Ideas for when I finally open a school!

[Sylo]

Hey Guys.

My goal in all of this, is to one day in the not so distant future.. open and run my own Tae Kwon Do/martial arts school. I want to share what I have learned with others. I've never had a firm grasp on what I wanted to do once my dreams of becoming a rock star were over, but I think I have finally found a common ground between having a normal job, and doing something extroardinary. I've been tossing around ideas, with another instructor friend of mine, and another friend who studies TKD with me as well (1st dan, we are talking about doing this as partners).

I'm wanting to open the school in a town about 30 minutes from where our current school is. There used to be a school there years ago, but since then.. nothing. The school did well in those days, except for the instructor angering parents being too rough with his students (I started there).

Anyway, here are a few of the ideas I have right now that I am gonna start compiling out in a notebook to keep track of. I plan to teach as an assistant instructor at my own school before any of this happens, but its fun to plan ahead and research how "I" would do things if it were me.

Here goes..

Belt Structure

(between each belt level. Students would have that chance to earn 3 stripes. These stripes would represent a part of the curriculum that the student has excelled at. Sparring, Self Defense, or Form. They must get all 3 stripes to test for the next color belt.)

White - 3 yellow stripes
Yellow - 3 green stripes
green - 3 blue stripes
Blue - 3 red stripes
Red - 3 black stripes
Recommended Black (black belt with red stripe in middle)
1st dan.

Class Structure

Adults - Adults are considered age 12+.
Kids - The kids class will consist of kids ages 8-12. I thought about starting them earlier. But there are very few kids out there who can grasp what needs to be grasped.. THAT early. The belt structure for the kids class would be the same as the adults. With the exception of the grading. Once the child reaches Black Belt he will be granted a "JR BLACK BELT" which will basically be a black belt with "JR BLACK BELT" embroirdered in white on the end. Basically this signifies that this student has completed the curriculum as it is taught to those under the age of 12. Once the student attains JR BLACK BELT. He or she has the option to join the adults class (even if younger than 12, which won't be likely). Once in the adults class, the student will then begin a review of all the material covered in the kids version of the class, on an adult level. The grading scale will increase, and the child will then have to perfect what one has learned. After they have achieved a level of "adult" learning, They will test for 1st dan black belt as an adult. If the JR BLACK BELT is not 12 years old, and wishes to remain in the kids class. They can do so and continue to do the curriculum but will not test again until they are moved to the adult class.

Testings

I would like to schedule testings at set intervals. Testing for belt colors of all ranks, would be done on a weekend. Preferably during the evening. I would like to make a big deal about it when students test. I want them to feel like they have earned something, and not just another belt. Almost like a graduation ceremony. Maybe some speakers, special guest instructors/testers, demonstrations and refreshements. etc.

What do you guys think so far?

[dancingalone]

I think you are overly concentrating on the trappings of a school. The belt colors you have for students are superfluous compared to the required skills to being an effective teacher, much less an effective teacher of martial arts. Think about the best instructor you've ever had - it could be a football coach or a math teacher or even your church pastor. What did he do well and why? Was he able to engage you both verbally and physically? Were you able to relate to his analogies. What role did charisma if any play in his success?

I'll try and discuss this a bit more later, but let's start out with the premise that being a good martial artist does not automatically mean you will be a good MA teacher. The TKD world in general does not pay much attention to pedagogy. Instead the norm seems to be, hey you're a black belt now, so you're also a teacher.

[terryl965]

Teaching shoulld be the main focus point of the school not how many belts and testing, sorry just my opinion.

[Sylo]

I think you are overly concentrating on the trappings of a school. The belt colors you have for students is superfluous compared to the required skills to being an effective teacher, much less an effective teacher of martial arts. Think about the best instructor you've ever had - it could be a football coach or a math teacher or even your church pastor. What did you do well and why?

I'll try and discuss this a bit more later, but let's start out with the premise that being a good martial artist does not automatically mean you will be a good MA teacher. The TKD world does not pay much attention to pedagogy. Instead the norm seems to be, hey you're a black belt now, so you're also a teacher.


I agree. But the desire to become a teacher, to me at least.. is more than just "being a black belt". I know 1000 black belts, none of which who teach. I've taught other things before.. such as guitar, art... etc. Being black belt doesn't make you a teacher, but having an interest in becoming a teacher is a good start no?

[Sylo]

Reaching shoulld be the main focus point of the school not how many belts and testing, sorry just my opinion.


Every school has a structure. This wasn't supposed to be about philosophy or motive. This was supposed to be ideas for "organizing" things. I want my students to "reach".. but if there is no organization then all you have is chaos.

[dancingalone]

I agree. But the desire to become a teacher, to me at least.. is more than just "being a black belt". I know 1000 black belts, none of which who teach. I've taught other things before.. such as guitar, art... etc. Being black belt doesn't make you a teacher, but having an interest in becoming a teacher is a good start no?

Sure. All I'm trying to get across is that the path to teaching MA should broach many more regions than TKD alone. You just seem to be putting the cart ahead of the horse. Think about your school in your head. Would it still be a successful one in a world without belt colors or rank advancement?

I understand you're wanting to "organize" your proposed school. If that's purely the case, may I suggest just buying a Kovar or Premier Martial Arts business kit? They'll lay it out for you exactly what needs to be done to run a commercial school according to their design. Some have done very well financially with these organizations.

[JadeDragon3]

I would do away with the stripes for each belt and just go with your standard belt colors. By having stripes it makes it look like a McDojo and that your giving stripes as a way to make money (testing for stripes). I don't do TKD but I would have about 8 to 10 belts. In my kung fu school we have white, yellow, green, blue, purple, red, 2nd brown, 1st brown, and 1st degree black. If you were a child you had to learn everything that an adult learned which meant if you tested for black then you got tested just like an adult. You had to do everything that an adult did. The only difference was maybe the sparring part of the test. The instructor wouldn't hit or kick you as hard if you were a kid. He'd still hit you hard though don't get me wrong.

Also I would avoid belonging to any organizations such as American TKD Association, or International TKD Federation, Etc.....These are money making organizations that feed off schools. A lot of times they also tell you how you should and shouldn't run your school. It's your school, you should run it the way you want.

Even though it is a business, don't make money be the whole purpose of operation.

Every couple months have some type of fund raiser for making money for the school. Example: Have a car wash. Afterwards by a few pizzas for all that helped wash cars. 2 pizzas cost about 11 bucks at Little Caesars.

Pass out flyers advertising your school. Pass out flyers at schools, malls, and in shopping centers. Even go house to house and put them on doors.

Here is the best idea......Have a black belt club. Here's how it works. ....You figure out how much it costs on average to get a black belt. To make it easy let's say three years. Thats 36 months, right? To make it even easier lets say you charge $50 dollars a month. Thats $1800 (assuming it takes three years). Heres where the cool part comes in.......Tell the customer if he pays $1300 ALL UP FRONT thats all he ever has to pay until he gets his black belt, even if it takes longer than 3 years. Your saving them $500 and your getting some money upfront to help you get your school going. $1300 could be 2 months rent somewhere (or at least one months rent).

