Really weird attitudes towards a newbie.

[Steve]

Gearing an entire class to one new student isn't the way to go. But making the new student feel unwelcome is just bad business.

 

[Sukerkin]

What amuses me is that Two People approved anyway

In my case it's because I understood what he meant to write, as I am sure did Tez and Gran; so I approved the spirit of the post rather than the literal letter of it .

 

[granfire]

Yes, MA take staying power and a willingness to work hard and move up.

However, you have to learn how to walk before you fly first. Everybody (even the instructor) was at one time a beginner.


There is slowing the class down and there is running rough shot over the new kid.

If there is no beginner class, it should be noted as such. There is just no way that a raw beginner can be thrown in with the advanced students and be expected to hack it. Not possible.

There is that learning curve that slows things down, the limitation and lack of muscle memory. A good instructor will take care that the basics are taught and done so correctly.

Naturally there are people who do not wish to deal with new flesh, either by design or by ability. But that ought to be in the not so fine print.

As Senpai one also has the obligation to help the lower guys along. Most ranking systems require a certain amount of teaching to advance.

Personally I always loved it when we had new people come in (talking adult classes here). It is rewarding when you can help somebody out to 'get it', along with a little stroke of the ego when you think you are all left arms and legs trying an advanced technique and the newb asks you if you ever were as uncoordinated as they are. :lol:
Or taking them along for the first sparring session. Making sure they have a good time and come back for more!


Also, a skilled instructor can hold class with different ranks and have each perform drills at their level. Yes, it takes a bit of time to tell everybody a different set of exercises, but it can be done, even in a class that lasts under an hour and nobody feels cheated!

 

[granfire]

In my case it's because I understood what he meant to write, as I am sure did Tez and Gran; so I approved the spirit of the post rather than the literal letter of it .

I had the benefit of reading the correction

 

[Tez3]

In my case it's because I understood what he meant to write, as I am sure did Tez and Gran; so I approved the spirit of the post rather than the literal letter of it .

If you've been taught proper English you can understand what people mean even with spelling or grammar mistakes!

 

[granfire]

If you've been taught proper English you can understand what people mean even with spelling or grammar mistakes!

:lfao:

we go with that!

 

[Nomad]

Heres the thing - If you slow down the Class for ONE Newbie who might not even like it, all the other Students suffer.

You just need to go there a couple of times, and when its clear that you actually want to learn the Art, hell probably put you over with some other Higher Ranks to build you up to a level from which you can actively partake in Class.

Remember that you are one Person, who may not even stay. He is an Instructor with numerous Students.
Be Patient

While I agree with this in principle, it's not that difficult to assign a senior student to go over some basics with a newcomer on the side while the main class is doing advanced material that is likely to be well beyond them. To avoid this being a burden on the person giving up "their" training, simply rotate the person helping out the newcomer every 10-15 minutes.

IMHO, the instructor should spend a little time personally with the new student (for instance, while the rest of the class is working a particular drill), and there are likely parts of the class that would be fine for him/her to do alongside the class (warmup, basics, etc).

Making no allowances whatsoever for the newcomer simply ensures that they don't return. That may indeed be the intention here, or the instructor may just have poor customer relation skills.

 

[Steve]

If you've been taught proper English you can understand what people mean even with spelling or grammar mistakes!

So, that explains why I understood it. I'm not sure I understand the connection to you and Sukerkin, though.

 

[jks9199]

In another situation -- if you try to join a very traditional dojo, you may well almost be discouraged. It's not that they don't want new blood; they simply don't care. They don't solicit students. They do look for people to join the family and preserve the tradition. Unless they decide you meet that description -- they don't want you there. I can't find the article right now -- but Dave Lowry wrote an often-referenced piece about it.

Someone was kind enough to link the article in a different thread: So you want to join the ryu...

 

[jks9199]

While I agree with this in principle, it's not that difficult to assign a senior student to go over some basics with a newcomer on the side while the main class is doing advanced material that is likely to be well beyond them. To avoid this being a burden on the person giving up "their" training, simply rotate the person helping out the newcomer every 10-15 minutes.

