Advice regarding potentially teaching needed

[MasterPain]

Outside of Judo competitions members from my dojo have competed in "Throwdowns" hosted by a different and well known martial arts website.

Kintanon vs Sirc Gong Sau

Bets?

[Liver Punch]

I can't imagine walking into Harvey's and telling them that my choices to train seriously were between me learning there…. or me learning from my uncle John who did a few years of boxing in the Navy.

This might be at the heart of our difference in opinion about this. Where I'm originally from, you couldn't walk into a boxing gym to save your life. In all honesty, you'd be pretty lucky if someone had an uncle John who boxed in the Navy.

I didn't notice you were from New Jersey until just now, and I certainly understand where you're coming from. You'd have to drive a long time to find a Shotokan gym where I'm originally from, and if you were interested in something like that, a brown belt who had a good teaching style would be appreciated. The guys that still attend my "home gym" are 25 miles from a TKD gym, 25 miles from a good MMA gym, over an hour away from a legitimate Muay Thai Gym, over an hour away from a legit BJJ school, and I couldn't tell you where you could find a dedicated karate dojo.

So, yeah - in the metropolis of New Jersey, this guy's idea probably sounds insane. From my personal location and therefore history, a million dollars couldn't get you a karate lesson within walking distance.

Maybe this is a case of location, location, location? It's hard for us to not say "the more the merrier", whereas in a real life city, you're probably full to the gills. If I were in a large city with lots of competition, I'd be nuts to open up a school without some seriously amazing credentials.

[Daisho]

Outside of Judo competitions members from my dojo have competed in "Throwdowns" hosted by a different and well known martial arts website.

Kintanon vs Sirc Gong Sau

Bets?

Kintanon's guard better be sick. Can Sirc strike though? Kintanon is a kyokushin BB on top of BJJ blue (purple?) belt. No striking game is a nightmare among amateur fights. I learned that the hard way in that fight vs the MT/wrestler from Queens.

[Daisho]

I can't imagine walking into Harvey's and telling them that my choices to train seriously were between me learning there…. or me learning from my uncle John who did a few years of boxing in the Navy.

This might be at the heart of our difference in opinion about this. Where I'm originally from, you couldn't walk into a boxing gym to save your life. In all honesty, you'd be pretty lucky if someone had an uncle John who boxed in the Navy.

I didn't notice you were from New Jersey until just now, and I certainly understand where you're coming from. You'd have to drive a long time to find a Shotokan gym where I'm originally from, and if you were interested in something like that, a brown belt who had a good teaching style would be appreciated. The guys that still attend my "home gym" are 25 miles from a TKD gym, 25 miles from a good MMA gym, over an hour away from a legitimate Muay Thai Gym, over an hour away from a legit BJJ school, and I couldn't tell you where you could find a dedicated karate dojo.

So, yeah - in the metropolis of New Jersey, this guy's idea probably sounds insane. From my personal location and therefore history, a million dollars couldn't get you a karate lesson within walking distance.

Maybe this is a case of location, location, location? It's hard for us to not say "the more the merrier", whereas in a real life city, you're probably full to the gills. If I were in a large city with lots of competition, I'd be nuts to open up a school without some seriously amazing credentials.

Man Liver, ya know I hand't even considered how difficult it might be in other areas to find instruction. I live about 5 mins from Manhattan, 1.5 hours from Philadelphia, 5 mins from Brooklyn, Queens, 25 mins from the Bronx etc. There's literally A TON of schools here. Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Okinawan, Philippino, boxing, wrestling, etc etc etc.

I guess either way CallMeLuke has received a ton of feedback highlighting both sides of the situation. From here it's up to him to decide how useful his program might be.

[MasterPain]

I think Sirc trains with Omega, who is a pretty good striker. I didn't realize Kintanon was a Kyukushin BB.

Also, I'm over here at LiverPunch's old town. Our whole county has a population of about 10,000 and about that many hogs and cows. We've been lucky enough to have good instruction, and I consider us to be good general martial artists. But if we want quality specialized instruction in one area, it involves some travel. Then we bring back a few drills and make them our own. Our friend at the MMA gym travels all over and breathes martial arts.

[CallMeLuke]

Many thanks to each and every one of you who has contributed to this thread. Regardless of whether you're fore or against my potential plan, you've given me much to think about. I've got plenty of time to think through the many issues that have been raised, and in the meantime I'll continue to train and develop myself.

Great forum, great contributors!

[bushido_man96]

I can't imagine walking into Harvey's and telling them that my choices to train seriously were between me learning there…. or me learning from my uncle John who did a few years of boxing in the Navy.

This might be at the heart of our difference in opinion about this. Where I'm originally from, you couldn't walk into a boxing gym to save your life. In all honesty, you'd be pretty lucky if someone had an uncle John who boxed in the Navy.