Have special black belt classes for your black belts.

[Sylo]

I would do away with the stripes for each belt and just go with your standard belt colors. By having stripes it makes it look like a McDojo and that your giving stripes as a way to make money (testing for stripes). I don't do TKD but I would have about 8 to 10 belts. In my kung fu school we have white, yellow, green, blue, purple, red, 2nd brown, 1st brown, and 1st degree black. If you were a child you had to learn everything that an adult learned which meant if you tested for black then you got tested just like an adult. You had to do everything that an adult did. The only difference was maybe the sparring part of the test. The instructor wouldn't hit or kick you as hard if you were a kid. He'd still hit you hard though don't get me wrong.

Also I would avoid belonging to any organizations such as American TKD Association, or International TKD Federation, Etc.....These are money making organizations that feed off schools. A lot of times they also tell you how you should and shouldn't run your school. It's your school, you should run it the way you want.

Even though it is a business, don't make money be the whole purpose of operation.

Every couple months have some type of fund raiser for making money for the school. Example: Have a car wash. Afterwards by a few pizzas for all that helped wash cars. 2 pizzas cost about 11 bucks at Little Caesars.

Pass out flyers advertising your school. Pass out flyers at schools, malls, and in shopping centers. Even go house to house and put them on doors.

Here is the best idea......Have a black belt club. Here's how it works. ....You figure out how much it costs on average to get a black belt. To make it easy let's say three years. Thats 36 months, right? To make it even easier lets say you charge $50 dollars a month. Thats $1800 (assuming it takes three years). Heres where the cool part comes in.......Tell the customer if he pays $1300 ALL UP FRONT thats all he ever has to pay until he gets his black belt, even if it takes longer than 3 years. Your saving them $500 and your getting some money upfront to help you get your school going. $1300 could be 2 months rent somewhere (or at least one months rent).

Have special black belt classes for your black belts.


no testing for stripes. no costs for stripes.. its just tape.

[theletch1]

I agree. But the desire to become a teacher, to me at least.. is more than just "being a black belt". I know 1000 black belts, none of which who teach. I've taught other things before.. such as guitar, art... etc. Being black belt doesn't make you a teacher, but having an interest in becoming a teacher is a good start no?
Having taught guitar and art in the past will give you a good head star, IMO, as those are both things that require a bit of the ethereal, so to speak and not straight line tab a into slot b thinking. Best of luck.

[Twin Fist]

Sylo,
I just opened a school, like 4 months ago.

Best advice I can give you is

think of everything

then think of everything again

I mean everything

you seem to have a handle on belt ranks, testing.

get a solid business plan now

figure out your costs, figure out what the market will bear for tuition, then figure how many students at X tuition will it take to cover your costs.

dont ignore the business side.

[JadeDragon3]

Yes, most important make sure you have enough money to cover bills such as rent, electric, water, et.... Make sure you have enough money before hand to cover the first couple months in case you don't get enough students signed up right away. A lot of landlords will give you the first month or two free if you sign a long term rental agreement. That could be good or bad depending on how business is going.

[terryl965]

Every school has a structure. This wasn't supposed to be about philosophy or motive. This was supposed to be ideas for "organizing" things. I want my students to "reach".. but if there is no organization then all you have is chaos.

Well let see when you organized belt test than you are assuming everybody learns the same and you relly do not care how well the material is understood, Sorry my point of views. When you are struturing so many in between belts it looks like you care more about testing fee;s, again sorry my point of views. If you are really trying to structure a school start with the program it self and what is going to be tought at each level, that is where the meat and potatoes are.

[tshadowchaser]

that was good advice make sure you can cover at least 6 months rent

Are you going to sell uniforms, gear, etc. If so set up a deal with whomever you are buying from. Remember that most adults are medium or large in stature but be sure to have some of all sizes.

belt with or without strips: both are good , the stripes show advancement more and many people like to know they are advancing
testing on a scheduled date or day each month or two is a good standard but do not feel that all that test have to pass. Are you going to say who is to test or are all able to test????

Make sure you have a good name thought out for the school and a good viewable location. A painted front window or one with large decals will help attract people.
You need to have room for the seating of spectators but you also want them far enough from the workout area that there conversations and comments do not distract from class.
How much decoration do you want in the classroom: Flags, posters, notice boards?

As far as who is an adult and who is a child: Consider also juniors between the ages of 12-16, maybe

Make sure when you find a place it has good restrooms and an area for changing. Two would be better one for men and one for ladies

[Sylo]

Well let see when you organized belt test than you are assuming everybody learns the same and you relly do not care how well the material is understood, Sorry my point of views. When you are struturing so many in between belts it looks like you care more about testing fee;s, again sorry my point of views. If you are really trying to structure a school start with the program it self and what is going to be tought at each level, that is where the meat and potatoes are.

I'm trying to figure out where your getting this from my post

I didn't see any "in between belts". its the same system ITF uses.. I added in the stripes so that those who like to "see" progress don't get discouraged. The amount of time spent is the same. There are no extra belts.. its pieces of "tape". They do exactly the same thing as if there were no tape. It costs me pennies to do, and costs them nothing. You'd be surprised how many people will want to work extra hard for a "Stripe". I thought we were supposed to be motivating people to want to learn, not pushing them away. Its not "needed" per say. But its not really hurting anything either. This will also help me see where a student is at in his training, and where he needs to be in order to move up. It has nothing to do with not caring about my students knowing the material. They WILL know it well before they move on. I don't see the harm in giving them a little notification that they are doing well.

The curriculum will be the same curriculum as what I have been taught myself, so there is no grey area there. I will teach what I was taught.. simple really.

Testing fees and such are the last thing on my mind. I want my students to learn, and learn well. But I don't want them to quit in the process. There will be no "passing up through the ranks" at this school. I'm not sure where I said "everyone learns at the same rate". Everyone SHOULD learn at different rates, because we are human. I was saying, that by having regular intervals for testing.. I can make a bigger deal out of it, than just "here, here's your belt.. thank you come again". They won't test until they are ready. If noone is ready to test when "test time" comes.. then nobody tests. My teacher holds testing every 4 months.. those who are ready when that time comes.. test.. those who aren't wait til the next test.

Maybe I didn't word it correctly or something.

[mango.man]

So I have seen "a couple months" to "6 months" rent on hand.

I would suggest you take it a bit farther.

I would suggest that when it comes to opening any business (martial art or otherwise) that you have enough money in the bank to cover all of your personal, living and business expenses for 1 year and assume that not a single person will walk though your doors to write you a check.

Sure you might be successful immediately, but the huge majority of small businesses close their doors within 18 months of opening.

I would suggest, with martial arts at least, contact your local community center or parks and recreation dept and let them know that you want to teach TKD a couple nights a week while you keep your day job and save as much cash as you possibly can. Charge a very minimal amount and get yourself a decent base of students at the rec center. Once you have a good following and plenty of cash in the bank then start looking into a place to open up shop.