IMHO, the instructor should spend a little time personally with the new student (for instance, while the rest of the class is working a particular drill), and there are likely parts of the class that would be fine for him/her to do alongside the class (warmup, basics, etc).

Making no allowances whatsoever for the newcomer simply ensures that they don't return. That may indeed be the intention here, or the instructor may just have poor customer relation skills.

This is how I do it. We teach all students in one class. New students warm up with the rest of class, get taught some things in line, and get pulled out for others. They participate along with everyone else depending on the lesson and where they stand. Sometimes, they'll spend the entire class pulled out to work on basics, other classes they might never be pulled aside. Everyone is expected to learn the class material at an appropriate level to their own understanding.

But some people don't like that; they'd rather learn in a class that's all at about the same skill level...

It's also possible that the comment wasn't at all aimed at the beginner -- but at someone else who has been holding up the class and shouldn't be... And just unfortunate timing that they had a new student. That's why the OP should talk to the teacher. It may be they really don't want new students. Or it may be that he was frustrated with having had to teach the same lesson 10 times because someone isn't practicing, and it had nothing to do with the OP. Or that it's been a while, and they've just forgotten about how to bring new students in...

 

[Cyriacus]

While I agree with this in principle, it's not that difficult to assign a senior student to go over some basics with a newcomer on the side while the main class is doing advanced material that is likely to be well beyond them. To avoid this being a burden on the person giving up "their" training, simply rotate the person helping out the newcomer every 10-15 minutes.

IMHO, the instructor should spend a little time personally with the new student (for instance, while the rest of the class is working a particular drill), and there are likely parts of the class that would be fine for him/her to do alongside the class (warmup, basics, etc).

Making no allowances whatsoever for the newcomer simply ensures that they don't return. That may indeed be the intention here, or the instructor may just have poor customer relation skills.

Oh, I completely Agree.

Thats the best way of not slowing down the entire Class.

 

[louise 1]

Wow, thank you to everyone who replied to my post. I haven't been on the site since I last posted so sorry for the really slow response to all your advice and questions.

The martial art taught was Shorinji kempo. I was initially drawn to the class from my research of Shorinji as the ethos seems to be very accepting of all people who want to learn it, regardless of natural ability or general fitness.

I am fairly fit and have no problems with working hard in a class so I don't mind being challenged, in fact I usually enjoy pushing myself physically. It was just the general atmosphere that sucked really. I definitely haven't been put off martial arts and have luckily found a lovely Aikido club that seems to suit me well.

Fingers crossed and thanks again for all your responses. :cheers:

 

[Steve]

Wow, thank you to everyone who replied to my post. I haven't been on the site since I last posted so sorry for the really slow response to all your advice and questions.

The martial art taught was Shorinji kempo. I was initially drawn to the class from my research of Shorinji as the ethos seems to be very accepting of all people who want to learn it, regardless of natural ability or general fitness.

I am fairly fit and have no problems with working hard in a class so I don't mind being challenged, in fact I usually enjoy pushing myself physically. It was just the general atmosphere that sucked really. I definitely haven't been put off martial arts and have luckily found a lovely Aikido club that seems to suit me well.

Fingers crossed and thanks again for all your responses. :cheers:

Good for you. Finding a school that suits your personality and in which you feel comfortable is in many ways more important than choosing one style over another. Good luck in your studies.

 

[Zealot]

I wish you tons of luck and I agree with Steve that you have to find any art that you yourself are comfortable with.

 

[jks9199]

Wow, thank you to everyone who replied to my post. I haven't been on the site since I last posted so sorry for the really slow response to all your advice and questions.

The martial art taught was Shorinji kempo. I was initially drawn to the class from my research of Shorinji as the ethos seems to be very accepting of all people who want to learn it, regardless of natural ability or general fitness.

I am fairly fit and have no problems with working hard in a class so I don't mind being challenged, in fact I usually enjoy pushing myself physically. It was just the general atmosphere that sucked really. I definitely haven't been put off martial arts and have luckily found a lovely Aikido club that seems to suit me well.

