How do you start out?

[Jiffy]

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.

I strongly dis-agree with this attitude. Your attitude is exactly what mine used to be, but some things happened that made me change my mind. When I was looking for new schools to cross train in, I was only looking for people that as you say had "learned everything they could about the art". I soon realised that this quickly lead to disapointment. There was either none around, they didn't have a good personality or were just too expensive. What I later realised is I didn't need to be someone who knew everything about the art. I just needed someone who new more than what I did.

I say go for it. You are not looking to create a school of students who worship you, just to pass on what you have learned. That doesn't mean you have to stop learning, and by the time any students are up to Dan grades, you should have learned sufficient to keep them going.

I co-founded a new school when I was 17 years old and only 2nd Kyuin Karate. That same school will this year celebrate 9 years in the running and we would have trained hundreds of people in that time, including retaining some students for over 7 years, and.... all of our grades are government recognised and recognised by the AKF (Australian governing body for Karate) and WUKO. (global governing body for Karate). As well as that, we also now teach 3 other styles of Martial Arts that are recognised by various governing bodies.

In my books, that's pretty successful, well, I'm happy at least. So sure, it can be a little harder for those with a little less experience, but it is possible.

The other thing to consider is, a grade doesn't necessarily indicate the skill level. At the end of this year, in Karate, I will grade to 3rd Dan. I have been doing Karate for 19 years. I had been training for about 11 years before I got my 1st Dan. In Hapkido on the other hand, I have been training for only 2.5 years and will have my 1st Dan by the end of the year.

If you want some help setting up your school, drop me a PM.

[Shotokan-kez]

Thank you very much Jiffy. My sensei is 5th dan and just because he has karate clubs doesnt mean he stops training. As will be the case with me, i will keep climbing and keep learing, there is always something to learn and training never stops if your dedicated and passionate about the sport.

Thanks again

kez x

[Sohan]

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, I feel the same as you. I don't feel ready to start a dojo of my own, though I teach students on my own as an extension of our dojo. However, my sensei started his first school in 1983 as a brown belt in karate-do, and 23 years later is still going strong.

I have always heard that the best way to learn about something is to teach it or write a book about it. I feel the same way about my karate and seek as many opportunities as possible to teach? But a dojo of my own? I've owned my own fitness studios, but a dojo is still likely far off in the future.

With respect,

Sohan

[bushido_man96]

Hey, Sohan, I hear you. I ran a school for a couple of years, and knowing what I do now, I would do it differently. But for right now, I am more than happy being a student, and getting the opportunity to teach a limited number of classes to help out my instructor.

I am greatful for the experiences that I got running the school, both good and bad. In the future, I will be better prepared, and a better instructor.

[Aodhan]

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

Kez-

I am a certified instructor in the ATA, and about a year or so from hopefully opening my own school. Here's some of the things I did and wish I had done

1 - Take business classes at the local college, or as part of a minor when you go. Make sure you include some marketing. There are a ton things to think about when planning where to open, such as access, foot traffic, local rent, average income in the area, etc etc.

2 - Talk to your instructor about your intentions, ask if you can help in the school. Learning how to order, budget, etc. is the most important thing in the school. Almost anyone can learn to teach, not everyone can learn the business part.

3 - Take advantage of every extra seminar you can afford to. The more exposure you have in the arts the better.

4 - Practice, practice, practice. Become smoooooth, like buttah. People will judge on appearances, so if you can't do it, but can teach it, many times people won't sign up.

5 - People laugh, but being able to say you were a state champion, or winner of X tournament 5 times, things of that nature really look good in a yellow pages ad. Compete. It's also a great way to learn

6 - Continuation of #2, when it comes time, again talk to your instructor. Some of my friends that opened schools did so initially as a partnership with their original instructor, and then had a buyout agreement over a few years. This also gives you someone to go to with situations you've never had.

In short, train like mad, study like mad, save like mad.

Aodhan

[Shotokan-kez]

Thanks Aodhan. Great advice. I have actully signed up for a diploma in sports science and exercise. I will look into the business courses too, maybe i could do a small one from home.

Kez x

[GOM]

Instead of starting up a rival club, why not talk to your instructor about opening another branch of the dojo? He will be able to help you set up, and you can continue to learn from him. There are also benefits for your future students - a structured syllabus, gradings to a higher grade, tournaments, seminars etc.

The training fees for the students can go to you, the grading fees to you/your instructor, seminar fees to your instructor. This way, it can be a win-win situation.

If you do break away from your current instructor, there can be a lot of animosity between you two. I have seen this many, many, many times and can only lead to stress.

[bushido_man96]

Instead of starting up a rival club, why not talk to your instructor about opening another branch of the dojo? He will be able to help you set up, and you can continue to learn from him. There are also benefits for your future students - a structured syllabus, gradings to a higher grade, tournaments, seminars etc.

The training fees for the students can go to you, the grading fees to you/your instructor, seminar fees to your instructor. This way, it can be a win-win situation.

If you do break away from your current instructor, there can be a lot of animosity between you two. I have seen this many, many, many times and can only lead to stress.

This is a good suggestion. Forming a branch school can be very beneficial for both you and your instructor, and you can network, and have interschool tournaments and work outs, all kinds of fun stuff.