Training at another school?

[Phenix_Rider]

My work requires a fair amount of travel. Over the next few months, I'll spend a week or so at a time in another state, about 12 hours from my current school. Until now, my trips have been fairly short, or there hasn't been anywhere to train. But now, I'm looking at spending a week away, and a week at home, back and forth.

So what's your feeling toward training at another school? Should be easy enough within the association (WTSDA) , but what if I want to look at something different? Say Okinawan Karate or Kobudo or Kung Fu? How willing would an instructor be to take on a part-time student?

 

[shima]

Start by talking to your current instructor and see if he has any affiliate schools near where you'll be that he could call up on your behalf before you show up. The biggest thing to try and avoid is to try and avoid offending your current instructor and keep him involved in what is going on.

 

[OldKarateGuy]

We're in a place that has lots of winter visitors. I always welcome martial art students, regardless of style and/or rank. it's good for my students to see and learn to accept other styles. I feels strongly about the fallacy of "we do the kata/karate/etc right and others do it wrong" mentality. No one owns forms.

I wouldn't think your current instructor could possibly object to your visiting another style/organization's school when you're traveling. So, for instance, if you're WTSDA and there is no WTSDA dojang near your destination, I'd look for a MDK or shotokan school, since they're both similar to your style and could teach you something new.

Going to a school in a style wildly different than your current TSD may not do a lot for your karate, but might still be a fun experience.

But the previous poster is correct. Better safe than sorry. Ask your instructor first.

 

[Phenix_Rider]

Well I asked my instructor and basically got "Eh, okay whatever. Have them call if there are any questions. And wear your traditional uniform."

I had to laugh at that last, since the "traditional" uniform he refers to has the name of the school screen printed on the back of an "ultra-lightweight" polyester mix. Not to mention that half our forms go back barely 25 years.

 

[OldKarateGuy]

Funny. Along those lines, even though I'm WTSDA too, I always have at least one all-white, no-trim-and-no-patches uniform and a plain black belt (no stripes), for when I'm out of town or visiting a non-Korean school. But then, if you wear your own marked uniform for a short visit, I can't imagine anyone objecting.