it's worth it they will find somewhere else which does fit with their expectations.

 

Just because someone drives a nice car does not make them bad people! Just because they are full time instructors does not make them bad people, nor does it mean that their instruction will necessarily be poor.

 

Stop believing what you are spoon fed and start thinking for yourselves! Life is not so simple - it is not black and white, there are shades of grey everywhere!

 

 

Have you looked into this particular school? It just may be the worst martial arts school- EVER. Of course theres nothing wrong with making a profit on what you teach, but if what you teach isnt what you claim it to be, thats a different story altogether.

 

As far as people paying what they think its worth bear in mind that the majority of the public does NOT know a whole lot about fighting and martial arts- its VERY easy to decieve people and by telling them you can make them high and mighty, anyone will pay anything for that.

 

But the fact that hes got a nice car or anything like that means nothing- I know of a TKD school around me that has close to 300 students at $79 a month- completely affordable for anyone and plenty of money for him. Theres nothing wrong with that.