backyard study

[Rob Broad]

I worked my way through the ranks, I cleaned the school, I taught lessons, I painted and anything else needed around the school, but I also know the costs of running a school. You have rent, utilities, insurance, advertising costs, it all adds up really quick. I have run the gambit when it comes to teacing, I have the students that could not afford lessons so I taught them for free, I had the people who had more money than brains and thought they could buy their rank, I have had the dedicated students that will bleed to keep the doors open, I have had the Momma Bears that thing their darling child should be a black belt but the kids can't walk and chew gum at the same time. I have ran through all types of students. I would prefer only to deal withteh dedictaed student, but if youare going to opne a school you will have to deal with all types unless you want to pay for running the place out of your own pocket.

I have no problem with dedicated students I have amjor problem with the people who everything for nothing.

 

[Mark Lynn]

Anyone who is teaching out of their backyard or in the rec centers or whatever isn't going to be making their living off of it. Generally they have their primary job that puts a roof over their head and food on the table.

Most instructors teaching in these places will be teaching because they enjoy the martial arts and they want to continue training and to pass along what they have learned.

However I have seen the look on peoples faces after the ask me where do I teach, when I tell them that I teach out of my garage. Immediatly it's like well you mustn't be any good cause you don't teach at a commercial school, or even a rec center. Like I mentioned previously I came up with having to explain where I was taught whenever I relocated and looked for another school to train at. I've spent years talking with other martial artists that I would meet out and about and there is the same stigma (not always but it's still there).

Because of my job, and my family, I teach out of my house. What I charge doesn't even pay for storage of the stuff that should be in my arage. I would like to teach at a rec center or something along that lines simply to help me have experience teaching a larger group of people in one place, more people to work with etc. etc. However I'm thankful for the student that is currently with me. ( 1 year now), he's getting to the point where we can start getting to the more intermediate material.

Mark

 

[Jim Perkins]

Well said Mark I agree 100%!

 

[OC Kid]

I concurr 100%

 

[terryl965]

Anyone who is teaching out of their backyard or in the rec centers or whatever isn't going to be making their living off of it. Generally they have their primary job that puts a roof over their head and food on the table.

Most instructors teaching in these places will be teaching because they enjoy the martial arts and they want to continue training and to pass along what they have learned.

However I have seen the look on peoples faces after the ask me where do I teach, when I tell them that I teach out of my garage. Immediatly it's like well you mustn't be any good cause you don't teach at a commercial school, or even a rec center. Like I mentioned previously I came up with having to explain where I was taught whenever I relocated and looked for another school to train at. I've spent years talking with other martial artists that I would meet out and about and there is the same stigma (not always but it's still there).

Because of my job, and my family, I teach out of my house. What I charge doesn't even pay for storage of the stuff that should be in my arage. I would like to teach at a rec center or something along that lines simply to help me have experience teaching a larger group of people in one place, more people to work with etc. etc. However I'm thankful for the student that is currently with me. ( 1 year now), he's getting to the point where we can start getting to the more intermediate material.

Mark

Mark hang in there you have so much quality in your life keep up the good work in one day God will give back 10 times, remember all of us started out small some of us stay small, so we can teach, not heard a bunch of cattle to make a buck or two.... I know they are not cattle so no comments ok... also I know not everybody is out to make a buck.....GOD BLESS AMERICA

 

[Rob Broad]

Mark shoot me your email address and I will send you a ebook that might help you when you start to work with larger numbers.

 

[kenpo tiger]

This thread is so not what I thought it was. Interesting stuff.

The discussion about whether to charge, what to charge, when, etc. was an interesting debate. I don't know that there is a clear-cut answer. As many pointed out, human nature is such that if people aren't paying for something, they will be inclined to do something else that's 'more interesting'.

As to the momma bears (loved that) - I refer to them as Little League parents. And it's not just the moms. There are many dads who bring their little ones to class and who hang over the half-wall "teaching" while we're trying to. Thanks, but I think we've got it.