[terryl965]

This will also help me see where a student is at in his training, and where he needs to be in order to move up. It has nothing to do with not caring about my students knowing the material. They WILL know it well before they move on. I don't see the harm in giving them a little notification that they are doing well.
Sylo if you need a piece of tape to remind you where your students are in there training then you my friend are not ready to open a school. As far as notification as to them doing well a nice job or I finally see you are getting it works for me. Sorry I am not rying to kill a dream but it sounds more like an aftercare or Mcdojo to me in your writing, if not then I apologies.

Testing fees and such are the last thing on my mind. I want my students to learn, and learn well. But I don't want them to quit in the process. There will be no "passing up through the ranks" at this school. I'm not sure where I said "everyone learns at the same rate". Everyone SHOULD learn at different rates, because we are human. I was saying, that by having regular intervals for testing.. I can make a bigger deal out of it, than just "here, here's your belt.. thank you come again". They won't test until they are ready. If noone is ready to test when "test time" comes.. then nobody tests. My teacher holds testing every 4 months.. those who are ready when that time comes.. test.. those who aren't wait til the next test

This I can understand giving people notice before a test is a good ideal maybe I just read it wrong, once again sorry.

The last thing that you need is a solid business plan and a student hand book with the requirements and rules of the school. Also if you plan on having a fight team demo team this all needs to be down on paper before the doors ever open so everyone is on the same page. Best of Luck.

[Sylo]

So I have seen "a couple months" to "6 months" rent on hand.

I would suggest you take it a bit farther.

I would suggest that when it comes to opening any business (martial art or otherwise) that you have enough money in the bank to cover all of your personal, living and business expenses for 1 year and assume that not a single person will walk though your doors to write you a check.

Sure you might be successful immediately, but the huge majority of small businesses close their doors within 18 months of opening.

I would suggest, with martial arts at least, contact your local community center or parks and recreation dept and let them know that you want to teach TKD a couple nights a week while you keep your day job and save as much cash as you possibly can. Charge a very minimal amount and get yourself a decent base of students at the rec center. Once you have a good following and plenty of cash in the bank then start looking into a place to open up shop.

I appreciate all the helpful advice. But, I think I titled this topic wrong.

I'm not planning on jumping right into opening a school. I was just brainstorming out loud more than anything. The "paperwork" side of it, will be thought out alot more than the "visual" side of it will. I'll start small and move up. I'm just mainly looking at replies based on only what I posted.

I'm trying to look at how schools do things, and how "I" would do them..if I was running the show.

Money saving advice, and stuff is great advice. But I wasn't really looking for that sort of information. I know how small business ventures work, and what it takes to get one off the ground. Thats why I wasn't focusing on that.

Sorry if my post was misleading. Thanks for the advice anyhow.

[Flying Crane]

What kind of school do you want it to be? Will it be a commercial space for which you are paying rent, or will it be in your garage or back yard, where you aren't paying any rent above your normal costs of housing? Will you ultimately try to make your living off the martial arts school, or will you keep a "day job" and relegate the teaching to something you do on the side? This can make a huge difference in how you approach it, because the money factor takes on a whole different meaning and level of importance, depending on your approach.

I'd suggest you read this book: http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Running-Your-Martial-School/dp/0804834288/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222205028&sr=1-1

basically, it's a business plan, with martial arts school as a focus. A lot of the advice could be applied to any kind of business, but they aim it at the martial arts teacher who wants to open a school. Some good business advice in there, this kind of research would be well worth your time and it may help you decide just how you want to approach this endeavor.

Personally, I think that as money becomes more important in the equation, often the quality of training suffers. If you don't need the money because you have a day job, and you just teach in the evenings and weekends, you are free to spend as much time with your students as you want, and it doesn't matter. You can charge a very low fee, just enough to cover the costs of equipment and stuff, and maybe even make a little bit of extra income.

But if you have a commercial school and your livelihood depends on the income from the school, then time is money, and you start to regiment how much time you give your students because you have a lot of work to do in administrating the business and whatnot. You cannot give away your time and effort for free, or next-to-free anymore. It just creates a very different atmosphere in how the school is run, so give that a lot of thought.

Good luck!

[Sylo]

This will also help me see where a student is at in his training, and where he needs to be in order to move up. It has nothing to do with not caring about my students knowing the material. They WILL know it well before they move on. I don't see the harm in giving them a little notification that they are doing well.
Sylo if you need a piece of tape to remind you where your students are in there training then you my friend are not ready to open a school. As far as notification as to them doing well a nice job or I finally see you are getting it works for me. Sorry I am not rying to kill a dream but it sounds more like an aftercare or Mcdojo to me in your writing, if not then I apologies.

Testing fees and such are the last thing on my mind. I want my students to learn, and learn well. But I don't want them to quit in the process. There will be no "passing up through the ranks" at this school. I'm not sure where I said "everyone learns at the same rate". Everyone SHOULD learn at different rates, because we are human. I was saying, that by having regular intervals for testing.. I can make a bigger deal out of it, than just "here, here's your belt.. thank you come again". They won't test until they are ready. If noone is ready to test when "test time" comes.. then nobody tests. My teacher holds testing every 4 months.. those who are ready when that time comes.. test.. those who aren't wait til the next test

This I can understand giving people notice before a test is a good ideal maybe I just read it wrong, once again sorry.

The last thing that you need is a solid business plan and a student hand book with the requirements and rules of the school. Also if you plan on having a fight team demo team this all needs to be down on paper before the doors ever open so everyone is on the same page. Best of Luck.


here, let me try to reitterate this again.

Colored belts.. if student A has reached a certain level in his form.. he gets a piece of tape on his belt. If Student B needs more work.. he keeps working on it til he has reached that level. If Student A advances in his sparring.. he gets another piece of tape.. and so on. He's still a yellow belt, and he's still a yellow belt til he's ready to test. If you have alot of students its easier to go "Student A is getting about ready to test.. he has his 3 stripes". Yes, I should be able to tell that without the tape.. but it sure would make it less confusing. It also lets "them" know where they are at, and what they need to improve on.

I'm not sure what your replying to about testing. So I cannot reply to that.

I don't see anything that says "Mcdojo".

[Sylo]

What kind of school do you want it to be? Will it be a commercial space for which you are paying rent, or will it be in your garage or back yard, where you aren't paying any rent above your normal costs of housing? Will you ultimately try to make your living off the martial arts school, or will you keep a "day job" and relegate the teaching to something you do on the side? This can make a huge difference in how you approach it, because the money factor takes on a whole different meaning and level of importance, depending on your approach.

I'd suggest you read this book: http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Running-Your-Martial-School/dp/0804834288/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222205028&sr=1-1

basically, it's a business plan, with martial arts school as a focus. A lot of the advice could be applied to any kind of business, but they aim it at the martial arts teacher who wants to open a school. Some good business advice in there, this kind of research would be well worth your time and it may help you decide just how you want to approach this endeavor.

