delta1 Posted October 10, 2003 Posted October 10, 2003 Hi Guys. I was just elected "president" of my dojo. Well, you learn something new every day! What sort of things do you guys do at yours to make it more interesting and maybe even flexible for it's members. I'd really like to bring in visiting sensei's to demonstrate different styles but I'm not sure what the boundaries/guidelines are for this since there is competition between most dojos and we'd hate to lose members but I'd also like us to learn more about other styles and arts.Does anyone have suggestions at all? I'd appreciate your sharing. I don't do this as a part of a school program, but I enjoy working out with other styles. Here's some ideas based on my experiences: Sponsor some of your students who are interested to go to seminars given by other styles, then come back and pass on what they learned. Don't expect a lot from them first time out, but if they stick with it you'll get a lot out of it. If they can make friends in that style and start working out on the side with them you can eventually get a lot of good information to compare with what you are learning. Look for similarities and differences in the styles, and ask how your style would deal with their approach. Many schools have walk in policies that are pretty reasonable. Encourage some of your students to take advantage of this. Invite them to your school as well. If done in a respectfull manner, not as a competition or attempt to steal business, you will be accepted. Spar with other stylists. Either sponsor open sparing sessions, or go to their school and spar if they allow it. Most schools I'm familiar with love to have someone from aother style come in and spar, for the same reasons you should do it. It gives you experience outside your comfort zone, and prevents you getting stale. It shows up areas you need to work on, as well as things that are working for you. The biggest thing is to get out and meet the other martial artists in your area. Open up channels of communications and see what developes. You already share a common interest with them- you just have a different approach. Compare notes and see what happens. Freedom isn't free!
Guest Posted October 10, 2003 Posted October 10, 2003 Geeze, what a bunch of capitalistic money mongers you guys are! lol Sorry, but can't a person be the head of something, just because they want to help out, and not for compensation? Especially something like a college club? My opinion I guess. No wonder I'm broke all the time! lol "deserves compensation" is not always equal to "money in pocket." Perhaps a free private lesson on occasion or some reduction in dues would be appropriate. It is one thing to be elected president of the dojo and be a positive roll model, and another to do extra work beyond the time that you are at the dojo. Instructors take advantage of student's willingness to help out any expense to earn their respect. These kind of things, such as cleaning the dojo floors and washing windows and the like are examples of this. I see it happen more often and closer to home than I'd like to admit.
Shorinryu Sensei Posted October 11, 2003 Posted October 11, 2003 I guess I'm just weird. When someone in my sensei's class fell back hard against his living room wall (that's where class was held) and smashed a huge hole through the sheetrock, I helped him fix it with no thought to any sort of discount or compensation from him for my efforts. When sensei bought a house and was converting the single car garage in the alley into a dojo and didn't have money for plywood, carpet, paint, lights, etc..the whole class pitched in out of their own pockets to fix the place up, and not one person except sensei (we all declined his offer) ever mentioned that we should get free classes, money or discounts in exchange for our materials, time, muscles and skills. Sensei's wife fed us lunch/dinner, and we bought the beer. A funny thing about that class I guess. We loved our sensei, and were PROUD to help him get his dojo ready to train US. That was our compensation..a nice dojo to train in, instead of a duplex-apartment living room. Sensei was helping us make our lives better by passing on his knowledge..we all felt the least we could do is give him something in return. Maybe it's a Montana/small town thing, but a lot of people up here just don't ask, or expect any sort of compensation for doing things for other people. We jump start strangers cars in Wal-Mart parking lot on a cold day, instead of having them call a tow truck for $25-50 to do it, and don't ask for a dime in exchange, and refuse it when they offer (nice of them to offer though). We stop along side the road and pick up stranded motorists and give them rides to the nearest phone, or even take them home! Unheard of in large cities, and rightfully so I'm sure. I don't know people...I guess I believe in "what comes around, goes around", and I see no sense in expecting compensation for everything you do in life. My nightly prayer..."Please, just let me win that PowerBall Jackpot just once. I'll prove to you that it won't change me!"
delta1 Posted October 11, 2003 Posted October 11, 2003 Sensei's wife fed us lunch/dinner, and we bought the beer. Sign me up! Seriously, that post pretty much says why I live in a small Western US town. We seem to get the right things done without any governing bodies or thought of compensation, and at the same time don't begrudge anyone his due compensation for ongoing training. I guess us hicks just aren't sophisticated enough. On the other hand, if a school association works for others, who am I to judge? It's a new concept to me, though, and one I doubt I'd be comfortable with. But then I have an extreme distrust of politics in any form, so my opinion is biased to begin with. Just out of curiosity, how does this work for some of you that have this kind of system? Freedom isn't free!
Shorinryu Sensei Posted October 11, 2003 Posted October 11, 2003 I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one with that attitude delta1..CHEERS! My nightly prayer..."Please, just let me win that PowerBall Jackpot just once. I'll prove to you that it won't change me!"
KaratekaAikidoist Posted October 13, 2003 Posted October 13, 2003 I don't agree with the idea of president. I think the only ruling power should be the sensei. (no offense to you)
MawashiGeri60 Posted October 14, 2003 Posted October 14, 2003 POSTING TOURNAMENT DATES . AND GOLD WINNERS .SILVER AND BRONZE WINNERS . .. BIRTHDAYS .. EXCLUSIVE NEWSLETTERS . . BEST SPARRER BEST KATA PERFORMER .. ETC. ALL MAKES PEOPLE COME TO THE DOJO BUT BACK IT UP WITH PICTURES OR VIDEOS ..
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