But aren't those rules driven by the facility, not the teacher? I have an acquaintance who teaches in an FBI office; non-LE (and really, non-FBI) visitors need advance planning...
I don't know that I quite agree with that line -- though your child protection laws are undoubtedly different from ours. I would think that the more open a setting is -- the less opportunity for something untoward to happen. I know that's the philosophy that underlies the current rules in the Boy Scouts of America and also within functions at my church -- that kids aren't to be secluded with adults.
It's never good to be alone with someone else's kid like that even if the person is a good guy who would never harm a child. Unfortunately not every kid is an angel and some children will lie to put an adult in trouble. Not being alone is as much for protecting the adult as it is the child. It's a win - win for both sides. Children won't be taken advantage of and adults will be protected from a child who would want to lie. When I was working in youth development it was always policy and employees were always warned and reminded that children aren't always truthful and some of the meanest lies will come from a child's mouth. Open settings with multiple people children and adults is the safest environment all around.
Perfect!
Depends on the instructor(s) and the club's "personality." Old (OLD!) School Judo used to be a lot less competitive from what I've read and been told. Competition, way back then, was only one facet of Judo, not the entire art. I recall finding an old BB Mag from the late '60s (ims) where a Judoka wrote in bemoaning how the Olympics had sportified Judo and the emphasis on competition was running off older Judoka who couldn't compete any more and people who just weren't interested in competition.
Wow thats very cheap compared to here. BJJ/MMA gyms are double to triple that rate
I'm OK with some arts dying.
Actually, I think there are secrets. Everyone does what they do for a reason, so, they are a master of their concern. In Kenpo, for instance, everyone does it differently, and everybody around them says they are awesome, but, I ain't seeing it, half the time, and neither does any other kenpoist. You try to tell them, and, they scoff at you. So, while nothing is a secret, you would never know it, in Kenpoland. Nobody listens to the secret stuff, anyway.
WC punches don't use body/hip rotation. It does hurt their power compared to other arts, but skilled practitioners are able to utilize other body dynamics to generate some reasonable impact.
Luckily, if you go 30 minutes out of the city to either Long Island or NJ, there are plenty of places that have no issue with a free lesson or two (or 3) because of the distinct lack of tourists.
