So I walk into this dojo today

[Omar B]

A little back story. Since I'm in FL for a while I've finally decided to finally check out some schools down here, I'm finally healthy again after my car accident in November and my Sensei who I trained privately travels a lot so sometimes we can't meet.

So I walk into this dojo that simply says Karate on the door. Upon entering there was a nice sitting area. There was a class going on with kids and it looked a bit chaotic but it's to be expected. The instructor wore a head mounted mic to teach (whatever happened to shouting like all our senseis did?).

The girl who met me at the front desk was really nice. She wore a black gi and a 4th Dan belt with red stripes. What struck me was how well made up she was and her hair was pretty quaffed for someone in a gym.

She told me they taught Kenpo and I got excited because I was actually looking into that style and it's close by my house. But then when I asked about the organization, they belonged to non. In fact it wasnt really Kenpo, it was Kenpo, Muay Thai, "Extreme Hisardut," Ground Fighting, BJJ and "Weapons."

I expressed my thanks and told her I would prefer a more traditional style (that's not cobbled together like Victor F's monster) with a grade that's transferable since I move around. Still though, she managed to get my info, email, number, etc from me even though I was not interested.

So I guess you get an attractive girl with nice make-up/hair and you can get me to giving up my info on a "style" I really don't care for. http://www.usablackbeltchampions.com/default.asp

 

[Tames D]

So I guess you get an attractive girl with nice make-up/hair and you can get me to giving up my info on a "style" I really don't care for. http://www.usablackbeltchampions.com/default.asp

Don't beat yourself up dude. You got off easy (this time

).

 

[Omar B]

I guess you're right. I failed to mention that I agreed to go train with 'em ... and I already said I wasn't joining!

 

[grydth]

At least you didn't sign a 3 year contract and...... or, did you.....:uhohh:

 

[Omar B]

No, actually I didn't. I was at a restaurant in the same strip mall and had ordered dinner so I had only a couple moments before I had to get back.

But it reminds me of a bud of mine in Long Island who hired this waitress from the restaurant I managed to work the desk at his Kung Fu school. I thought at the time it was funny ... then the same tack worked on me!

 

[Blade96]

I guess you're right. I failed to mention that I agreed to go train with 'em ... and I already said I wasn't joining!

The girl who met me at the front desk was really nice. She wore a black gi and a 4th Dan belt with red stripes. What struck me was how well made up she was and her hair was pretty quaffed for someone in a gym.

she managed to get my info, email, number, etc from me even though I was not interested.

ah what some people do for a cute girl. eh?

 

[Omar B]

I know. But this is also a bit about how some schools are pretty good at selling you on stuff.

 

[Blade96]

I know. But this is also a bit about how some schools are pretty good at selling you on stuff.

I knew that, I was just kidding around with ya =]

 

[Wey]

Give it a try, you never know how effective it could possibly be.

Don't judge a book by it's cover. Then again, it may be a fluke. You'll never know unless you give it a shot, which it looks like you already signed up for. xD

 

[jks9199]

Let's see...

It seems to me that the young lady's job was to meet & greet people who come in. She wasn't teaching a class; she wasn't participating in a class. She was working the desk... Seems sort of reasonable that she'd try to be neat & somewhat professional about it.

As to the school... Yeah, it seems to be a bit of a mix-up of styles, with a strong emphasis on the commercial "life improvement" stuff. But the guy IS running a business... Why not watch an adult class or two and see what you think of what they actually do?

 

[Hollywood1340]

Lots of talking at Testing. One year between High Red and Black:

 

[Omar B]

Let's see...
It seems to me that the young lady's job was to meet & greet people who come in. She wasn't teaching a class; she wasn't participating in a class. She was working the desk... Seems sort of reasonable that she'd try to be neat & somewhat professional about it.
As to the school... Yeah, it seems to be a bit of a mix-up of styles, with a strong emphasis on the commercial "life improvement" stuff. But the guy IS running a business... Why not watch an adult class or two and see what you think of what they actually do?

I hear what you are saying man. But I walked in because the huge sign outside said "Karate." Silly me for expecting karate right? I for one never got the whole hodgepodge of styles thing but maybe it's because I'm from a Seido/Kyokushin background.