I trained with one of my tkd instructors in his garage for quite a few months after I left the dojang (as did he and a few others.) The post about sparring, being taken down on the concrete floor and having to get up rang a bell in my head (other than the ones rung during training!) We did that for a while, until my friend's marriage was on the rocks (not from the three of us who were his students) and he decided he had to get another paying job to support the alimony payments. I've asked a couple of times if he's going to go back to doing the garage classes, and the answer is always no, he needs the money. Too bad. It was great experience, especially because I started my ma career in a McDojo and came to realize that you don't have pretty, comfortable surroundings in which to fight in the real world. And sometimes you get hurt when you fall because there isn't a mat under you in the real world.

That same tkd instructor took me and my two friends with him to a YMCA class in goju ryu run by a buddy of his. It was a give and take situation for the four of us to be there. We taught basic tkd to his students, and they taught us basic goju ryu. Great feeling of comraderie because the serious students were the ones who consistently showed up for class and we all learned from each other.

My kenpo school isn't fancy but it's clean (well, mostly!) It's very family-oriented - there are many fathers and children who train together, as well as some moms who come to class during the day. The majority of parents are usually there watching the classes - in fact, all of them stay for the Tiny Tigers. It's nice seeing dads come in with their older ones to take class while pushing a stroller with their little one(s) in it. I think that's because the school is in a very tight-knit neighborhood where they all know each other. (Not me - I'm an import! Found it because my best friend lives around the corner from the school.)

So, the point of this thread for me is -- we all do what we do because we love doing it, regardless of where we do it.

Good hearing from everyone about this. (Oh- and the hot girls comment was entertaining. Sounded like lyric from a Carly Simon song. ) KT

 

[Rob Broad]

If I was independendly wealthy and set for life I would probably teach for free, in a nice comfortable school. I would be able to pick and chose and keep only the serious students, but we all know that ain't happening.

I might qualify a serious student differently than anyone else. To me a serious student is someone who comes out and gives everything they have every class. They don't have to be the best student in the school, they just have to try.

 

[OC Kid]

Chuck Norris in his book said something simular. That he would perfer a student who everything came hard for them as far as atheltic ability but showed up to calss and gave it their all. I feel the same way

 

[Mark Lynn]

If I was independendly wealthy and set for life I would probably teach for free, in a nice comfortable school. I would be able to pick and chose and keep only the serious students, but we all know that ain't happening.

I might qualify a serious student differently than anyone else. To me a serious student is someone who comes out and gives everything they have every class. They don't have to be the best student in the school, they just have to try.

It can sometimes.

The school that I taught TKD at was run by an Isshin ryu instructor. He spent 15 years working out on his own in the middle of the night on his driveway, yard etc. etc. due to his work. Well he retired early, and felt that God had lead him to a old hotel/Masonic lodge building that was 100+years old and in bad need of repair. He spent a good portion of his retirement money on restoring the old building. And for close to 5 years he taught Isshin ryu in a podunk little town about 20 minutes away from me.

In talking with him one night he told me about how God and led him out there and how he lost money on the school each year. He didn't run it as a commercial dojo, he serviced in a sense the country folk. But he didn't care because he got to teach in his own way the way he liked, it was his sandbox and if people wanted to come and play in it for a time that was fine with him.
He charged $35.00 per month for one or $70.00 for two or more family members. One of my friends and co-workers had 4 people (him and his kids) for $70.00 bucks a month. We had a lot of father/mother and sons/daughters taking class together in the American TKD classes.

Well he was kind of getting tired of running a school and all and one day a guy walked in and asked if he wanted to sell the place. Gave him a offer that was twice what he had in the place. Allowed him to move out to his house out in the country and build a dojo on his property (all paid for), and now he has the Isshin ryu students that are faithfull and he's happy. Doing what he loves best.

My karate instructor did just the opposite. He felt that God opened the door for him to teach at a great fitness center in Dallas. He actually could make a good living teaching in one of the premier fitness centers as the martial arts pro, and teach his system the way he wanted to. So he did 6-7 years ago. He went back to teaching a pretty hard core method in this trendy place and has developed some real good students out of this program. And still, some of the old timers are still out at his dojo (his house) several times a week to train and fight like the old days. And he has a pretty good base of students probably close to 100 or so in his programs at the fitness center.

And I totally agree 100% with you last paragraph.

Oh and to the others who wrote some words of encouragement to me THANKS.

Mark