Anyone heard of this Franchise?

[bushido_man96]

There may have been some folks who broke away from the ATA a while back, but about all they could take with them is the business model, really. The ATA has been pretty good about copyrighting a lot of their stuff.

If that's the case, they aren't using ATA curriculum, but they might be trying to model their classes after the ATA model.

I'm not familiar with this group. I'm not sure what kind of forms they use.

[jaypo]

I'm not one to try to belittle another style, slo I'll just report what I've seen. I've sen some of the testing cycles for the local Tiger Rock school, and for 2nd dan, the students had to perform a whopping 15 minutes of techniques. One of their 2nd degree BB's came to train with us one day when I was a Shodan. He was about 20 years younger than I am. We did a lot of basics and bunkai for the first half of class, and then we did kumite. He seemed lost. This guy had beautiful kicks, and being half my age, quicker, and more flexible, I figured I would be at a disadvantage. However, I found it very easy to dispatch him, and I did not need to use a fraction of what I'm capable of. It was the typical "get in a side horse stance and shoot side kicks and spin kicks to see what would land" sparring session. I just kept jamming the kick and taking him down.

To each his own, I guess. I know the instructor has been teaching TKD for a while and is well respected. A lot of T.R. students have migrated to our school recently, and when they explain why, it's fascinating. You have to have Tiger Rock gis, tiger rock pads, tiger rock weapons, etc. Everything has to be purchased straight from them with their insignia on them. It literally costs a student a couple thousand dollars for 1 year of training. Their monthly fees are 4 times what we charge, and in my biased opinion, I believe our system is a more effective MARTIAL ARTS system, although we'll never get rich running our school. They recently advertised a "tournament" in our area, but to enter, you had to have all of the previously mentioned items to compete. So for me, I would have had to pay to enter AND purchase all of their gear.

[sensei8]

I'm not one to try to belittle another style, slo I'll just report what I've seen. I've sen some of the testing cycles for the local Tiger Rock school, and for 2nd dan, the students had to perform a whopping 15 minutes of techniques. One of their 2nd degree BB's came to train with us one day when I was a Shodan. He was about 20 years younger than I am. We did a lot of basics and bunkai for the first half of class, and then we did kumite. He seemed lost. This guy had beautiful kicks, and being half my age, quicker, and more flexible, I figured I would be at a disadvantage. However, I found it very easy to dispatch him, and I did not need to use a fraction of what I'm capable of. It was the typical "get in a side horse stance and shoot side kicks and spin kicks to see what would land" sparring session. I just kept jamming the kick and taking him down.

To each his own, I guess. I know the instructor has been teaching TKD for a while and is well respected. A lot of T.R. students have migrated to our school recently, and when they explain why, it's fascinating. You have to have Tiger Rock gis, tiger rock pads, tiger rock weapons, etc. Everything has to be purchased straight from them with their insignia on them. It literally costs a student a couple thousand dollars for 1 year of training. Their monthly fees are 4 times what we charge, and in my biased opinion, I believe our system is a more effective MARTIAL ARTS system, although we'll never get rich running our school. They recently advertised a "tournament" in our area, but to enter, you had to have all of the previously mentioned items to compete. So for me, I would have had to pay to enter AND purchase all of their gear.

Solid post; spoke in volumes!!

[Judodad_karateson]

A lot of T.R. students have migrated to our school recently, and when they explain why, it's fascinating. You have to have Tiger Rock gis, tiger rock pads, tiger rock weapons, etc. Everything has to be purchased straight from them with their insignia on them. It literally costs a student a couple thousand dollars for 1 year of training.

Yeah, that's a HUGE red flag. I understand the need for uniformity in things like gis, and sparring gear and other safety equipment, but Accessories like weapons? I mean, is it cheaper in comparison to Century or something?

[jaypo]

A lot of T.R. students have migrated to our school recently, and when they explain why, it's fascinating. You have to have Tiger Rock gis, tiger rock pads, tiger rock weapons, etc. Everything has to be purchased straight from them with their insignia on them. It literally costs a student a couple thousand dollars for 1 year of training.

Yeah, that's a HUGE red flag. I understand the need for uniformity in things like gis, and sparring gear and other safety equipment, but Accessories like weapons? I mean, is it cheaper in comparison to Century or something?

From what I've heard from the parents, it's way more expensive!

[sensei8]

A lot of T.R. students have migrated to our school recently, and when they explain why, it's fascinating. You have to have Tiger Rock gis, tiger rock pads, tiger rock weapons, etc. Everything has to be purchased straight from them with their insignia on them. It literally costs a student a couple thousand dollars for 1 year of training.

Yeah, that's a HUGE red flag. I understand the need for uniformity in things like gis, and sparring gear and other safety equipment, but Accessories like weapons? I mean, is it cheaper in comparison to Century or something?

From what I've heard from the parents, it's way more expensive!

Brands cost money, yet, the brands set the price. If TR is more than Century based on the brand, then TR thinks quite a lot about themselves.

Imho!!

[Spartacus Maximus]

If they are able to do that and still have enough people willing to pay their price, then the owners must indeed be shrewd in business. Whether or not their martial arts skills are as sharp as their business sense is a separate question. What is good for business is not necessarily good for martial arts. The opposite is also true.

[sensei8]

If they are able to do that and still have enough people willing to pay their price, then the owners must indeed be shrewd in business. Whether or not their martial arts skills are as sharp as their business sense is a separate question. What is good for business is not necessarily good for martial arts. The opposite is also true.

Solid post!!

[ninjanurse]

There may have been some folks who broke away from the ATA a while back, but about all they could take with them is the business model, really. The ATA has been pretty good about copyrighting a lot of their stuff.

If that's the case, they aren't using ATA curriculum, but they might be trying to model their classes after the ATA model.

I'm not familiar with this group. I'm not sure what kind of forms they use.

They only have one form for colored belts-each belt adds on a few moves at a time...

[sensei8]

There may have been some folks who broke away from the ATA a while back, but about all they could take with them is the business model, really. The ATA has been pretty good about copyrighting a lot of their stuff.

If that's the case, they aren't using ATA curriculum, but they might be trying to model their classes after the ATA model.

I'm not familiar with this group. I'm not sure what kind of forms they use.

They only have one form for colored belts-each belt adds on a few moves at a time...

Omg...just ONE FORM?!?!? Well, that should be easy to remember.