Personally, I think that as money becomes more important in the equation, often the quality of training suffers. If you don't need the money because you have a day job, and you just teach in the evenings and weekends, you are free to spend as much time with your students as you want, and it doesn't matter. You can charge a very low fee, just enough to cover the costs of equipment and stuff, and maybe even make a little bit of extra income.

But if you have a commercial school and your livelihood depends on the income from the school, then time is money, and you start to regiment how much time you give your students because you have a lot of work to do in administrating the business and whatnot. You cannot give away your time and effort for free, or next-to-free anymore. It just creates a very different atmosphere in how the school is run, so give that a lot of thought.

Good luck!

The post I made, would indicate that the "end goal" would for this to be a commercial school, in a building in town. But it won't neccesarily start that way. I will most likely assist my own school, until I have the funds and everything taken care of. Like I said, this is not something I am planning on doing tomorrow. More a basic look, at what I'd change about my own school to make it more enjoyable overall.

[terryl965]

here, let me try to reitterate this again.

Colored belts.. if student A has reached a certain level in his form.. he gets a piece of tape on his belt. If Student B needs more work.. he keeps working on it til he has reached that level. If Student A advances in his sparring.. he gets another piece of tape.. and so on. He's still a yellow belt, and he's still a yellow belt til he's ready to test. If you have alot of students its easier to go "Student A is getting about ready to test.. he has his 3 stripes". Yes, I should be able to tell that without the tape.. but it sure would make it less confusing. It also lets "them" know where they are at, and what they need to improve on.

I'm not sure what your replying to about testing. So I cannot reply to that.

I don't see anything that says "Mcdojo".


OK Sylo let me re say things in a different approach, everytime I see some piece of tape at the bottom of a belt it says two things to me and remember this is my opinion here so it is not God words, they say Mc dojo because every single one in my area does them and charge anywhere from $10.00 to $25.00 for them or it says the head instructor is not competant enough to even know his own students well enough so he uses the tape sytem. Liek I said you said you will not be charging so great so I need to look at the other side which is he needs help knowing his student progress. Not trying to start a war with you because you seem to have some great topics and advice on this forum.

On the testing you explained it was just a date so people would know and not a group thing so I was agreeing with you on that.
Sylo I hope when you open your school it become swhat you would like it to be. Like I said Best of luck sir.:asian:

[Sylo]

OK Sylo let me re say things in a different approach, everytime I see some piece of tape at the bottom of a belt it says two things to me and remember this is my opinion here so it is not God words, they say Mc dojo because every single one in my area does them and charge anywhere from $10.00 to $25.00 for them or it says the head instructor is not competant enough to even know his own students well enough so he uses the tape sytem. Liek I said you said you will not be charging so great so I need to look at the other side which is he needs help knowing his student progress. Not trying to start a war with you because you seem to have some great topics and advice on this forum.

On the testing you explained it was just a date so people would know and not a group thing so I was agreeing with you on that.
Sylo I hope when you open your school it become swhat you would like it to be. Like I said Best of luck sir.:asian:

I see what your getting at now Terry. Yes, I've seen exactly what you are talking about.. and I despise it. I would never charge for anything like that. It could be left out, and the curriculum and testing wouldn't change in the slightest. 90% of the idea was based on letting the students have an easy way of knowing where they stand. 10% of it was giving me an easy way of knowing who is where in their training. Doesn't have to mean I don't know where they are without it, but the less I have to "think" about.. the more training I can do..

I think its a personal preference thing more than anything. If you can teach without it, then awesome. If you want to make things less complicated by having it.. awesome too. As long as the curriculum doesn't change, and noone is forking out extra money.. I see it more like an instructors "post it note".

thanks, I see your view now.

[jks9199]

A few people have mentioned or alluded to something that's very important. Sylo, you've clearly put a lot of thought into the format and practices of the martial arts side of things. But, even in a non-commercial school, the business side matters just as much -- or you won't be able to do the martial arts side. Take the time now to take some classes in business and accounting. Learn how to develop and present a business plan. Have you looked at insurance? The benefits and problems of incorporation? Take some classes on teaching, too. Adult learners aren't the same as kids, and you need to know the differences. There's no real justification for the old "this is how my teacher ran classes!" mindset.

Do you want to go it alone -- or do you want to work with the benefits that a larger organization can provide? If you go with a larger organization, you may find that you have to alter your ideas of today to fit the organization's structure. You can't just throw any rank structure you want into the mix.

Moving away from some of that stuff... You define "adult" as 12 and up. I don't know how old you are... but I'll tell you from experience that even a class of mostly high school kids can put "grown up" adults off. A 20-something doesn't want to hang out with 12 year olds. We've arrived by trial and error at a line of about 16 years old or so; basically, once they have a driver's license as being a reasonable compromise. But there's a good argument to have 3 levels of class: kids, youths/young adult, and adult. Each age group learns a little bit differently, and needs to be addressed differently.

[terryl965]

I see what your getting at now Terry. Yes, I've seen exactly what you are talking about.. and I despise it. I would never charge for anything like that. It could be left out, and the curriculum and testing wouldn't change in the slightest. 90% of the idea was based on letting the students have an easy way of knowing where they stand. 10% of it was giving me an easy way of knowing who is where in their training. Doesn't have to mean I don't know where they are without it, but the less I have to "think" about.. the more training I can do..

I think its a personal preference thing more than anything. If you can teach without it, then awesome. If you want to make things less complicated by having it.. awesome too. As long as the curriculum doesn't change, and noone is forking out extra money.. I see it more like an instructors "post it note".

thanks, I see your view now.

I completely agre with you each there own and lets remember we can dis-agree and still be brother in our Arts.:asian:

[jks9199]

I see what your getting at now Terry. Yes, I've seen exactly what you are talking about.. and I despise it. I would never charge for anything like that. It could be left out, and the curriculum and testing wouldn't change in the slightest. 90% of the idea was based on letting the students have an easy way of knowing where they stand. 10% of it was giving me an easy way of knowing who is where in their training. Doesn't have to mean I don't know where they are without it, but the less I have to "think" about.. the more training I can do..

I think its a personal preference thing more than anything. If you can teach without it, then awesome. If you want to make things less complicated by having it.. awesome too. As long as the curriculum doesn't change, and noone is forking out extra money.. I see it more like an instructors "post it note".

thanks, I see your view now.
If it's for the student alone... try something different. Give 'em a "report card" or use a progress chart for each student. Or give them "testing tickets", and they can't test until they turn all three tickets in. Or anything else that lets them and you chart where they stand, but doesn't advertise it to the world, either.

[Sylo]

Moving away from some of that stuff... You define "adult" as 12 and up. I don't know how old you are... but I'll tell you from experience that even a class of mostly high school kids can put "grown up" adults off. A 20-something doesn't want to hang out with 12 year olds. We've arrived by trial and error at a line of about 16 years old or so; basically, once they have a driver's license as being a reasonable compromise. But there's a good argument to have 3 levels of class: kids, youths/young adult, and adult. Each age group learns a little bit differently, and needs to be addressed differently.