Fingers crossed and thanks again for all your responses. :cheers:

From what I know of it, shorinji kempo is a very demanding art. It's got aspects of koryu training, as well as some religious aspects. I suggest you read the Dave Lowry article, and make an appointment to speak with the instructor about joining the class.

 

[Carol]

Wow, thank you to everyone who replied to my post. I haven't been on the site since I last posted so sorry for the really slow response to all your advice and questions.

The martial art taught was Shorinji kempo. I was initially drawn to the class from my research of Shorinji as the ethos seems to be very accepting of all people who want to learn it, regardless of natural ability or general fitness.

I am fairly fit and have no problems with working hard in a class so I don't mind being challenged, in fact I usually enjoy pushing myself physically. It was just the general atmosphere that sucked really. I definitely haven't been put off martial arts and have luckily found a lovely Aikido club that seems to suit me well.

Fingers crossed and thanks again for all your responses. :cheers:

Sounds like a wise move. I ran in to something very similar myself.

I have a little experience (I've trained on and off for 5 years) but I don't have any rank to speak of. I have, however, visited many other schools as a guest of one of the instructors...I made many wonderful friends around the country, many of whom have said I was welcome to visit should I be in the area on personal or business travel. I took them up on their offer and always had a great time. So the one skill I do have is fitting in to a "foreign" class quite well even if the style or rituals of the class was something way different than what I was used to.

So, when I went to check out a local school to find a permanent home for myself, I was very surprised to get a rather unwelcoming vibe from the owner. I would have been happy to start with the beginners and have a place to train regularly. But...I dunno, the school owner just didn't seem that interested in talking to me or telling me about his programs. Which made me far less interested in dropping $99/month at his place of business. I want to train at a place that genuinely wants me there.

Good luck with the Aikido class! Hope you keep posting about your training!

 

[Cyriacus]

Wow, thank you to everyone who replied to my post. I haven't been on the site since I last posted so sorry for the really slow response to all your advice and questions.

The martial art taught was Shorinji kempo. I was initially drawn to the class from my research of Shorinji as the ethos seems to be very accepting of all people who want to learn it, regardless of natural ability or general fitness.

I am fairly fit and have no problems with working hard in a class so I don't mind being challenged, in fact I usually enjoy pushing myself physically. It was just the general atmosphere that sucked really. I definitely haven't been put off martial arts and have luckily found a lovely Aikido club that seems to suit me well.

Fingers crossed and thanks again for all your responses. :cheers:

Good Luck, you Aspiring Aikidoka

 

[Jenna]

Wow, thank you to everyone who replied to my post. I haven't been on the site since I last posted so sorry for the really slow response to all your advice and questions.

The martial art taught was Shorinji kempo. I was initially drawn to the class from my research of Shorinji as the ethos seems to be very accepting of all people who want to learn it, regardless of natural ability or general fitness.

I am fairly fit and have no problems with working hard in a class so I don't mind being challenged, in fact I usually enjoy pushing myself physically. It was just the general atmosphere that sucked really. I definitely haven't been put off martial arts and have luckily found a lovely Aikido club that seems to suit me well.

Fingers crossed and thanks again for all your responses. :cheers:

Yay for Aikido!

 

[Chris Parker]

From what I know of it, shorinji kempo is a very demanding art. It's got aspects of koryu training, as well as some religious aspects. I suggest you read the Dave Lowry article, and make an appointment to speak with the instructor about joining the class.

Not to get too much into it, but Shorinji Kenpo isn't Koryu in any way, shape, or form at all. It is the Japanese pronunciation of "Shaolin Chuan Fa", formulated and codified in Japan by Doshin So (a title as much as a name, his real name was Michiomi Nakano). It involves a system not too dissimilar to some karate systems, with a higher degree of grappling (throws, takedowns etc), and is a "hard" system in it's training methods, as well as incorporating some religious concepts (and I'm not getting into the controversies that exist there...), but none of that makes it Koryu or comparable. To be completely clear on that, though, that makes it neither better nor worse than Koryu, just that it isn't really like it at all.