# Sensais only there for the $$



## IsshinryuKarateGirl (Jul 29, 2003)

I feel that my sensai is teaching just for the money, not for you.  He pushes his students through kata, not letting them learn at their own pace.  He pushes his students to buy weapons, even when the student isn't old enough, or just can't handle it.  I am realy thankful that my sensai has two dojos and is not always at mine, leaving the one black belt who has a teacher's rank teaching.  I would be estatic if this black belt would open his own dojo very soon, because his classes are much better than my sensai's.  It is to the point now, that the only time my sensai comes to the classes that I go to is when he has to collect money.  I was just wondering if anyone else had this problem and I also wanted to hear how some of you would deal with this problem!!

:asian: artyon: :erg:


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## A.R.K. (Jul 29, 2003)

I'm assuming from your handle that you study Issinryu, are there any other schools of this discipline in your area?  If not, surely there must be schools of other disciplines.  Don't waste your time and your money where YOU are not appreciated!  An instructor should make the effort to make every serious student feel like their # 1 and he appreciates their loyalty.  If you think he's only interested in your checkbook, take it and yourself to someone that will treat you with respect.

:asian:


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## old_sempai (Jul 30, 2003)

Your complaint is not an uncommon one, and while I can't speak for others it has happened to me more than once.... and after doing favors for more than one teacher, even though I ignored the obvious fact that they were taking advantage of my good nature I finally just stopped doing classes at their dojos.  At the time I was studying two different, but interelated arts.  Today I work out with and teach my son.


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## OULobo (Jul 30, 2003)

When I started training martial arts, I found an instructor that had a great background, a proggressing career and a true love of the arts and cultures. As the years went, on his outlook seemed to change; attitude became more aggressive  , started doing weird things to appearance :ubercool: , spending money on flashy items, flirting :ladysman: , and other things. I put these things away as perogative and personality, but didn't think that the man had changed inside.  :idunno:

I believed this until I found out that certain people were getting charged more, he was showing up very late to class and even rumors of drugs. It broke my heart that a man I had respected and that had such a great feeling for the arts had lost his humble passion and generous understanding and replaced it with greed. :angry: :disgust:

The worst part is that I found a competitor in the same town with comparable credentials, and the old passion and understanding I respected most. Now I feel like a traitor for going to a competitor.  

I miss the days when you could do chores for people to pay dues or when the teacher just taught because he loved to and wanted to proigate the art. These are a dying breed and I cherish the few I still know of.  You might not get any "wallpaper" or certifications, but you gained the most important thing, knowledge. :mst:


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## streetwise (Jul 30, 2003)

"I miss the days when you could do chores for people to pay dues or when the teacher just taught because he loved to and wanted to proigate the art."

I agree, BUT students have changed, too. I used to train in garages, parks, rec centers. I talk to young people evryday who would never train in those places. The place has to nice, with AC, mirrors, changing rooms, etc. All of that costs money, in some cities, a LOT of money.


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## OULobo (Jul 30, 2003)

> _Originally posted by streetwise _
> *"I miss the days when you could do chores for people to pay dues or when the teacher just taught because he loved to and wanted to proigate the art."
> 
> I agree, BUT students have changed, too. I used to train in garages, parks, rec centers. I talk to young people evryday who would never train in those places. The place has to nice, with AC, mirrors, changing rooms, etc. All of that costs money, in some cities, a LOT of money. *



Students like that aren't worth training and aren't worthy of the art. If the student isn't motivated enough to train in an unpleasent environment then he, most likely isn't dedicated enough to train very long anyway. He has no idea of the value of this knowledge. 

I'm not trying to attack anyone who trains or teaches at a nice or new school. Its fine to want some new/nice things, but not at the cost of the knowledge.


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## IsshinryuKarateGirl (Jul 30, 2003)

I thank you all for your help and advice.  I am just waiting for the day when I can go and train under the one black belt I was referring to.  He's really into teaching you and only you, he's not that interested in the money.  He has told people in the dojo that he is looking into starting his own dojo.  I just hope that it isn't too far away from where I am at, because he is a great instructor.  I would switch dojos in a heartbeat!


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## theletch1 (Jul 30, 2003)

> When I started training martial arts, I found an instructor that had a great background, a proggressing career and a true love of the arts and cultures. As the years went, on his outlook seemed to change; attitude became more aggressive  , started doing weird things to appearance  , spending money on flashy items, flirting  , and other things. I put these things away as perogative and personality, but didn't think that the man had changed inside.



Man, have you ever trained in the roanoke virginia area because that is the exact same scenario from my first school.  I've since moved to another style all together and am loving it.  I hated to leave the old style and a lot of the people I was training with but it was something that had to be done.  Most of the serious students at that first school have since moved on.  I've never been one to believe that a martial arts instructor needed to be a monk or saint but I feel that anyone who puts themselves in a position to teach martial arts should have a certain fiber which can be an example to all of his/her students regardless of the students rank.  There are many instructors who, the higher rank a student achieves and the closer the student gets to the instructor begin to show their "dark" side.


