Changing my dojo... or should I?

[conrad665]

Hi, this summer our trainers won't attend to the dojo(it is in my university, so it is normal) and I was looking for somewhere to study in the summer. I found one, and observed a lesson, but I cannot decide whether I should join there or not. Here are the pros and cons:

Pros

1)It's near my house, I can go there on foot( my school lessons still continue, so it is a big advantage).

2)Sensei looks like a good trainer, he's 5th dan( it's not very important, but I wanted to write) and days are divided for different studies like on mondays kumite, on wednesdays kata, etc.

Cons:

1)Man, there are so many kids all shouting! They are all higher degrees than me, but they don't take karate seriously. Same for people at my age. They start to chat when sensei turns his back.

2)The dojo is half as big compared to my previous one. And there's not an air-conditioning system.

3)Changing rooms smell of damp.

4)They charge $60!

All in all, education seems good, but karatekas and environment are bad.

I don't want to give up for one or two months, and I want to study with a sensei observation, so...Should I go there? Even if sensei is good, can I learn something with a bad partner? I'll be so grateful if you could help. I'm desperate!

[bushido_man96]

If you go in and focus on your own training, and not what every one else is doing, then it should be ok for just a few months.

[quinteros1963]

Go and train hard. If the instructor is good and you train hard, it will work out. Besides its only for 2 months and the alternative is no training for the summer. I say continue to train in the summer. Perhaps the dojo will be better because of the example that you set!

[conrad665]

Well, thanks for the answers.It seems I have no choice right now...I hope it'll worth going that filthy place.

[ps1]

Time on the mat is always the right option.

[isshinryu5toforever]

I'll echo what everyone else said, and say you should just train. I didn't for a while, because of your aforementioned reasons, and I got the itch to hit something haha. I don't think you'll regret training.

Also, is $60 a lot? Everyplace I've been lately is charging significantly more.

[ps1]

Also, is $60 a lot? Everyplace I've been lately is charging significantly more.

Yeah... that's a pretty reasonable rate almost anywhere. You could even try to talk the instructor into giving you a break if you pay a few months in advance. Something like $110 or even $100 for two months. Very few people are going to turn down instant cash.

[conrad665]

I wouldn't mind paying even more if the place were worth it. Besides, in my previous dojo I used to pay $30 for a school semester(4 months). I'm not that much mean:D .

It would be nice to suggest paying for two months in advance, but I don't know when my real sensei will start to attend to my real dojo again. Maybe at the end of July or maybe won't come this summer.

At least I won't give up karate. I will experience new techniques and train with different people(trying to see the good side).

[conrad665]

I'm not going there anymore! I got fungal infection from that disgusting place.

[sensei8]

Time on the mat is always the right option.

BINGO!