Telling studio owner what I'm looking for

[lonecoyote]

I'm currently looking for a place to train. I was with an instructor for about a year and it was in a university club. I got a lot out of it and am saddened that I'm no longer able to train with my instructor. I had an experience before the club, though, and this is why I'm posting. Before the great experience I had at the university, I attended a commercial school. I was given almost no first hand teaching from the head instructor. Almost everything I learned about stances, kata, punching and kicking was from the colored belts above me and to be honest, it wasn't very good. I wasn't really taken and showed the mechanics of anything, to be honest, just expected to emulate others. We jumped around in technique. I was practicing a horrible inside outside jump spinning crescent combination before I even learned the proper form for a snap kick. It was bad. Even as a complete newbie I knew it was bad. In light of this experience, I wonder if it is okay or disrespectful to, upon investigating a studio, to tell an owner/ head instructor what I'm looking for in a place to train, that is, a place where proper mechanics and basics are stressed. I truly don't mind being taken out to the side of class and doing stance training or kata or whatever for an hour and a half if I'm not ready to be doing what everyone else is doing. I want to build a house on a good foundation, doing everything in its proper order. I just want to cut though the bull, if I can, in a respectful way, so that I can know if I need to keep looking rather than being caught up in another 6 month contract feeling I made a mistake.

 

[MJS]

I'll start off by addressing a few parts of your post.

Before the great experience I had at the university, I attended a commercial school. I was given almost no first hand teaching from the head instructor. Almost everything I learned about stances, kata, punching and kicking was from the colored belts above me and to be honest, it wasn't very good. I wasn't really taken and showed the mechanics of anything, to be honest, just expected to emulate others. We jumped around in technique. I was practicing a horrible inside outside jump spinning crescent combination before I even learned the proper form for a snap kick. It was bad. Even as a complete newbie I knew it was bad.

Unless the colored belt is an asst. instructor, usually around the green or brown belt level, nobody else should be teaching you anything! When I would teach a large group of people, with varying ranks, I'd break them up into individual groups. Ex: White, Yellow and Orange belts, each into a seperate groups. The asst. instructor would work on material that they already knew. I'd work my way around from group to group teaching the new material. The head inst. should be teaching, not leaving it to under belts.

In light of this experience, I wonder if it is okay or disrespectful to, upon investigating a studio, to tell an owner/ head instructor what I'm looking for in a place to train, that is, a place where proper mechanics and basics are stressed. I truly don't mind being taken out to the side of class and doing stance training or kata or whatever for an hour and a half if I'm not ready to be doing what everyone else is doing. I want to build a house on a good foundation, doing everything in its proper order. I just want to cut though the bull, if I can, in a respectful way, so that I can know if I need to keep looking rather than being caught up in another 6 month contract feeling I made a mistake.

You're not being disrespectful by making this request. You are investing your hard earned money and time into a school, you have every right to ask questions, watch classes, talk to students, etc. so that you know 100% for yourself, that this is the school for you. If the inst. gets upset by these questions, the red flag should go up. Continue searching until you find what you are looking for. Again, this is an investment that you're going to be making, and I would think that you'd want to be happy.

Let me give you this example. If you were car shopping. You go to the dealer and ask for a car that has a V6 engine, 4 doors, automatic, and blue in color, the salesman should not try to sell you a 4 cyl. 2 dr. standard shift, red car, just because thats something that he likes! Are you going to be happy with that car? You have a right to tell him thats not what you're looking for. If he can't help you, then you leave and continue to search until you find that car.

Mike

 

[Zepp]

Your paying the instructor money in return for a service, correct? You have every right to tell him what you want or need before you agree to pay. In fact, I would ask about a free first lesson, or at least watch an intermediate level class before signing a contract. I'd be very wary of an instructor who isn't open about what he has to offer.

 

[lonecoyote]

Thank you, MJS, for your as usual illuminating reply. It is absolutely right that this is my hard earned money, and taking your analogy further, if I bought that car that wasn't really what I wanted in the first place, my unhappiness would be my own fault. But I just don't want to come off as a jerk to be honest, and, well, I've talked to a few people, looked at a few places and have almost resolved that I will have to travel to find what I'm looking for, if I can. It's not that I can't learn from some nice folks who are good at what they do, but I am looking for a place to call a home, a place to stay for many years, earn a black belt, and be a part of something, and I guess that doesn't always come easily. So I'll go ahead and request my basic, fundamental, standard shift car, in the color I want, till I find what I'm looking for. Thanks.

 

[MJS]

Thank you, MJS, for your as usual illuminating reply. It is absolutely right that this is my hard earned money, and taking your analogy further, if I bought that car that wasn't really what I wanted in the first place, my unhappiness would be my own fault. But I just don't want to come off as a jerk to be honest, and, well, I've talked to a few people, looked at a few places and have almost resolved that I will have to travel to find what I'm looking for, if I can. It's not that I can't learn from some nice folks who are good at what they do, but I am looking for a place to call a home, a place to stay for many years, earn a black belt, and be a part of something, and I guess that doesn't always come easily. So I'll go ahead and request my basic, fundamental, standard shift car, in the color I want, till I find what I'm looking for. Thanks.

You're quite welcome! :asian: I'm glad that I could offer some advice.

As for sounding like a jerk...again, IMO, you have a right to inquire. Alot of times you'll hear people say that its not right, its disrespectful, blah, blah, blah...and thats fine, because some schools really like to maintain that high level of respect, and they feel that asking a question is taboo, because you shouldn't disrespect the "Master". Thats fine and dandy, but on the other hand, you shouldn't have to feel like you're training in a cult like atmosphere, where its a do as I say not as I do mentality.

Reading this last post, you appear to truly have a deep desire to learn, train, etc. and yes, it is important to be happy and be able to have a place that you can call a home.

As for traveling...yes, thats also something that you have to take into consideration. Asking yourself, "Do I really want to drive an hour away just to train?" is a key thing. But...will that training be worth that hour drive? If it is, then go for it!!! :ultracool

Ultimately, you need to decide what you want to do, what fits your needs, etc. because again, its your time and money.

Good luck on your search! :asian:

Mike

 

[lonecoyote]

Thanks! And thanks also for your reply, Zepp, I think I'll take your advice.

 

[Daniel]

After a bad experience I'm leary of signing a contract anymore if I have to change schools, that's just me though.

I'd be upfront with the studio owner. I know it is deeper than this but on a base level it comes down to a customer relationship, you are paying them for a service. While you are a student, you are still a customer, so you have the right to ask questions about how class is run, what is to be expected, etc...

If a studio owner got upset over a few respectful questions about the school that would be a rather large red flag for me to move along and keep searching for another school.