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## OULobo (Jul 30, 2003)

> _Originally posted by theletch1 _
> *Man, have you ever trained in the roanoke virginia area because that is the exact same scenario from my first school.  I've since moved to another style all together and am loving it.  I hated to leave the old style and a lot of the people I was training with but it was something that had to be done.  Most of the serious students at that first school have since moved on.  I've never been one to believe that a martial arts instructor needed to be a monk or saint but I feel that anyone who puts themselves in a position to teach martial arts should have a certain fiber which can be an example to all of his/her students regardless of the students rank.  There are many instructors who, the higher rank a student achieves and the closer the student gets to the instructor begin to show their "dark" side. *



Never VA, but still sounds like we are on the same page in terms of instructor mentallity. You can't be a monk too easily now adays, and I personally wouldn't want to learn from one. I prefer a person who can have a beer every so often, will come to or hold parties and has a little bit of fire, but knows how to be fair if not honorable.


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## kenpo2dabone (Aug 7, 2003)

> _Originally posted by OULobo _
> *Students like that aren't worth training and aren't worthy of the art. If the student isn't motivated enough to train in an unpleasent environment then he, most likely isn't dedicated enough to train very long anyway. He has no idea of the value of this knowledge.
> 
> I'm not trying to attack anyone who trains or teaches at a nice or new school. Its fine to want some new/nice things, but not at the cost of the knowledge. *




Salute,

Mike Miller UKF


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## J-kid (Aug 7, 2003)

Its time for you to get out of that mcdojo aka belt factory.


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## kenpo2dabone (Aug 7, 2003)

Sorry I had kind of glitch when I posted above and the words that I wrote did not make the post for some reason.

here is what I said...

You seem to be a little harsh on students who train in nice schools. Most newbies to the martial Arts don't know much about Martial Arts or how to go about choosing a place to learne. They don't know that there are different styles they just know that Karate is Karate or so they think. most student are going to look at your prices then decide they are going to decide if they like you as an instructor then they are going to look at the environment when making there decision. If all other things are equal the student is going to choose the nicer facility. Wouldn't you? 

By the way I started my training in a school that was about 600 sq. feat and smelled like dirty gym socks. We had to get ther a half an hour early to let the place air out before students started showing up so they wouldn't puke as result of the pungent odor. It was a blessing when were able to move into a much larger building and put in two bathroom and dressing rooms so men and women did not have to share. We also built an office inside that gave the environment a proffesional atmosphere. It was a welcome change as I had become part owner of that school just before wwe moved.

Salute,
Mike Miller UKF


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## OULobo (Aug 8, 2003)

> _Originally posted by kenpo2dabone _
> *Sorry I had kind of glitch when I posted above and the words that I wrote did not make the post for some reason.
> 
> here is what I said...
> ...



Like I posted, I'm not attacking new or nice schools, or the people who train in them. I just think that in a lot of arts/schools the people should be able to decide in the so called "trial classes" if this is for them. As a student and instuctor, I dislike wasting time on people who are half-assed in their attitude and training. I find that in "ugly" schools people need to be dedicated just to walk in and even more dedicated to deal with the environment. Half the schools I train in are by invite only and some don't even charge. Some charge in labor for the school (painting, improvements, supplies). Some charge a minimal $15/month, just to buy bottles of water for the gym. 

This isn't a tough guy thing either. The "toughest" gym I ever trained in had couple of 50 year olds, a few women (one was 5'5 and <100lbs) and a physically challanged individual. These people took their hits and kept showing up.


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## jeffkyle (Aug 8, 2003)

I often wonder if those people get what they deserve by the fact that their students all leave and they get put out of business.  It would be a nice thing to believe, but I have seen too many that seem to make it...usually because they are all about the money, and get enough to stay afloat forever.  Life is a crazy thing....
:shrug:


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## IsshinryuKarateGirl (Aug 9, 2003)

> _Originally posted by jeffkyle _
> *I often wonder if those people get what they deserve by the fact that their students all leave and they get put out of business.  It would be a nice thing to believe, but I have seen too many that seem to make it...usually because they are all about the money, and get enough to stay afloat forever.  Life is a crazy thing....
> :shrug: *



Listen to this...my sensai goes kinda two-faced here.  At first when you start out in his school, he's all great and helps you out; basically teaches you like a sensai should.  But once you make about green belt or so, which is a little less than halfway to black belt, he starts treating you horribly.  Right now I'm still in the school because my sensai doesn't really teach anymore, he has one of his black belts teach instead.  What's bad though is that he doesn't even show up for classes in my school, it's just basically ran by the black belt who teaches the classes; which I wouldn't mind at all if he did take over the school.


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## samuraishira (Aug 10, 2003)

sensei is never there at the dojo...i'm not to sure he's only there for cash though ...


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## IsshinryuKarateGirl (Aug 10, 2003)

YAY!!  It's Shira!!


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## theletch1 (Aug 11, 2003)

> sensei is never there at the dojo...i'm not to sure he's only there for cash though



Could it be that he is only there for the ego trip that he gets from being a martial arts school owner?


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## IsshinryuKarateGirl (Aug 14, 2003)

> _Originally posted by samuraishira _
> *sensei is never there at the dojo...i'm not to sure he's only there for cash though ... *



Yes, he is never at the dojo.  But he is there when it comes time to get the money!


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