Thoughts on ATA schools?

[bushido_man96]

I believe chief Master Clark had a hand in developing the ATA forms

Yes, I believe that is correct.

[wingedMonkey]

I believe chief Master Clark had a hand in developing the ATA forms

Yeah, i actually bought the magazine of tkd times with him on it and it talks about how he was helping eternal master. He seems like a pretty cool guy because of the whole going to open style tournaments and stuff.

[taurus12]

I met chief Master Clark at Blackbelt testing Last year. He is a nice guy. He owns the school I belong to in Florida

[rulzar]

hello all, first post. I live in florida an am considering joining an ATA school it just opened up down the street. Does ATA Charge twice for every belt rank testing? (recommended caching$...decided caching$) or do you pay once per belt (if you pass?). Also I read somewhere that they make you join a special club to test for belts. Does the regular membership include belt testing or is it just self-defence (bait and switch)?

Thanks

[yingampyang]

Well to me it sounds like you need to have balance , your life is very unblanced. Martial arts is not all about punching someone in the face , it really applies to life and helps you blance everything and lower stress.

[wingedMonkey]

you don't have to join any club to test but it does have a cost to test, its basically to cover the cost of the belt and i guess the judges... for weapons is when you need to join clubs because obviously weapons are not tkd but an extra thing.

[taurus12]

You get charged every time you test for a new belt. The fee is $60.00 They give you a new belt and a video to learn the new form. If you midterm meaning you don't advance to the next belt you just get a stripe then you pay half. At my school they do not have you midterm until Brown belt (unless you are a child, then there are more midterms)but that may be changing. When you get to Brown belt you have to do at least 2-3 midterms before you get to red and 2-3 midterms until you get to first degree blackbelt recommended.

They have different programs as well. The basic program is only good for a few months and then you must upgrade. At my school the Blackbelt club will get you to Brown Belt. The Masters club will get you to first degree Blackbelt decided and the Leadership program will get you to 3rd degree Blackbelt decided. In leadership there is a leadership class where you learn extra things such as grappling and you do more weapons training. If you want to go higher then 3rd degree then you have to go through instructor certification. we learn the sword, numchucks, bo staff and Kamas, and the smaller stick as well

[wingedMonkey]

That's crazy! we don't have midterms until you are at red belt. and our graduation costs are 50 dollars.

[yingampyang]

Yes it would seem crazy to you , but there are some other schools that would think your crazy lol , all schools are different.

[taurus12]

Our instructor just wants to make sure everyone is ready and is proficient at their form and kicks before they move to the next belt. He does not want to run a black belt factory as many ATA schools have been accused of. Please don't think I am accusing your school of being a blackbelt factory because that is not my intention. I am just trying to explain what my instructor is thinking about

Our previous instructor did not have the adults midterm, so you went from Brown to Red in 2 months and Red to blackbelt recomended in 4 months (some students went from Red to Blackbelt recomended in 2 months but I only know 3 people that did that).

My current instructor seems to be following the original guidelines more closely than my previous one.