This is what I was looking for.

there are more than just 1 side to opening a martial arts school. Every side will be looked at.. but this side of it.. hit me first because it doesn't cost anything to daydream and brainstorm.

The "what is an adult/kid" thing would have to most likely be handled either on a situation basis or by a strict rule. One or the other.. not both. I know 17 years old that act like 10 year olds.. and 10 year olds that act alot older. There really is no real 100% perfect solution.

In my experience.. being 27 years old.. and attending class.

it tends to be the kids that are 12 or younger, that puts me off. They are slower, and less attentive.. I get less training done because I am having to stop to wait for them to catch up, or having to wait for the instructor to deal with them when they act out. There are 2 red belts in my class now that absolutely annoy the living crap out of me. They always show up late and miss stretching. Their belts are always tied wrong, and they ALWAYS act out. If we are doing bag work they take forever to actually kick the bag, so while the rest of us are waiting.. we are losing time. They shouldn't be red belts at all.. but more so.. in the same class as adults.

[Brian King]

Sylo wrote:

“I've been tossing around ideas, with another instructor friend of mine, and another friend who studies TKD with me as well (1st dan, we are talking about doing this as partners).’

To quote a business advisor, partnership is the only ship that does NOT float.

I would strongly advise against doing this as a partnership.

Good luck
Brian King

[terryl965]

Sylo wrote:


To quote a business advisor, partnership is the only ship that does NOT float.

I would strongly advise against doing this as a partnership.

Good luck
Brian King

Make it a corporation and have a board of directors, much better than a partnership.

[Sylo]

Sylo wrote:


To quote a business advisor, partnership is the only ship that does NOT float.

I would strongly advise against doing this as a partnership.

Good luck
Brian King


Yeah, it was just an idea. This all just brainstorm.. and something to think about.

[girlbug2]

As a student, one of the things that impressed me recently when I joined was that the instructor had carefully arranged the studio with a separate room for the kids of adult students to hang out while the adults were in class. It has a large window so they can watch if they want and blinds to close off the view if they don't. It is located toward the back of the training area but right next to the rest room: if a kid need to use it, it's right there, but if a kid wants to leave the dojo he would have to go all the way around the training mat area to get out the front door, so it's nearly impossible to leave unnoticed. The kids' room has a table, chairs, dvd/tv, small refrigerator and a microwave and even a 10 gallon aquarium! The school's master had been teaching since he was a teenager and obviously had put a lot of thought into how to serve his customers needs.

As a parent I really appreciate this setup although I use it rarely, but it does get used a lot overall. It's good to know that if the babysitter is out I can still make a class and my kids will have an area all to themselves that's safe while I train. There would have been a lot of times I would have missed classes this summer if not for knowing I could bring the boys with me for an hour.

[artFling]

Mango Man,

Interesting idea -- live for a full year on no income. Probably not practical for most though. Most need to begin by teaching the martial arts as an avocation rather than vocation. In other words, don't quit your day job at first. If you do this, then you don't need a year's expenses in the bank. And even if you do teach full time, not many can really pull together a full 12 months of cash before they start. Start small, build a quality product, the students will come.

[mango.man]

Mango Man,

Interesting idea -- live for a full year on no income. Probably not practical for most though. Most need to begin by teaching the martial arts as an avocation rather than vocation. In other words, don't quit your day job at first. If you do this, then you don't need a year's expenses in the bank. And even if you do teach full time, not many can really pull together a full 12 months of cash before they start. Start small, build a quality product, the students will come.

That is why so many start ups fail so quickly. They run out of money to continue to operate. If they started with enough money in the bank to survive that critical first year, they would have been much better off beyond the first year.

Like I said, some niche businesses might get lucky but most fail miserably.

But, it turns out that the OP is not looking for this type of info so allow me to return you to the topic at hand.

[Sylo]

That is why so many start ups fail so quickly. They run out of money to continue to operate. If they started with enough money in the bank to survive that critical first year, they would have been much better off beyond the first year.

Like I said, some niche businesses might get lucky but most fail miserably.

But, it turns out that the OP is not looking for this type of info so allow me to return you to the topic at hand.


I don't mind that type of info. It was just starting to seem like my original intentions was fading further and further.

Money and funds to run a business depends on many factors noone on any message board is going to be able to help me with. Running a school in NY city or other large area.. is going to be far different than trying to do it in podunkville where there are no schools for at least an hrs drive. If there is no competition, things become easier or harder. I agree with you that a load of start up capital is needed so that you can survive without going under. I just haven't quite got that far into it yet :)

[terryl965]

Sylo have you consider if you will be part of a group or an individual. Do you want your players to be competitive or just withen the school. Are you looking for advancement pass where you will be. Have you decided if the population is worth opening a school? These are all types of question that need answers, also have you done any research in the area to see how many school was there and failed? Sometime knowing the pass can help build the future.

[Sylo]

Sylo have you consider if you will be part of a group or an individual. Do you want your players to be competitive or just withen the school. Are you looking for advancement pass where you will be. Have you decided if the population is worth opening a school? These are all types of question that need answers, also have you done any research in the area to see how many school was there and failed? Sometime knowing the pass can help build the future.


Briefly yes.

This is something that won't even be in serious planning for another year or 2.

Plan A: Open a school as a sister school to the one I attend now. I would teach the same curriculum for the core system, and I would offer some extra stuff to fill the gaps in TKD. My school doesn't teach knees/elbows and doesn't do any grappling. I want to offer a self defense specific side as well as the health/wellness side. If my instructor agreed to this, I'd open under his organization. I would also be apart of a couple of other organizations only for the sole purpose of opening up my students to competition. I will not teach sport TKD, but will teach sparring rules for the organizations we are apart of. The main issue here is, my instructor already had one student break of and do exactly the same thing I am talking about. After opening his own school under my instructors host school.. he was testing for 2nd dan. He was failed. This angered him, and caused him to break all ties with my instructor. He basically shunned TKD after that and began teaching his own system based off of things he's learned at seminars. He basically burned bridges with my instructor, and I'm not sure my instructor wants to do it again and risk the same thing happening.

Plan B: Same as plan A.. but I will be my own school/brand. I will be a member of the same organizations as before.. but won't be affiliated with my school in any way other than the style of TKD we teach. I would like to offer more than what my school currently offers.. so this is always an option.

Location: The town I am thinking of doing this in, is very small. 12,000 people tops. There has only ever been 1 school here.. and its the school opened by my instructors former student.. that I mentioned above. I started TKD here, and he actually did very well. He was there long enough to have several black belts under his belt. I enjoyed it there. But soon, he started getting lots of complaints from parents from the way he treated their kids. He was a little rough with them, a little more than he should have been. He closed down and opened up shop somewhere else. He has a school currently, this will have been his 3rd over the last 10 years. He's been at this location longer than any of the others and is supposedly doing well. I feel like I might be able to come in, especially since my family is well known in the community and I have lived there most of my life. I think that will help in building trust and students, as I am already a respected member of the community.

