Starting a Wing Chun Training Club in East Tennessee

[WingChunETN]

I'm considering starting and organizing a private Wing Chun club in East Tennessee. The club will be based in Knoxville (my backyard probably) and I would like to see if there's sufficient interest in a Wing Chun club whose primary goal is to help its members develop their wing chun skills and attributes by providing a structured setting where we can practice and train on a regular basis. The agenda will focus on forms, concepts, drills, structure, kicks, strikes, etc. I have some equipment now (kicking poles, jong, punching bag, mitts and patio), but will get more depending on the club and our needs.

Just so you know, I don't consider myself an expert or competent, but I have gone through the three forms and the MYJ and I just want to continue to practice to get better and share what I know with mature and interested fellow wing chuners. No prior WC experience is required. Just be willing to train, practice, and help. Bring your water, your notebook, and don't make a mess and get my better-half upset.

This is my first foray and feeler to see if there's any WC interest here in East TN. Because of my work schedule most likely our meetings will be on Saturdays with some possible weekdays. But let's first see if there's interest and how the club develops, if at all.

If you're interested or want to find out more, send me a private message with your email and post a response. Also, let me know what you want to get out of this and your questions. Don't be surprise if I don't have an answer. Just so there's no surprise, all members of this club must sign a waiver and there will be nominal club due.

Moving ahead anyway. Let me know if you're interested. Thanks! Fire Away!

 

[geezer]

If you are expecting to get a lot of interested students from Forums like this, you are barking up the wrong tree. People here are spread all over the globe, and most already are involved in something else. You are also mistaken if you expect a lot of people to come to you looking for instruction. You are probably going to have to recruit like hell and talk up your art every chance you get to keep a small group going. And, you are going to have to get used to the disappointment of having students who have much less dedication than you do.

That said, best of luck with your group. It's tough to start your own club, but worth it. Let us know how things turn out.

 

[chinaboxer]

that's great that you're starting a group! best way to start is by going to http://www.meetup.com/ and creating a group. you might even find a few in your area if you do a search. good luck bro!

 

[WingChunETN]

If you are expecting to get a lot of interested students from Forums like this, you are barking up the wrong tree. People here are spread all over the globe, and most already are involved in something else. You are also mistaken if you expect a lot of people to come to you looking for instruction. You are probably going to have to recruit like hell and talk up your art every chance you get to keep a small group going. And, you are going to have to get used to the disappointment of having students who have much less dedication than you do.

That said, best of luck with your group. It's tough to start your own club, but worth it. Let us know how things turn out.

Thanks for the encouraging input I was afraid of that, but we'll see.

 

[WingChunETN]

that's great that you're starting a group! best way to start is by going to http://www.meetup.com/ and creating a group. you might even find a few in your area if you do a search. good luck bro!

Hey Chinaboxer! Nice to hear from you. I see your YouTubes channel. Good stuff! Thank you also for your tip about meetup.com. I've not heard of it before. I'll give it try. It can't hurt and it may help! Thanks again so much for your time and help! Peace brother.

 

[geezer]

Sorry if I was a bit pessimistic about the prospects of promoting your group. I've been struggling with the same thing here in Phoenix. I guess I'm just not a good self-promoter.

Last year I reluctantly took over a "backyard kwoon" when the regular instructor (my si-dai) mved out of the state. It's been tough to attract fresh students. Some come. some go... we seem to always have about five or six active members. I'd like to have a few more so we could afford a better studio and bring in more outside experts for seminars. Also, it would be great to have a few more advanced guys around for training partners.

 

[Eric_H]

I'm considering starting and organizing a private Wing Chun club in East Tennessee. The club will be based in Knoxville (my backyard probably) and I would like to see if there's sufficient interest in a Wing Chun club whose primary goal is to help its members develop their wing chun skills and attributes by providing a structured setting where we can practice and train on a regular basis. The agenda will focus on forms, concepts, drills, structure, kicks, strikes, etc. I have some equipment now (kicking poles, jong, punching bag, mitts and patio), but will get more depending on the club and our needs.

