First, I'm sorry for necromancing this thread, especially as my first post on this site, but this is how I found the place and I really felt like I needed to say something.
I have spent years trying to find a school that's comparable to the first one I attended, and I always leave disappointed. I joined Frisco Karate Academy, studying Youn Wha Ryu under two black belts whose last names I don't even remember now. They had studied under Master Juan Galvan, who was a student of Master Han, IIRC. There's really nothing that could have made this setup SOUND more like a McDojo, but it wasn't.
There was your typical TKD class for kids, from white up to green belt, and I started in that. But the class for intermediate belts and adults was exacting and strict with emphasis on internalizing every movement. We were competitive in open tournaments -- I made it to national level competition as a red belt and took home second place (and a torn ACL).
Master Juan's son Adrian Galvan, whom I assume was trained in Youn Wha Ryu as well, is currently the USKA kumite champion, according to the website.
I guess my point is that the art itself doesn't have to be deficient just because the guy who developed it is now more interested in business than in "truth and justice". In most any form of martial arts, it seems that the teacher is more important than the lesson. I'd give up anything to start up again in a school with the same intensity as Frisco Karate Academy. It was a sad day when they closed their doors.
I have spent years trying to find a school that's comparable to the first one I attended, and I always leave disappointed. I joined Frisco Karate Academy, studying Youn Wha Ryu under two black belts whose last names I don't even remember now. They had studied under Master Juan Galvan, who was a student of Master Han, IIRC. There's really nothing that could have made this setup SOUND more like a McDojo, but it wasn't.
There was your typical TKD class for kids, from white up to green belt, and I started in that. But the class for intermediate belts and adults was exacting and strict with emphasis on internalizing every movement. We were competitive in open tournaments -- I made it to national level competition as a red belt and took home second place (and a torn ACL).
Master Juan's son Adrian Galvan, whom I assume was trained in Youn Wha Ryu as well, is currently the USKA kumite champion, according to the website.
I guess my point is that the art itself doesn't have to be deficient just because the guy who developed it is now more interested in business than in "truth and justice". In most any form of martial arts, it seems that the teacher is more important than the lesson. I'd give up anything to start up again in a school with the same intensity as Frisco Karate Academy. It was a sad day when they closed their doors.