[ArmorOfGod]

Back to the belt stripes:
I started using them and I came from schools that did not. I find they are a great help to me as a teacher. I can glance at each student and quickly know what they have covered, based on those stripes. On each belt, they can get up to 3 stripes of the next color belt. When they have three stripes, that is a que for me to know they are nearly ready for their next belt. When they are white belt, they get yellow stripes. When they are yellow belt, they get orange stripes. When they are orange belt, they get purple stripes. At purple, I stop using stripes because they are hitting intermediate level.
Also, I use green stripes for the younger students. If they get an A or B on their school report card, they get a green stripe for each, up to five stripes. The parents and kids LOVE this idea. Also, green electrical tape is around $4 for about 20 feet (I think).
Since I don't charge for belt tests or stripe tests, everyone wins on this one.

Now, read this thread regarding opening a school: http://martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42320 then print it. That is worth gold.

Another thing: you need a website. I get my dot com for $9 per year at Godaddy.com Then I get my actual site for free at weebly.com Godaddy.com links people over to my Weebly site if people visit my dot com and even masks the Weebly address. I get all of that for only $9 per year. Check my site out below.

AoG

[jks9199]

If you want to do this in 2 years -- now is the time to start seriously planning.

Bluntly... the economy is not good. It's not going to get better fast. Discretionary spending will drop. (I'll bet many of the professional instructors here are already seeing this.) Martial arts classes are, by definition, discretionary spending for most people. That's not a promising picture, is it? If you start planning now, you can take your time lining things up, investigating different ways you might want to work, and just getting ready. Doing the homework to present a solid proposal. Save lots of money now. (Hint... as a very non-profit, "hobbyist" teacher, I've spent several thousand dollars a year buying equipment. For a school, you'll need more.) Start the research now to determine that there is actually interest and support for a martial arts school.

Take the time to learn how to run a business. If you want to add things to TKD as it's been taught to you -- spend the time actually learning them or making the connections to have a good teacher of them who will come in and teach them. (Maybe make sure they really are missing, first, though... instead of simply not emphasized yet at your level of training.)

As I said earlier, take the time to learn how to teach. Teaching is an art all its own and it requires dedicated study to learn how to teach. Especially if you're going to teach kids and adults and everyone in-between.

[ArmorOfGod]

Briefly yes.

This is something that won't even be in serious planning for another year or 2.

Plan A: Open a school as a sister school to the one I attend now. I would teach the same curriculum for the core system, and I would offer some extra stuff to fill the gaps in TKD. My school doesn't teach knees/elbows and doesn't do any grappling. I want to offer a self defense specific side as well as the health/wellness side. If my instructor agreed to this, I'd open under his organization. I would also be apart of a couple of other organizations only for the sole purpose of opening up my students to competition. I will not teach sport TKD, but will teach sparring rules for the organizations we are apart of. The main issue here is, my instructor already had one student break of and do exactly the same thing I am talking about. After opening his own school under my instructors host school.. he was testing for 2nd dan. He was failed. This angered him, and caused him to break all ties with my instructor. He basically shunned TKD after that and began teaching his own system based off of things he's learned at seminars. He basically burned bridges with my instructor, and I'm not sure my instructor wants to do it again and risk the same thing happening.

Plan B: Same as plan A.. but I will be my own school/brand. I will be a member of the same organizations as before.. but won't be affiliated with my school in any way other than the style of TKD we teach. I would like to offer more than what my school currently offers.. so this is always an option.


I think you are using the right kind of thinking above.
It sounds like you are headed in the right direction overall.
The poster above me mentioned that the economy is in ruins right now. That will be a problem, but if you are looking at doing this in 1-2 (or more) years, you are doing right thinking now.

Another thing you may want to consider is rent will cost you anywhere from 1,000-2,500 per month, then you have to pay for utilities. That is per month. You may want to start out at the local rec center and build you student base for a year or two. Local rec centers in my area only take 20% of whatever you bring in. That way, you are never in a hole. You always make money, even if it is only a few dollars per month. You build up your reputation, student base, and make a rec center happy.

If you are taking notes for later, there are certain companies like Bold Look and AWMA that will give you wholesale accounts without you having a business license. They will ask you to provide proof you run a class (flier or business card) or ask for a letter from your rec center supervisor, but will give you uniforms for around $17 each. That is far below what Century sells retail. I use Bold Look, AWMA, and KWON. I had to have a business license for KWON, but love their customer service and quality.

AoG

[Deaf Smith]

Sylo,

First things first.

The school itself. I suggest going to a gym or dance school, or such and renting time for your classes. This helps in several ways.

a) Students can be found right there as many people go to classes there.
b) Overhead. You don't have to pay rent. Just a percentage of the monthly fees.
c) When you have enough students to pay for a rented place (and those places cost maybe $1000 a month OR MORE not including utilities) then you can think about moving your school. Otherwise stay put.

Now about training. WORK THEIR BOTTOMS OFF. Don't make it a McDojo. Do roll call or have them sign in every time and after so many lessons they qualify to take the next test. BUT, don't make the qualifications short in lessons.

Personally I'd have just White, Yellow, Green, Red, Black for the belts. While it is popular to have intermediate belt levels, I personally don't give a hoot. As their rank increases, then lengthen the number of lessons they must have attended before their next test.

Now about the methods. I have found that forcing the low ranking belts to do just the basic kicks, blocks, and punches, and leaving the advanced stuff to the higher ranking belts to learn is far better than trying to get them to do spinning heal kicks, back kicks, hook kicks, hammer fist, spinning back fist, and other advanced techniques. In fact, I'd have the White belts just do the three basic kicks (snap, side, roundhouse), basic punch and backfist, and the four basic blocks. Yellow belts learn the double kicks. Green the back kick, and Red the hook and spinning heal.

I've just seen to many student try the fancy stuff first and not learn the basics right. Like Master Chu said to us, "If you came here to learn out to kill, you are wasting your time, go buy a gun. Here you will learn to be an martial artist and that will take time."

Hope you have a nice big school Sylo for a long time.

Deaf

[Sylo]

Sylo,

First things first.

The school itself. I suggest going to a gym or dance school, or such and renting time for your classes. This helps in several ways.

a) Students can be found right there as many people go to classes there.
b) Overhead. You don't have to pay rent. Just a percentage of the monthly fees.
c) When you have enough students to pay for a rented place (and those places cost maybe $1000 a month OR MORE not including utilities) then you can think about moving your school. Otherwise stay put.

Now about training. WORK THEIR BOTTOMS OFF. Don't make it a McDojo. Do roll call or have them sign in every time and after so many lessons they qualify to take the next test. BUT, don't make the qualifications short in lessons.

Personally I'd have just White, Yellow, Green, Red, Black for the belts. While it is popular to have intermediate belt levels, I personally don't give a hoot. As their rank increases, then lengthen the number of lessons they must have attended before their next test.

