Training woe's

[Kyonovice]

I am starting to lose the joy of training, the "style" is not the issue, and it's not the instructor either.

I am just not happy that I am the only student at the dojo. To start with this was not an issue, I was liking the 1-1 tuition, but now I am losing that joy, I want to go to enjoy training and I just am not.

So the question is, what to do? I haven't invested much monetary wise in the training (just a new gi which was needed), so should I go look for a new club?

[hammer]

If you like the training, and you have good reason to believe that you won't be the only student long-term, then I'd say stick with it.

I've been training in a small dojo (3-4 adults in the class on a regular basis) for the past 18 months or so, and so far so good. The instructor has a lot of experience, the workouts are well-balanced, and there's plenty I can learn.

[JR 137]

Talk to your sensei about it. Does he have a plan in place?

I could see being the only student being a good thing at first, the getting old after a few months. I'd imagine it gets very monotonous.

I'd look around and see what's offered elsewhere. I'm not saying to leave, but at least have a look. The issue may, unfortunately, take care of itself. I can't see someone keeping a dojo open with 1 student for very long.

[bushido_man96]

Some people really like and enjoy the classroom setting, and like training with different partners often. If this is the case, you should try to find location that fits your needs, if you can. If you do like where you are at, try to keep doing it, as well. Or, try to recruit some other members.

[Spodo Komodo]

You could always cross-train in something very popular for the social aspect as much as the training. That is pretty much how I got back into Karate from Iaido. It never hurts to have a bit of grappling alongside your Karate and since Ju Jitsu is flavour of the month at the moment you are likely to find a vibrant scene nearby.

[Kyonovice]

Although I would love that, there are 2 main issues:

1) Time - I barely have the time for one hobby, let alone 2

2) Severe lack of Ju Jitsu in my area.

I really don't understand why the club hasn't attracted any other students, it's a well equipped dojo, local to a lot of areas. I just guess that those who want to train already have their preferred dojo's which is a shame.

[JR 137]

Are students coming in, but not staying? Or is no one even walking through the door? The answer to that one should explain why there's very few students. "Build it and they will come" worked in the movie Field of Dreams. The real world doesn't work the same way; everyone's got to advertise somehow. That can mean or doesn't necessarily mean web presence, fliers, demonstrations, word of mouth/referrals, etc.

If people aren't staying, the CI needs to look into why. It could be unrelated to teaching; perhaps the schedule/hours isn't what it should be. Costs could also be the reason.

Regardless of all of that, Kyokushin is a very hard sell. Most people don't want any part of full-contact, hard style training. They want to be unstoppable machines without anyone ever touching them or challenging them. It's a sad, sad world. I'd be willing to bet a ton of money that Kyokushin has the highest turnover rate of any MA.

It seems like your CI needs to change something. That doesn't mean he needs to change what goes on on the floor or his teaching methods/style; he shouldn't sell out for more students. Rather, his approach to recruiting students is probably the issue. It takes a very long time to grow a dojo, especially a Kyokushin dojo. But simply putting a sign up and opening the doors to a well equipped space in a great location isn't going to get it done. Maybe in Manhattan where thousands of people walk by every day, but that's an exception rather than the rule.

Maybe I'm way off.

[Kyonovice]

No one else is even coming through the door which to me is a problem

[sensei8]

If there's no joy, of any type, and you don't see any light at the end of the tunnel, then, as sad as it may seem, it's time to seek that which is enjoyable, and that might include walking away from that dojo, but hopefully, not the MA!!

I don't envy your situation. Joy must be there, and if it's not, then there's no sense in prolonging the agony any further. Especially if the style and the instructor isn't the issue.

[JR 137]

No one else is even coming through the door which to me is a problem

I'm strongly considering opening a part-time dojo when I'm qualified to do so. I figure 3rd dan, which is quite a way down the road. But this is my biggest fear.

My advice to you if you really like the instructor and dojo is to ask him how you can help get students in the door. You're invested in it; school teachers always say "this is your school." Definitely applies here IMO.

I say you're invested in it because if you weren't, you wouldn't be posting this; you'd have left without thinking twice about it.