Looking for karate school in west LA / santa monica area

[Ella]

I'm currently going to a karate school in south gate, which I really like, but when class starts at 7 I have to leave at 5:45 to make it to class on time through traffic.

My favorite thing to do is spar, and I like competitions a lot. Can anyone recommend some good karate schools in the area?

My base art is kenpo, and I did find one kenpo school in the area, but I wasn't impressed with the teaching nor the rates.

 

[Tames D]

I'm currently going to a karate school in south gate, which I really like, but when class starts at 7 I have to leave at 5:45 to make it to class on time through traffic.

My favorite thing to do is spar, and I like competitions a lot. Can anyone recommend some good karate schools in the area?

My base art is kenpo, and I did find one kenpo school in the area, but I wasn't impressed with the teaching nor the rates.

Bryan Hawkins is in West Los Angeles.

 

[terryl965]

Here is a link to Hawkins school www.uks-kenpo.comhttp://www.uks-kenpo.com

Here is another one for you www.hipnkick.com

 

[Ella]

Yes, hawkins was the school which I found and was not impressed with.

 

[Empty Hands]

Yes, hawkins was the school which I found and was not impressed with.

Hi Ella,

I am a student at this school. I am always interested in others opinions; would you mind telling me what you didn't like?

Thanks.

 

[Ella]

I don't mind.

Bryan Hawkins himself seemed like a good instructor. However, as a beginning student I was being taught by brown belts. This normally wouldnt have been a problem, but I myself am already a brown belt in Chinese Kenpo, which is an extremely similar style. I don't have a problem learning from other brown belts - anyone who can teach me I'm willing to listen to. But already having a brown belt, I think I noticed some things that maybe a white belt wouldnt.

One of the first classes I was in we were meant to be learning a technique for a person who was grabbing your right shoulder with their left hand, standing very close to you. The first thing we were told to do was step to the right and chop. If the person was standing very close to you, this wouldnt result in a chop to the neck; it would result in an elbow to the neck.

I asked about this, and the person instructing told me I was correct, it was meant for someone who was a little further away, not close up as originally told.

I noticed several other similar inconsistancies but did not say anything, because I didn't want to be rude. However, I think the person instructing you should know the material WELL.

Secondly, as I previously mentioned, I already have a brown belt in a similar style. When I tried a couple of classes, I was allowed to come to the intermediate and advanced classes. While never explicitly stated, I was under the impression that I was going to be allowed to continue to do so. However, after I paid for 3 months of classes, I was told that I needed to buy a new uniform, stop wearing my black gi and brown belt, and only come to the beginning classes.

There were also times when I asked a question when I didn't understand the movement being shown or the purpose of the movement being shown, and instead of being answered in words, I was shown the exact same movement again. When I would ask the question more specifically, it would yield the same result.

In fighting class, never once did I hear plans or tactics discussed. Fighters basically lined up with no plans, and went to hit each other. No one mentioned setting plays up, drawing people into attacks, or fakes. Also, within the first fighting class, I had a man at least twice my weight and quite a bit taller than me hitting me very hard. I was using normal control, but after being blasted, I got set on a defensive side kick and took his air away. I'm sure it was unpleasant, but it was fully deserved and not unreasonable force. The only way I can describe what happened next would be a hissy fit. Come to think of it, I made a thread about it. http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50097

Anyway, they're might have been a couple of other things but that's enough to be getting along with, I think.

 

[Empty Hands]

I don't mind.

Thanks for being honest; I am always evaluating my school and I appreciate your perspective.

Bryan Hawkins himself seemed like a good instructor.

A fantastic instructor. Too bad I have only had him teach maybe half a dozen of my classes in the almost-year I have been there. I don't mind so much since I am still a
beginner and the 3-4 dan BB's running most of the classes are fantastic too.

However, as a beginning student I was being taught by brown belts.

That is interesting; I have never seen a brown run a class, just the warm-up sessions. I do agree that not all of the instructors are that wonderful at teaching.

This normally wouldnt have been a problem, but I myself am already a brown belt in Chinese Kenpo, which is an extremely similar style.

I can see how this could bother you. I started as a white belt with no previous experience so I never ran into these sorts of issues.

In fighting class, never once did I hear plans or tactics discussed. Fighters basically lined up with no plans, and went to hit each other. No one mentioned setting plays up, drawing people into attacks, or fakes.

This was Wednesday nights with Mr. Harmon, yes? We do usually go into some of this material, but not in all that organized of a way.

Also, within the first fighting class, I had a man at least twice my weight and quite a bit taller than me hitting me very hard. I was using normal control, but after being blasted, I got set on a defensive side kick and took his air away. I'm sure it was unpleasant, but it was fully deserved and not unreasonable force. The only way I can describe what happened next would be a hissy fit.

This is interesting. I go to almost all the fighting classes and I must have managed to miss this one - too bad. I am sorry for what happened, he sounds rather immature. Actually, I can't think of any 1st dans coming to fighting class recently, so maybe you scared him off!

Oh, and about the head gear - I never wear head gear, but at least I always hit to the head.

 

[Ella]

not 1st dan. 1st kyu. First degree brown belt.

It happened in a small ring fight. I didn't make a big deal about it. I don't think anyone else noticed what was going on.

The brown belts themselves weren't running class, but when we seperated into groups, they were the ones with the beginning students.