Now about the methods. I have found that forcing the low ranking belts to do just the basic kicks, blocks, and punches, and leaving the advanced stuff to the higher ranking belts to learn is far better than trying to get them to do spinning heal kicks, back kicks, hook kicks, hammer fist, spinning back fist, and other advanced techniques. In fact, I'd have the White belts just do the three basic kicks (snap, side, roundhouse), basic punch and backfist, and the four basic blocks. Yellow belts learn the double kicks. Green the back kick, and Red the hook and spinning heal.

I've just seen to many student try the fancy stuff first and not learn the basics right. Like Master Chu said to us, "If you came here to learn out to kill, you are wasting your time, go buy a gun. Here you will learn to be an martial artist and that will take time."

Hope you have a nice big school Sylo for a long time.

Deaf

Thanks.

I've actually been checking around some. Everything is alot cheaper here than it is other places..

building rental here would run from 300-600 depending on the size and condition of the building. The only school within an hr's drive.. has been in its location since the mid 80s and has been in the same building this entire time.

I already have an idea of a place to rent when the time comes. Its a very small shopping center, and slots are always open. One of my friends opened up an internet cafe in one of them a while back.. so I know the rent had to be pretty cheap.. seeing as my friend is a cheapskate lol.

[Xue Sheng]

White - 3 yellow stripes
Yellow - 3 green stripes
green - 3 blue stripes
Blue - 3 red stripes
Red - 3 black stripes
Recommended Black (black belt with red stripe in middle)
1st dan.


First, I am old and have been at this for awhile, second my training for the last 17 years has been in CMA without belts so I am likely not getting this whole importance of belts thing and the problem with stripes on them but when I started in Jujitsu we had not that many belt colors (4) and things seemed to go fine and there were no testing fees either but there was also no set schedule for testing. When Sensei thought there was someone ready to be tested there was a test. And each and every stripe meant a test, none were just handed out.

Belts
White
White 1st (one stripe)
White 2nd (2 stripes)
Green
Green 1st
Green 2nd
Green 3rd (but to be honest I am not sure there was a green 3rd)
Brown
Brown 1st
Brown 2nd
Brown 3rd
Brown 4th
Black

Classes were Children and Adult
Children to 15
Adult 16 and older.

[Sylo]

First, I am old and have been at this for awhile, second my training for the last 17 years has been in CMA without belts so I am likely not getting this whole importance of belts thing and the problem with stripes on them but when I started in Jujitsu we had not that many belt colors (4) and things seemed to go fine and there were no testing fees either but there was also no set schedule for testing. When Sensei thought there was someone ready to be tested there was a test. And each and every stripe meant a test, none were just handed out.

Belts
White
White 1st (one stripe)
White 2nd (2 stripes)
Green
Green 1st
Green 2nd
Green 3rd (but to be honest I am not sure there was a green 3rd)
Brown
Brown 1st
Brown 2nd
Brown 3rd
Brown 4th
Black

Classes were Children and Adult
Children to 15
Adult 16 and older.



The ranking system I have chosen is a stem from the ITF ranking system, with only slight variations.

[Daniel Sullivan]

Hey Guys.

My goal in all of this, is to one day in the not so distant future.. open and run my own Tae Kwon Do/martial arts school. I want to share what I have learned with others. I've never had a firm grasp on what I wanted to do once my dreams of becoming a rock star were over, but I think I have finally found a common ground between having a normal job, and doing something extroardinary. I've been tossing around ideas, with another instructor friend of mine, and another friend who studies TKD with me as well (1st dan, we are talking about doing this as partners).

I'm wanting to open the school in a town about 30 minutes from where our current school is. There used to be a school there years ago, but since then.. nothing. The school did well in those days, except for the instructor angering parents being too rough with his students (I started there).

Anyway, here are a few of the ideas I have right now that I am gonna start compiling out in a notebook to keep track of. I plan to teach as an assistant instructor at my own school before any of this happens, but its fun to plan ahead and research how "I" would do things if it were me.

Here goes..

Belt Structure

(between each belt level. Students would have that chance to earn 3 stripes. These stripes would represent a part of the curriculum that the student has excelled at. Sparring, Self Defense, or Form. They must get all 3 stripes to test for the next color belt.)

White - 3 yellow stripes
Yellow - 3 green stripes
green - 3 blue stripes
Blue - 3 red stripes
Red - 3 black stripes
Recommended Black (black belt with red stripe in middle)
1st dan.
I'm liking the fact that there are only six actual belts, though I'll touch on the half belt in a moment.

The tape stripes: Not a big fan of them. I think that they look sloppy (my opinion) and are unnecessary. On the other hand, they can be a good teaching tool and a good motivator, and since you indicate that there will be no charge for the tape stripes, if you like it then do it.

I'm not sure that a 'recommended' blackbelt needs an additional belt between red and black. I've always seen this as an unnecessary test and another fee. I'd save the halvsy belt for the kids. And speaking of kids...


Class Structure

Adults - Adults are considered age 12+.
Kids - The kids class will consist of kids ages 8-12. I thought about starting them earlier. But there are very few kids out there who can grasp what needs to be grasped.. THAT early. The belt structure for the kids class would be the same as the adults. With the exception of the grading. Once the child reaches Black Belt he will be granted a "JR BLACK BELT" which will basically be a black belt with "JR BLACK BELT" embroirdered in white on the end. Basically this signifies that this student has completed the curriculum as it is taught to those under the age of 12. Once the student attains JR BLACK BELT. He or she has the option to join the adults class (even if younger than 12, which won't be likely). Once in the adults class, the student will then begin a review of all the material covered in the kids version of the class, on an adult level. The grading scale will increase, and the child will then have to perfect what one has learned. After they have achieved a level of "adult" learning, They will test for 1st dan black belt as an adult. If the JR BLACK BELT is not 12 years old, and wishes to remain in the kids class. They can do so and continue to do the curriculum but will not test again until they are moved to the adult class.
...this is where a halvsy belt should be used. Junior blackbelt is another blackbelt that needs to be explained. I would stick with the halvsy red/black belt. The rest of it is fine. Once again, if you're comfortable with having junior blackbelts, that is up to you. Some very good schools use them. Personally, I feel that it muddies the waters.


Testings

I would like to schedule testings at set intervals. Testing for belt colors of all ranks, would be done on a weekend. Preferably during the evening. I would like to make a big deal about it when students test. I want them to feel like they have earned something, and not just another belt. Almost like a graduation ceremony. Maybe some speakers, special guest instructors/testers, demonstrations and refreshements. etc.
One of the advantages you have with only five colored belts and one half belt is that you won't be testing so frequently that such occasions become so common that they become commonplace. Also, special guests and parties are more financially feasible with the limited belt number you mention, so this is a good idea.


What do you guys think so far?
I think that you have a good start with putting together your structure. Sounds like you have your curriculum picked out. I would strongly suggest keeping the curriculum as focused as possible. Your ITF taekwondo curriculum and nothing more would be my suggestion. If you want to add some practical SD techniques, that is okay, but not any more than that. No matter how well intentioned, the larger the curriculum becomes, generally, the less skill the students have in each piece of it because they're trying to learn too much.