I didn't notice you were from New Jersey until just now, and I certainly understand where you're coming from. You'd have to drive a long time to find a Shotokan gym where I'm originally from, and if you were interested in something like that, a brown belt who had a good teaching style would be appreciated. The guys that still attend my "home gym" are 25 miles from a TKD gym, 25 miles from a good MMA gym, over an hour away from a legitimate Muay Thai Gym, over an hour away from a legit BJJ school, and I couldn't tell you where you could find a dedicated karate dojo.

So, yeah - in the metropolis of New Jersey, this guy's idea probably sounds insane. From my personal location and therefore history, a million dollars couldn't get you a karate lesson within walking distance.

Maybe this is a case of location, location, location? It's hard for us to not say "the more the merrier", whereas in a real life city, you're probably full to the gills. If I were in a large city with lots of competition, I'd be nuts to open up a school without some seriously amazing credentials.

Man Liver, ya know I hand't even considered how difficult it might be in other areas to find instruction. I live about 5 mins from Manhattan, 1.5 hours from Philadelphia, 5 mins from Brooklyn, Queens, 25 mins from the Bronx etc. There's literally A TON of schools here. Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Okinawan, Philippino, boxing, wrestling, etc etc etc.

I guess either way CallMeLuke has received a ton of feedback highlighting both sides of the situation. From here it's up to him to decide how useful his program might be.

I'm in a town of 25,000 in the middle of Kansas, and we have the TKD school I go to, a Karate school that has a sport/fitness focus to its curriculum, and the Aikido club I attended for a while at the college campus. The college also has a Defensive Tactics club that does a good amount of ground fighting. Aside from that, you're looking at the local Wrestling programs.

All in all, its probably a pretty good selection considering the location. There is also an MMA gym in a small town about 30 minutes of driving time south on the highway. The guy who runs that show is I believe a black belt product from the old Karate gym here years ago, and now does a small MMA promotion. They have fights out of their gym occasionally, but I've heard some guys around say that the gym isn't very good quality...lot of brawling more or less, I've heard.

[shotokanz]

I'm a brown belt as well, and i'm actually starting my first class tomorrow (teaching i mean) night at 5:30pm. The only other location to train shotokan around here for at least an hour or more drive is the school i came from, which since my leave has become more and more mc dojoy, so i wouldn't recommend it to people anymore anyways.

I don't know how well the class will work out, how big it will get, or if it will grow at all, all i know is i'm charging a fair rate for the knowledge i have, and tailoring it more towards self defense than the traditional schooling alot of places offer (kata will be covered eventually, but it's not high on my list of immediate things to do for people), and i will be mixing it will some of the other training i've received. I'm approaching it with a very Jeet Kun Do type attitude (i've trained shotokan for 9 years, other things for a while now, started getting rid of the ridiculous things, focusing more on what actually works), and i think it's going to work out nicely.

I will still teach all the traditional techniques, but i will put an emphasis on what i feel is actually effective and what's just going to get people hurt.

Anyways the point of my post is, if you're comfortable doing it, and you feel you can change some lives doing it, then do it. You're clearly not out to rip anyone off, and you seem to have your self in order. I only hope i can gain confidence through doing this, because right now i'm very nervous about teaching this class (obviously will take a few weeks to get comfortable doing it), but i think it will work out for the best.

Anyways rant over, if you wanna do it, do it!

[CallMeLuke]

Good luck with the class. I'm sure that it will go well.

Don't be too put off if things don't at first go as smoothly as you'd like; remember that both you and your new students will need to progress along a learning curve. Your lessons will improve as you get into the teaching groove and as your students learn what to expect and how to behave.

I hope you'll let us know how you're getting along!

[shotokanz]

Thanks, and i will ^_^

The hardest part for me will be figuring out how to run the cirriculum each time and fitting in everything i want to do each day lol.

For example, i want to cover reverse punches, the 4 basic blocks, 3 kicks, knife hands (if only for the ability to shift from back to front stance properly) back fists, jabs, line drills, etc.

I also want to combine in the kicks i know from muay thai training and a few other things such as their elbows and the like as well.

I want to do pad and bag work with people (equipment limited to start, it will grow eventually, only a few bags to start), work on combos, drills there, timing etc.

Want to work on the judo throws that i know (once we get mats in the gym i'm doing this at), and some ground work as well.

Want to do 20-25 minutes of hard conditioning work each class as well, as it was the most overlooked part of when i trained martial arts, and it's usually the MOST important.

All this in a 90 minute class lol.

Obviously won't cover EVERYTHING every time, but i wanna get enough in, but still be able to work on enough repitition to help people get it ingrained, and also keep it interesting, as i'm taking people who have NO prior martial arts experience, that don't even know if they will like it and basing my class around them to start lol.

Gonna be an adventure ^_^ I just hope i don't like stumble out of my horse stance infront of everyone or something, or have my voice crack cause i'm nervous xD