wing chun turnover rate

[shaolin_al]

With as big as wing chun has become across the globe, it is a given that there will be plenty of students coming and going. For those of you who teach wing chun I was curious what your turnover rate with students is? Also having long terms students who disappear what steps do you take with switching your focus to new students? I was curious and decided to post this thread. Thanks in advance for responses.

 

[Takai]

At my current school I notice that we tend to lose the most of our students in the first 30 to 60 days. If they stay with after that we usually have them for at least a year. Beyond a year it gets much tougher to gauge.

As far as new students they start in the junior class and train right alongside the more advanced students. Advanced students have their own time with sifu. If none are their the junior class just gets longer.

 

[shaolin_al]

I know for many sifus, they put effort into students only to see them sometimes disappear from training. I feel as if it is important for the sifus to not take this personal although I realize this can be really difficult because the sifu is putting their heart and soul into their students.

 

[yak sao]

I know for many sifus, they put effort into students only to see them sometimes disappear from training. I feel as if it is important for the sifus to not take this personal although I realize this can be really difficult because the sifu is putting their heart and soul into their students.

You pretty much summed it up for me.

 

[shaolin_al]

yak sao would you mind sharing your experience related to this? I feel as though it would be good advice and support for other teachers experiencing it. thanks.

 

[geezer]

yak sao would you mind sharing your experience related to this? I feel as though it would be good advice and support for other teachers experiencing it. thanks.

Heck, why take it personally. People's lives are constantly changing. If a student decides to discontinue training, I wish them well and just hope that they will look back and find some value in whatever I was able to share with them.

And, on the positive side, we just concluded another great seminar with the head of our organization today and he promoted one of my students to "black shirt" (assistant instructor). That's enough satisfaction to more than make up for any discouragement over all those who had to were unable to continue their training over the years. Congratulations Ryan!!!

 

[Danny T]

Having been in the martial arts for over 40 years I've seen a lot of people come and go. This happens in all of the training systems not just wing chun. I say often that 97% of the people in the martial arts are there so the rest of us can train. Martial arts for me is a passion and a way of life but I also am a realist. I know most will have a passing interest and the martial arts as a way of life is going to happen to only a very few. I do the best I am able to teach, guide, and mentor but as geezer stated, “why take it personally?” Especially knowing only a few will stay to get to the advanced levels much less stay beyond. When they want to move on I shake their hand, pat them on the back and wish them all the best knowing I did my best giving them the highest level instruction and training I could and that I worked for them to know and understand the principles & concepts of the art they were learning.

 

[wingchun100]

Where I train, we don't have many consistent students anymore. A lot of people come from other schools where they were handed over their next belt simply because they paid their tuition fees. So when they come to our school, it is a bit of a culture shock. Sifu will NOT move you on to Chum Kiu simply because you have memorized Sil Lum Tao. That turns a lot of the "instant gratification" people off, but I like it because then my classmates are all people who really want to be there.

Sometimes you still get jerks. There were a couple of guys who had learned the first two forms, half the dummy and some chi sao...and then they started training other people privately outside of class as if they had been given permission to do so. Sifu isn't very "traditional" when it comes to a lot of things, but there is one thing he does stick to: don't run off and teach when he hasn't given his blessing.

 

[mograph]

I say often that 97% of the people in the martial arts are there so the rest of us can train.

This is so true. How many schools could continue with only a few dedicated students paying their way?

 

[wingchun100]

This is so true. How many schools could continue with only a few dedicated students paying their way?

We'd all be training out of Sifu's garage if that happened!

 

[Takai]

We'd all be training out of Sifu's garage if that happened!

I actually do!

 

[wingchun100]

Oh wait, my bad...Sifu doesn't have a garage. He earns so little from us that he can't afford one! LOL