Yes, she does a great job of representing her dojo. should have seen my face though, when she said Kenpo I immediately said "Great, I have Infinite Insights, it's one of my favorite books" then I was informed it was not strictly Kenpo and I was sad.

 

[Touch Of Death]

I hear what you are saying man. But I walked in because the huge sign outside said "Karate." Silly me for expecting karate right? I for one never got the whole hodgepodge of styles thing but maybe it's because I'm from a Seido/Kyokushin background.

Yes, she does a great job of representing her dojo. should have seen my face though, when she said Kenpo I immediately said "Great, I have Infinite Insights, it's one of my favorite books" then I was informed it was not strictly Kenpo and I was sad.

Even the ones that say they are traditional may have mixed MA backgrounds; so, at least they were up front.
sean

 

[ap Oweyn]

Meh. I have to say I've got a lot more affection for crosstraining and schools that offer a range of methodologies than does Omar. That said, that video demo was jam packed with the sort of theatrics that would put me off too. I don't have an inherent problem with the existence of places like this. But it doesn't look like my cup of tea either.


Stuart

 

[punisher73]

Ask if they offer ranking in kenpo or just their own blend/style.

Also, find out how much is different than american kenpo. It might be they use a lot of the same techniques with a different emphasis. I would also find out what kind of blend they have (not just styles, but HOW they are incorporated together to flow). Finally, see what kind of rankings this guy has and if he has high enough ranks (knowledge) to create his own blend.

 

[Omar B]

Ask if they offer ranking in kenpo or just their own blend/style.

Also, find out how much is different than american kenpo. It might be they use a lot of the same techniques with a different emphasis. I would also find out what kind of blend they have (not just styles, but HOW they are incorporated together to flow). Finally, see what kind of rankings this guy has and if he has high enough ranks (knowledge) to create his own blend.

I did ask if they were apart of AKKA or any other known Kenpo organization and they are not.

As for the other questions, I didnt get around to those. But you raise important points as to how they are mixed and their teacher's lineage and rankings. I had dinner waiting on me at a restaurant, I didn't have all day.

 

[Carol]

Steve Lavallee has been around forever. He's originally from the Tracy system, looks like he's pretty well established doing his own thing. Like a lot of other Tracy fighters he was pretty well known in the past for doing well in sparring tournaments in the 70s and 80s.

Is it worth it? I dunno. You could do a lot worse than be in a system headed up by a guy that's been in the arts for 35 years. But if what you're seeing is really that agonizing, then don't go back.

 

[Omar B]

Not agonizing Carol, in fact they may have a great system there. I was just commenting on my first visit there and what struck me.

 

[repz]

Its usually the other way around with the MMA on the front in big letters only to find out its a single style of martial arts.

I wouldnt care about affiliations. Affiliations are cool because they help make sure you are training with a qualified instructor of a system, but they are run like business, and cost like one too. When I joined my karate i was turned off that they werent part of the Kyokushin group, and didnt use the title Kyokushin, i did some research and found out that you cant carry Kyokushin or Oyama in your title if you arent part of the main groups, and the history of the politics and backstabbing between the groups made me no want to be affiliated with any of them anyway. So i came to terms with being in an unafiliated karate school, we are like lone wolves facing off with other unaffiliated kyokushin schools, and with skinkyokushin organisation (who are allowed to fight with other kyokushin outside their org.)

I had a similar experience in hapkido in queens. My friend was interested in training and I recommended hapkido, here are some of this instructors stupid comments.

"Do they teach you THAT!?" he says while teaching his class, he yelled this toward me after I revealed i trained in karate...

"Next time, you cant watch, i dont allow people to sit in and watch" Dumb thing to say considering theres large see thru windows, and chairs around the matt.

"they dont teach you this....", again, toward me... yet I was looking to join...

His sales pressure was really high. He had a beautiful dojang tho, but he only had two students.

 

[Hollywood1340]

I've found if you can't get a clear answer on who the instructor's instructor is in the style they teach, don't bother. Simple question, simple answer.