Hwang's Martial Arts, studio advice Please?

[Clash]

Also theres a Shotokan Karate school pretty close to here, would any of you recommend looking in to that school? From what i hear its 150 ever three months and belt testing fees there are 25 dollars, I don't know anything about the instructor or what the teaching is like there. I know from driving buy it that its not a big fancy place in the least bit.

[DWx]

Also theres a Shotokan Karate school pretty close to here, would any of you recommend looking in to that school? From what i hear its 150 ever three months and belt testing fees there are 25 dollars, I don't know anything about the instructor or what the teaching is like there. I know from driving buy it that its not a big fancy place in the least bit.

Might be worth checking it out. $50 a month doesn't seem too bad.. would depend on what you get from it though. And it doesn't have to be big and fancy to provide excellent teaching

[Clash]

Yeah and I kind of like that about it, the building it self seems very humble.

[Clash]

I asked about belt testing Fee's at Hwangs, and they are 40 dollars a test.. Once you reach a more advanced level (i think blue tip) its 75 dollars a belt test, and your 1st dan test i believe he said was 200-300 dollars.. Maybe its just me but that seems like to much money.

I'm also looking in to a Shotokan Karate school, which is supposedly 150 every thing months, and belt test are 25 dollars each.

..sadly if I go to the shotokan place, instead of Hwang's I loose the chance to learn Judo, as it's offered at Hwang's and the other place is strictly Shotokan. I really wanted to take judo

[bushido_man96]

If you really want to take Judo, then go to that school. If the belt tests cover both styles, then you may be getting a good deal.

[Clash]

I believe its per-belt, as in the 40 dollar belt test is for one belt for one style, meaning if i went from white to yellow in both styles it would cost like 80 dollars to test them both.

[bushido_man96]

I see. If you take both styles, then do you progress through both styles at the same pace?

[Clash]

Sadly I dont think so, while I'll be taking both of them twice a week, the advancement in them appears to be on different levels at different times, its also taught by another instructor.

I got a chance to talk to the Shotokan instructor, today who told me that they don't do contracts and for the first 100 dollars every quarter/three months, equaling out to about 33 dollars a month, for one lesson a week. If you stay with it through the first 6 months of training it then goes up to 150 every quarter. Belt testing fees are all ways 25 dollars unless you sign up to go through it with JKA (the school is associated with JKA) then he said your first dan test will only be about 50. He explain how a lot of the lessons go and said while there is no adults only class right now, if we join theres some other older students that we might be able to get a new class going with. He said their training is pretty rough as well

I'm still torn on which school to choose, but at the moment since money is a factor and I don't make a lot of cash I'm leaning towards the Shotokan school.

Only thing I'm worried about is the Sensi asked me if I went to a church and invited me to his, I don't mind peoples religion but I told him I was more sriptural followed my own beliefs I hope I didn't offend him or give a bad impression

[pegasi]

In response to the religion thing, you can simply take the gracious way out and simply say something like "thank you for the offer, my family gets together on sundays, and I reserve that day for family matters"

A "thanks but no thanks" kind of response is all that need be said, and your potential sensei should drop the subject.

[bushido_man96]

Only one lesson a week isn't that great, I don't think. I would much prefer to have a choice of several days per week.