Best wishes to you!

Daniel

[Kacey]

Honestly? Except for kids under 10-12, I wouldn't bother with 3 stripes. Adults and teens should be able to track their own progress without the visual being on their belts. If you want a visual, have a check list for each rank where students can demonstrate whatever range of techniques they need in each area for a student "x" level above them signs off that the student has performed at the required level for the rank (say, a couple of gup ranks, maybe, or a couple of belt colors - which keeps your senior gup ranks involved, and in class, too, and helps them understand the differences between ability/performance at each rank); when they have all the required signatures, and you have given them permission, they can test. I would be careful, though, that they know that just having the signatures does not equate to permission to test - there's going to be a range of who will sign what, and you'll need to observe them before making a final decision.

[Kwanjang]

Sylo, when you do open your school remember this my friend, Students come first, martial arts second. I try to remember- people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. I made a lot of mistakes when I open my 1st school in 96, and I made a lot of mistakes when I opened my second school in 99. Like others have said make sure to have operating expenses covered. Plan, plan and plan some more. I believe your heart to be in the right place, and that's the first start. I wish you the best in your endeavor. I've enjoyed the lion share of the market in my neck of the woods. To grow a school takes time and dedication. I just wanted to teach martial arts, unfortunately the "Business" side always rears its ugly head. Be ready for that my friend.

[YoungMan]

Blue belt in ITF Tae Kwon Do? Don't even worry about opening a school at this point. You/ve got too many other things to think about. Like getting black belt down the road. Even that's something you can think about when the time comes.
Run your school the way your instructor wants you to.

[Sylo]

Blue belt in ITF Tae Kwon Do? Don't even worry about opening a school at this point. You/ve got too many other things to think about. Like getting black belt down the road. Even that's something you can think about when the time comes.
Run your school the way your instructor wants you to.


DING DING DING!!!

you win the prize youngman.

I was just brain storming for the future. I still have a ways to go. But its fun to come up with plans or visions.

[Daniel Sullivan]

What? No prize for me? After my well thought out and meticulously written post? Not to mention the money I sent!!:D

Daniel

[Sylo]

What? No prize for me? After my well thought out and meticulously written post? Not to mention the money I sent!!:D

Daniel

You can have a prize too.

[YoungMan]

I've never met a blue belt that was even thinking about opening a school. They just wanted to make it to the next level.

[Sylo]

I've never met a blue belt that was even thinking about opening a school. They just wanted to make it to the next level.


Your right, most blue belts I know. Come to class like once a week, (I go 3-4), Most blue belts I know.. don't know any of the forms below blue belt.. since they forget them the moment they move to the next belt. Most blue belts I know, still call what we do "Karate" and believe it 100%. Most blue belts I know, practice at the dojang only. Most blue belts I know, will quit training as soon as they hit black belt.

What I am getting at here.. I'm not planning on opening a school as a blue belt, or even the minute I turn black belt. Thats not what my post was about. It was harmless "day dreaming". Where I was coming up with ideas, for how I would do it if it was my school. Of course, I'd be black belt.. and of course I'd have experience teaching etc. before any of this were to take place.

My rank is of little relevance to this, because I'm not talking about going out and doing this tomorrow. A couple of years down the road maybe. Who knows what might happen between now and then. Teaching probably never crosses the minds of average students. But I like to set goals, and have dreams. I'm not your average student. I think differently than others. I dream "BIG". Sometimes this might be bad.. but when your really dedicated to something.. it kind of just happens.

Don't worry.. won't be no blue belts opening a school.

[Daniel Sullivan]

You can have a prize too.
I want an invite to your school when you finally open it.:D

Daniel

[Daniel Sullivan]

Your right, most blue belts I know. Come to class like once a week, (I go 3-4), Most blue belts I know.. don't know any of the forms below blue belt.. since they forget them the moment they move to the next belt. Most blue belts I know, still call what we do "Karate" and believe it 100%. Most blue belts I know, practice at the dojang only. Most blue belts I know, will quit training as soon as they hit black belt.
Ugh. I wish I could get on here and tell you that you were mistaken, but sadly, it is the truth. Most taekwondo students only learn the material that they must to get a belt and then forget it, relearning that which they must for a blackbelt test, then quitting and forgetting it all permanently after they have gotten their Cracker Jack prize.

Daniel

[Sylo]

Ugh. I wish I could get on here and tell you that you were mistaken, but sadly, it is the truth. Most taekwondo students only learn the material that they must to get a belt and then forget it, relearning that which they must for a blackbelt test, then quitting and forgetting it all permanently after they have gotten their Cracker Jack prize.

Daniel


Yeah, thats it in a nutshell.

I see it every day.

I might be just a lowly blue belt.. but thats what sets me apart from everyone else in my class.. even some of the black belts. To them it just something to kill time with, or something to let of steam. And, those reasons are fine for them. But these things, are what seperates the "men from the boys" for a lack of a better term. I work on my forms at home. I work on my kicking at the most odd times (I was working on my right round house kick while playing with my son last night.). I read up on different forms of martial arts, I post on forums about it. I get the century catalog at my house, so I can keep up with the latest and greatest gear. I watch martial arts movies constantly. I talk to my 2nd dan friend all day at work about it, and then I go to class 3-4 times a week to practice it. We are a rare breed. That is also the reason why I have the urge to teach, and open a school.. it would be the culmination of my learning. Like going to college for 7 years to be a doctor, or playing guitar for 8 years to be in a popular band.

Most people don't have the same mindset as I do with martial arts.

[Kwanjang]

Yeah, thats it in a nutshell.

I see it every day.

I might be just a lowly blue belt.. but thats what sets me apart from everyone else in my class.. even some of the black belts. To them it just something to kill time with, or something to let of steam. And, those reasons are fine for them. But these things, are what seperates the "men from the boys" for a lack of a better term. I work on my forms at home. I work on my kicking at the most odd times (I was working on my right round house kick while playing with my son last night.). I read up on different forms of martial arts, I post on forums about it. I get the century catalog at my house, so I can keep up with the latest and greatest gear. I watch martial arts movies constantly. I talk to my 2nd dan friend all day at work about it, and then I go to class 3-4 times a week to practice it. We are a rare breed. That is also the reason why I have the urge to teach, and open a school.. it would be the culmination of my learning. Like going to college for 7 years to be a doctor, or playing guitar for 8 years to be in a popular band.

Most people don't have the same mindset as I do with martial arts.

Me thinks the Martial Art "OCD" bug has bitten you! May you be infected by it the rest of your Life. :cheers:

[Daniel Sullivan]

Me thinks the Martial Art "OCD" bug has bitten you! May you be infected by it the rest of your Life. :cheers:
I as well:D

Daniel

[Sylo]

Me thinks the Martial Art "OCD" bug has bitten you! May you be infected by it the rest of your Life. :cheers:
I've had martial arts OCD for a long time..
life just got in the way a few times.