Leaving a Dojo

[Aikidoka]

I am thinking of leaving my aikido dojo to persue wing chun more fully. I have been at this dojo for a year and a half and I don't know how to leave without injuring anyone's feelings. Has anyone else had trouble with leaving their dojos? How do you tell your teacher that their art/style isn't good enough for you?

 

 

[Patrick]

Well, I wouldn't come out and say that the style isn't good enough.

 

How about saying something like:

 

"It is time for me to move on to something else, I want to experience different arts and see what I like and what I don't." Be nice.

 

 

[thaiboxerken]

Just tell him that you want to quit. If he asks for a reason, just tell him you want to explore something else. If he gets pissy, walk away.

 

 

[Kickbutt]

Ditto...

 

Lori

 

 

[KickChick]

Definitely be honest with your instructor about your leaving. The school couldn't have been all that bad since you have been training there for over a year. It is far better to explain why you are leaving than for someone from within the school maybe seeing you enter or leave from another dojo and telling the instructor of the old school.

 

You never know....you may want to eventually come back to your Aikido dojo in the future. This has happened with students at the school that I attend.

 

If you are changing styles I'm sure that the instructor will more than understand. If you go to another school teaching the same style you may have a little more explaining to do.

 

Deby

 

_________________

 

1st Deg. TaeKwonDo Black Belt/Fitness Kickboxing

 

(Moderator of Health & Fitness Forum)

 

"A woman does not practice martial arts so that she can fight like a man. She does so in order to

 

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[ This Message was edited by: KickChick on 2001-09-10 13:42 ]

[iamrushman]

i agree with KICKCHICK....you never want to burn any bridges you may have to cross to get back..........of course; unless an army is after you..........

 

 

[babysteffee]

Good luck with telling your instructor and good luck with the wing chun.

[Prodigy-Child]

be respectful to your sensei even though you want to leave

 

martial arts is supposed to make you happy and if you are not happy with aikido then you gotta find something else in your case it would be wing chun..............

 

if i were leaving my dojo which i would never do id say

 

"sensei you are a great instructor but i want to look for something new out there so feel that it is in my best interest to search for soemthing new"

[Angus]

Tonight i have ceased all connections with the Goju Ryu form of karate. It is defintelty NOT what i am looking for, i am not telling them what i am doing, and i really don't care what they think. I'm moving on to Muay Thai now cos i think it is more what i would want. I'm not gonna tell them that i have done anything before, cos i wanna see how they treat beginners.

 

Goju, or karate in general just had too much kata and not enough contact for me to handle. So soon i will be doing Muay Thai - yeeeehaaaaw!

 

Angus

 

 

[Aikidoka]

Thanks everyone. I feel more confident already.

 

Good luck Angus!