training atmosphere

[lonecoyote]

I live in a small community and when a new studio opens up, I'll drop in, say hi, maybe take a class, be friendly. I'm interested. I stopped in to a new place the next town over and man, this guy has a nice setup. Nice new mats, bags, beautiful front area, even though the decor looks a bit like a chinese restaurant, Thats not uncommon. anyway, I just didn't dig it. I think it's because at the place I train the mats are ok but worn, the bags, kicking sheilds, etc are in ok condition but well used. Beat on with love for a few years. That's the kind of place I like best, feel most comfortable in. How about you? What about a place makes you look around and say, I'm at home here or what don't you like to see.

 

[MJS]

The 'new' look can be due to many reasons: A new school so he wanted new equipment, his old equipment was so old that it was in serious need of repair, etc. I agree though...when you've been at one place long enough, it does start to feel like home and its a place that you're happy with and don't want to leave no matter what.

As for me...as long as I'm in an environment where I'm learning quality material, I'll be happy. I have a training partner that I've been working out with for quite a few years now. We'll switch between each others house, working out in the yard, garage, etc. Its by far no fancy training hall, but the workout is awesome!!! :ultracool

Mike

 

[still learning]

Hello, We train in a school cafeteria, in fact most of our other schools do to. many don't have mats and we just train on the hard floors. As far as atmosphere is concern, it dosen't affect our training. Actually the atmosphere is created by the teacher and students training. We don't punch or kick any differently because this is not a real dojo to some people, but to us it is our learning space. We do alot of take downs but no hard throws(head gear is use). What is nice is the fees are lower and lots of free parking, and easy to find and safe. We do have to carry all our equipment in and out everytime.

Is it important? the place of training? Not really......Hawaii does have a nice atmosphere.....Aloha

 

[Miles]

My club has moved from one elementary school cafeteria, to an unused classroom in another elementary school (both without air-conditioning in Summer) to a fully matted modern facility. The most important thing is the instruction (though a/c in Summer is wonderful).

I don't care for music when I train but have seen some instructors do it-do folks like it or not?

Miles

 

[The Prof]

Many people look for different things when they pick a dojo. I always tell them not to worry about how beautiful the dojo is or how poor it looks. It's not the beauty of the dojo or the poorness that matters. It’s the integrity of the instructor and the quality of what he/she teaches that is most important. Look at that first, the dojo second.

My dojo is in my home. With the exception of about eighteen months it has been there for nearly eighteen years. When my youngest son turned thirteen I wanted to give him that room as a place for him and his friends to hang out. I had a pool table and ping pong table put in there. The room is 450 square feet with a 16 X 32 foot rectangular pool just outside the sliding glass doors.

Two things happened, one, my son and his friends never used the room. The tables were used to store their crap on. The dojo was moved onto the main highway and had a mat that was the same size as my pool. The place was beautiful and spacious. Everyone hated it and eventually it closed. They said then and still say now that "the Ki had disappeared and it lost its soul when it moved."

A short time later we moved it back into my home. Everyone returned and they were and still are extremely happy. It is a professionally matted room (in Blue with red border) and it’s very hot. There is no A/C. We are in South Florida and in the summer the thermometer is usually at 102 degrees due to all the BTU’s burned by a bunch of sweaty arm pit odored guys and gals. It’s SRO and everyone is happier than a pig in a poke. Go figure that one out???

It’s a matter of choice and what ever it is that pleases your taste.

The Prof

 

[The Prof]

The 'new' look can be due to many reasons: A new school so he wanted new equipment, his old equipment was so old that it was in serious need of repair, etc. I agree though...when you've been at one place long enough, it does start to feel like home and its a place that you're happy with and don't want to leave no matter what.

As for me...as long as I'm in an environment where I'm learning quality material, I'll be happy. I have a training partner that I've been working out with for quite a few years now. We'll switch between each others house, working out in the yard, garage, etc. Its by far no fancy training hall, but the workout is awesome!!! :ultracool

Mike

Sensei,

You are ever so right. We have identical tastes when to come to training. When you read my post know that I did forget to mention that we do have a few electric fans, they help keep the stench flowing.

Blessings,

Prof

 

[MJS]

Sensei,

You are ever so right. We have identical tastes when to come to training. When you read my post know that I did forget to mention that we do have a few electric fans, they help keep the stench flowing.

Blessings,

Prof

Thank you Sir! :asian:

Mike

 

[KenpoTess]

From a trampled backyard, a front porch, to an all out totally equipped studio.. It matters not to me as long as my student's are happy and learning

 

[TigerWoman]

I helped move the dojang three times. One really large place used to be Sears then to a really small place where only about six people could do form and not run into each other too much. The place we have now is pretty much donated by a second dan. Its fairly large enough for nine or ten to do form.

I go by the old Walmart building vacant, and think wow, would that ever make a dream Taekwondo center. Complete with lockers, showers, lounge, store, jacuzzi, sauna, (might as well do the whole number while I'm dreamin') weight room, parents viewing room, bathooms-more than one would be soooo nice. Storeroom. Office. And lots of matted dojang floor with good lights sectioned off for children and adults. Anybody have anything else to add? TW

 

[Lisa]

Was in a dedicated facility for over 2 1/2 years. It was nice and spacious and I truly enjoyed it. We moved to a nondedicated facility about 8 months ago. Still love it and still enjoying it. It is the people and the instructor that make my training atmosphere enjoyable.

 

[DarrenJew]

I’ve been in the "Chinese restaurant" type studio, to a drafty old, almost, condemned building, even a dance studio rented space out to us at one time, but I’ve also worked out in school yards, a park, a driveway, a garage where we had to push an old GTO out of it before we started practicing... I guess, to me, atmosphere has not been really important, as much as the people who you work out with.

 

[Miles]

..I go by the old Walmart building vacant, and think wow, would that ever make a dream Taekwondo center. Complete with lockers, showers, lounge, store, jacuzzi, sauna, (might as well do the whole number while I'm dreamin') weight room, parents viewing room, bathooms-more than one would be soooo nice. Storeroom. Office. And lots of matted dojang floor with good lights sectioned off for children and adults. Anybody have anything else to add? TW

TW, how about a library? My dream too! I have a friend who converted a car dealership building into a dojang. Lots of glass walls facing the main street in his town-excellent advertising mind!

Miles

 

[DarrenJew]

Originally Posted by TigerWoman
..I go by the old Walmart building vacant, and think wow, would that ever make a dream Taekwondo center. Complete with lockers, showers, lounge, store, jacuzzi, sauna, (might as well do the whole number while I'm dreamin') weight room, parents viewing room, bathooms-more than one would be soooo nice. Storeroom. Office. And lots of matted dojang floor with good lights sectioned off for children and adults. Anybody have anything else to add? TW

TW, how about a library? My dream too! I have a friend who converted a car dealership building into a dojang. Lots of glass walls facing the main street in his town-excellent advertising mind!

Miles

Library... Great idea, put in a video-viewing area for training tapes, maybe a whole cafeteria over a lounge area, bleachers for spectators when you hold tournaments, gift shop where you can sell uniforms and other gear.

 

[lonecoyote]

I completely agree that its whats going on inside that counts, but some places do seem to have a certain something, kind of a soul, although that's the wrong word, kind of like what The Prof was saying. Talking about dream conversions, a car dealership, wow! Windows and parking too. Our Blockbuster video just closed down and it would be sweet too. Windows on three sides and plenty of open space. An old Wal-Mart would be so huge, so much stuff, cool ideas TigerWoman.