Just so you know, I don't consider myself an expert or competent, but I have gone through the three forms and the MYJ and I just want to continue to practice to get better and share what I know with mature and interested fellow wing chuners. No prior WC experience is required. Just be willing to train, practice, and help. Bring your water, your notebook, and don't make a mess and get my better-half upset.

This is my first foray and feeler to see if there's any WC interest here in East TN. Because of my work schedule most likely our meetings will be on Saturdays with some possible weekdays. But let's first see if there's interest and how the club develops, if at all.

If you're interested or want to find out more, send me a private message with your email and post a response. Also, let me know what you want to get out of this and your questions. Don't be surprise if I don't have an answer. Just so there's no surprise, all members of this club must sign a waiver and there will be nominal club due.

Moving ahead anyway. Let me know if you're interested. Thanks! Fire Away!

Good luck!

RE: Getting students - work craig's list, practice somewhere visible and get an A-Frame and you'll get people. Best thing is to be visible!

 

[WingChunETN]

Hi Eric,
Craig's list. Where would you even post? I think you'll pick up riff-raff and perverts there :uhyeah:. Heck I'm new to this forum, but my thinking is that if someone is interested in the martial arts that they will lurking at a forum like this.

A-Frame, is this like a house? For me this is a "hobby" or something I'm doing because I enjoy it. I'm not too keen in outlaying extra cash to start a club. If it was a business, then maybe yes.

Yep I think much luck will be needed

 

[geezer]

Hi Eric,
Craig's list. Where would you even post? I think you'll pick up riff-raff and perverts there :uhyeah:. Heck I'm new to this forum, but my thinking is that if someone is interested in the martial arts that they will lurking at a forum like this.

A-Frame, is this like a house? For me this is a "hobby" or something I'm doing because I enjoy it. I'm not too keen in outlaying extra cash to start a club. If it was a business, then maybe yes.

Yep I think much luck will be needed

Craigslist in my community has a section for "martial arts/services" and there are a lot of martial artists posting. I've given it a try for about six months but have had very few responses. Still, it's free.

Now regarding Eric's post, I didn't get that A-frame reference either, but I don't think he meant a cabin. Maybe an easil to support a portable sign or placard? The trouble with that if you are in a city park here in Phoenix is that the "Park Police" will roust you if you are suspected of running a class for money. Apparently you need special permits, insurance and such. A populaar Taijiquan teacher was booted out of the park where I train for being too visible. So my group avoids trouble by keeping a low profile. Of course that defeats Eric's whole point about being visible.

On the other hand, I just started renting space at a nice little dance studio near my home. As my group was exiting our first class there last Wednesday, we had to squeeze past all the women arriving for the pole-dancing and belly dancing classes. One of my students mentioned that he thought attendance will be up from now on. Knowing him, I suspect that may not be all that's up. :uhyeah:

 

[mook jong man]

An A- frame is one of those small signs that are made up of two frames usually hinged in the middle so it stands up like a letter A and you have your sign on both sides of it so people can see it from either direction.

I used to have one outside the scout hall when I was running a branch for my old org , which as luck would have it also happened to be just down the road from the local pub.
So instead of mainly attracting people who were interested in training , It tended to attract curious drunks who were staggering past on they're way home , fun times .

 

[Eric_H]

An A- frame is one of those small signs that are made up of two frames usually hinged in the middle so it stands up like a letter A and you have your sign on both sides of it so people can see it from either direction.

I used to have one outside the scout hall when I was running a branch for my old org , which as luck would have it also happened to be just down the road from the local pub.
So instead of mainly attracting people who were interested in training , It tended to attract curious drunks who were staggering past on they're way home , fun times .

Sounds like fun times!

Yeah an A-Frame is a sign. If you can't have one of those - as geezer pointed out parks may regulate that - next best option is some visible t-shirts as the club uniform. You can get some made through zazzle pretty easily and without having to keep an inventory.