my dojo with a new style

[kataman]

Have you ever been in a dojo where you had to change your style,because your sensei thought it was the best for the school.

 

What was your reaction?

[Shorinryu Sensei]

He changed your style? Can you explain that more please?

[busling]

Our style is continually being refined.

 

For example how we defend against an outside to inside swinging knife attack has changed. This was due to the instructors learning a much safer way to deal with the attack.

 

Also on a different note, our school has recently reverted to a more tradional focus. More forms and technique as opposed to conditioning and bag work. This was due a business decision, as there are heaps of MMA schools in our area, but none that teach quality Wing Chun.

 

However it is still the same style, Wing Chun. It is not like we switched from Wing Chun to Tai Chi.

[kataman]

He changed your style? Can you explain that more please?

I do stotokan karate and we are not part of any federation and now my sensei want to joint with the Canadien shotokan federation.So what that mean is that we have to change part of our katas and that my sensei will not be abble to give any more black belt. Being at about one year from a black belt, I gest it scare me a bit.

[karatekid1975]

My dojang was sport at one time. Now we do a lot more self defense. So yea, it did change for the better (in my opinion). The sparring rules kinda stink still, but other than that, it's cool with me.

[seersin]

He changed your style? Can you explain that more please?

I do stotokan karate and we are not part of any federation and now my sensei want to joint with the Canadien shotokan federation.So what that mean is that we have to change part of our katas and that my sensei will not be abble to give any more black belt. Being at about one year from a black belt, I gest it scare me a bit.

 

Man,thats kind of rough.are ya gonna stay or what?

[kataman]

I think I will stay,because I feel that the change might be good.The only part I don't like is that I have to do my exam before somebody else who don,T even know me and don,T know the way I trained in the dojo.

[AngelaG]

One of my friends changed his style slightly, so the kata were slightly different - and at different stages. Don't worry about it too much, it isn't as traumatic as it seems - these changes will be taken into account, and I suspect you won't be penalised too much if you accidentally do the kata the old way occasionally.

[smr]

My former school completely abandoned their former style of Matsumura Seito Shorin Ryu almost without warning (I had been studying Matsumura Seito for two years at that point. That's a significant investment). The instructor and owner began to formulate his own style called something like "Okinawan genjutsu te" (sp?) or something like that. It is kind of funny, because he's never been to Okinawa. So I'm not sure where he was justified in claiming the style was Okinawan. Also he claimed that the translation was "Okinawan practical way." He doesn't speak japanese and neither do I, but the only definition I can find for the word "Genjutsu" is "way of illusion..." I don't know who's right or who's wrong on that one. I just know that if you're not Okinawan, and if you aren't in Okinawa, then how can you justify the claim that your new made up style is from Okinawa?

 

Also, most classes were led not by himself, but by a brown belt assistant instructor. Most of his time was spent chatting with parents from the previous class, or talking to potential recruits. When he did lead the class, it was usually "Station Training." Station training is when he sets up "stations" around the floor where you perform one activity for a brief amount of time then move on to the next station. They usually consisted of jumping rope, crunches, etc.

 

When I first started the school, things were much different. We actually learned karate. We even had guest instructors come in from time to time to give us different perspectives. One day, it seemed, all of that changed and we started down a path that eventually lead to certain McDojoism.

 

So, to answer the question; Yes. I was at a dojo that changed styles, and Yes, I did leave.

[Shorin Ryuu]

I'm sure your instructor meant to say "Genjitsu", which means reality (also with the connotations of pragmaticism or realism). Of course, you-know-what by any other name would smell just as foul...