I Lost Two Students Tonight

[rlobrecht]

Doesn't losing customers ALWAYS reflect on the business and it's employees? I mean, ideally, we would offer a high enough quality service at a competitive enough price that we would NEVER lose customers.

There will always be circumstances beyond a customers control, which could cause them to leave you. Families move. Children go to college. Someone gets injured (doing something unrelated). If you took all of those things to heart, you'd make yourself miserable.

I think given the reaction of the couple (inviting you to dinner) there are no hard feelings. You may have lost a customer, but it sounds like you could have kept a friend.

Rick

 

[Twin Fist]

Doesn't losing customers ALWAYS reflect on the business and it's employees?
-Rob

nope, here is why

there are some people that will never be happy

you go hard core? you lose the pansy

you go pansy, you lose the hard core

you go middle of the road? you lose both

besides, he didnt quit, he got injured, and if you are teaching REAL martial arts, students WILL get injured.

 

[Champ-Pain]

Rob: This sort of thing happens, it's NOT your fault - so don't blame yourself. 3 months ago, I accidentally fell on a 13 year old student while doing randori with another student... and fractured his ankle. It probably hurt me more than it did him - but that is life... **** happens! I've had 4 knee operations on my left and 1 on my right - and I still roll, randori and anything else, anyone throws at me - Nothing can stop me from doing what I love - NOT pain, injury or anything at all. I hope your student recovers and I wish you all the luck in the world.

 

[Lee Mainprize]

Yes the best of the best lose students so don't be so harsh on yourself.

One of my in experienced instructors was doing jump front kicks with beginners and a guy broke his ankle - I felt bad and ensured I made a list with my Instructors on what not to teach beginners.

 

[Twin Fist]

look at it this way, Ed Parker lost every one of his first group of black belts.

 

[Buka]

Never heard of a Dojo that had a hundred percent retention rate. Students come, students go. Your job as an instructor is to teach the ones that are there. And it sounds like you're doing a damn fine job.

 

[Blade96]

Really sad when that happens. My cousin's bf was a MA, and a while before he was gonna test for bb he had a motorcycle accident and couldn't train anymore. Its so sad

It wasn't your fault either. Its punchy kicky karate, and things happen.

But its so sad

 

[shesulsa]

So many great replies!

Rob, just to echo what others have said, the fact that you care indicates your level of dedication to your *students* and to the process of learning and training. If we are to bring this knowledge into us and have it be part of us and we impart this ideal upon those who seek tutelage, then we take great care with the people in our charge.

Keep in touch with these folks. Perhaps they will return one day if they get a more open-minded orthopedist. In the meantime ... you are doing what matters and you're obviously a good teacher.

Brush yourself off, perhaps entertain ways this man could train that would protect his knees (accommodate/modify your curriculum) and perhaps you'll find occasion to bring it out in the future either for him or for other students with knee injuries (they're fairly common, you know).

Rock on!

 

[OKenpo942]

That's awesome, Rob. I know it is tough to deal with the injury of one of your students, but it sounds like you have a good understanding of what it takes to just push through the mental anguish of it. I can really tell that you care for both what you are teaching and your students.

A message like that is so reassurinig. Keep it up, brother.

James

 

[ATACX GYM]

I know how you feel man,it happened to me awhile ago too..and I made a couple of changes that I've been using in my personal training regime which made all the difference from that point forward until now,years later:

1) Add yoga as part of your warmup,exercise drills for the class and warmdown.Focus especially on all the joints.The students feel better immediately and there is a notable change in energy level and focus inside of 7 training days.Not kidding.Ask your students if they feel the difference during and after every class,and share how you feel from the martial yoga that you're doing.They'll open up and each person sharing their experience empowers everyone else with like experiences.

2) Provide and/or have your students wear knee and elbow pads in EVERY rolling,breakfalling and grappling session.Make it mandatory and make people show you their pads before they get on the ground.If they don't have the pads? Make your students stick with vertical grappling until they DO get the pads.In free sparring where we mix grappling and striking and weapons? I make everyone gear up or they're not on the floor.

3) I've had zero injuries and complaints ever since.