How do you start out?

[Shotokan-kez]

Hi everyone. I'm going to grade for 1st kyu at the end of august. My ultimate dream and goal is to own my own dojo and teach. But how do i start out? Obviously i can't do it yet it will be a few years i know that, but do you have to start planning early. Rent a room or real dojo? Also would i need bags of money to start off? Something else that's niggling me is that i would be betraying my sensei and and going off on my own after him teaching me everything he knows for years on end. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Kez x

[White_Tiger]

Don't feel like you are betraying your instructor. Be up front with him/her about your intentions, and open your dojo a respectable distance away from your instructors school. You will be passing on the knowledge he/she has taught you, but you don't want to open across the street and become competitors.

I suggest finding a YMCA or Boys/Girls club to teach at first to build a student base before jumping in and renting a building. There is lots of expense to running your own retail school. Good luck to you!

[lordtariel]

I suggest finding a YMCA or Boys/Girls club to teach at first to build a student base before jumping in and renting a building.

This works really well, my friend has started teaching Tai Chi at the Y as a starting point for opening his own school. He gets the practice of running his own class and even gets paid to do it. Talk to your sensei about teaching a couple of lessons for the beginner classes, it's great experience. I know it's a requirement for black belt in our school.

[Shotokan-kez]

Yes we have to be black belts to before we can teach the beginers. We have lots of instructors already so don't want to be treading on anyone's toes. But i think i will speak to my sensei maybe nearer the time.

Thanks guys

[bushido_man96]

First of all, talk to your instructor about wanting to start your own dojo. Being an owner himself, he can probably give some helpful info. He may be very helpful.

The YMCA or rec center ideas are good ones. Talk to them about wanting to set something up, and they will tell if they are interested or not.

[jaymac]

Do you really think in a few years that you will have learned everything you can about your style? I have been a Nidan for awhile now and would not even think to start a dojo at this current rank. I have much to learn yet and so does every other MA at a Nidan and Sandan level. I would not be doing service to students by starting a school. It should and does take years to advance through the Dan grades. What would happen if you only were a Nidan and were ready to advance your own students to Shodan or above. In our dojo, the instructor has to be at least 2 dan grades above his/her own students.

[jaymac]

Keep your goal of starting a dojo because it is an awesome dream that you will be able to achieve, but be realistic as to when you will be ready to do so.

[cathal]

I agree, keep up your goals and be determined.

Don't be afraid to get assistance from the organization your dojo is affiliated with, they may even provide financial assistance.

[Shotokan-kez]

Do you really think in a few years that you will have learned everything you can about your style? I have been a Nidan for awhile now and would not even think to start a dojo at this current rank. I have much to learn yet and so does every other MA at a Nidan and Sandan level. I would not be doing service to students by starting a school. It should and does take years to advance through the Dan grades. What would happen if you only were a Nidan and were ready to advance your own students to Shodan or above. In our dojo, the instructor has to be at least 2 dan grades above his/her own students.

Not at all. I will be patient. I have dreams and a goal and i don't see anything wrong with that. I need to work towards it now. I am a single mum on benefits, i haven't worked in 12 years and have no savings. The only thing i want to do is teach and i was simply asking advice on how and when to start/do things to work towards that! i fully appreciate the fact that this is going to be a very very long process.

Thank you for your advice.

Kez

[danbong]

If you stay on good terms with your instructor you could have him test your students when they get to ranks higher than you should be promoting them to. But that shouldn't be too much of a problem. If you open a school when you are a nidan, you should be able to make sandan before the 4 years or so it typically takes to make shodan in shotokan has passed. Of course, I am assuming that you want to teach within the context of you staying within shotokan and continuing to train in it yourself.