ShotokanKid Posted June 13, 2005 Share Posted June 13, 2005 I am thinking of taking TKD this summer. There are so many studios, I am not sure which to choose. Please give me tips on choosing one. "What we do in life, echoes in eternity.""We must all fear evil men. But there is another kind of evil which we must fear most, and that is the indifference of good men." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninjanurse Posted June 13, 2005 Share Posted June 13, 2005 Wow...a loaded question for sure!! I would have to say that it all depends on what you want out of your experience. If you are looking for speed/sparring skills you may want to find a school that leans toward sport-you'll get a lot of sparring in class; if you are looking for a general experience you may want a more traditional school. As with any style there are good and bad out there and you have to be discerning. High prices and lots of belts are not necessarily indicative of a McDojo but do warrant further investigation. I say go and watch several classes at each school-especially higher belt levels-and you'll get a feel for the quality of the instruction (and of course the students too). "A Black Belt is only the beginning."Heidi-A student of the artsTae Kwon Do,Shotokan,Ju Jitsu,Modern Arnishttp://the100info.tumblr.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkdBill Posted June 13, 2005 Share Posted June 13, 2005 Ninjanurse has some great advice. I'd also want to investigate their history a little. Have they been around for a while or are they part of an organization that's been around for a while? You might want to avoid getting started with a program that does not have some sort of track record.-- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tufrthanu Posted June 13, 2005 Share Posted June 13, 2005 Find out how often the head instructor teaches. Find out who his main assistants are. Watch both beginning and advanced classes. It's one thing to suck at yellow belt...its another to suck at brown belt. Look at several schools to get the going rates and skill levels. Long Live the Fighters! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belasko Posted June 13, 2005 Share Posted June 13, 2005 And don't just assume that because it is a sport oriented style that you will spar often. I have seen ATA schools that are supposed to be sport oriented and they only spar about once every other week (4-5 classes available each week). On the other hand in the Chung Do Kwan Alliance that I'm affiliated with we spar almost every class after you pass your first test. So like ninjanurse and others said. Shop around and observe classes before deciding on one. Getting a blackbelt just says you have learned the basics and are ready to actually study the form as an art. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted June 14, 2005 Share Posted June 14, 2005 What style of TKD are you looking at specifically? or havent you decided yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aodhan Posted June 14, 2005 Share Posted June 14, 2005 1) Look at some classes, and see who teaches. Is the the head instructor or a senior ranking black belt? Or do they turn it over to a senior student?2) See how many people are in the low belt classes vs. the high belt classes. If you have a ton of low ranks and very few high ranks, it says not a lot of people stick around.3) Conversely, does EVERYONE running around seem to be a brown/red/black? Could be a dojo that promotes willynilly.4) See how the students treat each other, the instructors, and how the instructors treat the students.5) Look around for rank certificates. Most owners proudly display legitimate rank certificates.6) Take advantage of all the one and two weeks free. You may find a great dojang and have issues with the owners' personality. Or the floor. Or something. Try them all out.7) Find a place that you will enjoy and have FUN at. Yes, even the hardest training can be fun if you enjoy it.Aodhan There are some people who live in a dream world, and there are some who face reality; and then there are those who turn one into the other.-Douglas Everett, American hockey player Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 Also - talk to the instructor and ask questions - get a gauge of what he's like as a person - thats always good to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranger1100ky Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 You know...That's something that not a lot of articles in the popular magazines hits upon...You're not just selecting a dojahng... You are hiring an instructor... That's just the same as going to take flying lessons.One bit of advice a pilot friend of mine gave me, when I gave consideration to adding 'get the pilots license' to my life's goals list... was for me to interview potential instructors... and to be aware... that the instructor I picked today... could be an instructor that, while certified and great and talented... just isn't 'right' for me.With that realization... his advice for me was to really put some time in, and to work on not just getting a qualified and talented instructor... but ALSO... an instructor that I was comfortable with... who was ALSO comfortable with me.The relationship between instructor and student, absolutely depends on communication and the by product of good communication... TRUST.An instructor without a student, is a certificate holder... a student without an instructor, is often an injury waiting to happen. (or at the least... a student who will never reach their TRUE potential)So it takes that 'team'... of instructor and student, to make things really work...So yes... look at the quality of the school... the amenities offered...(a locker room, showers, any equipment you feel might be helpful... etc...) and also... just look at who all you're gonna be dealing with.Ideally... what you're looking to do...is to find a dojang where you'll feel good about staying on, for the long haul, making yourself the best that you can be, among supportive friends and instructors.And the 'personality match' between you and your potential instructor(s)... is a definite part of the total picture.Best of luck... "Tournaments are the least important aspect of martial arts..." Pat E. Johnson--Technical Advisor and "Chief Referee" for the Karate Kid movies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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