backyard study

[OC Kid]

Well I taught my first class tonight at the new digs (rec center) had a good turnout 10 kids which is max for the space alotted. The kids were great it was a mixed class with 2 cute little girls. I had 1 kid was older about 13 or 14 but He was good everyone seemed like they wanted to learn. They also seemed like the type of kids who had trouble with bullies.

A couple of funny things happened. One girl (spectator) was in the back of the class and when I was teaching a down block she said "I thought it was called a barai (japanese for down block) so I started teasing her with a bunch of japanese phrases. "Ok everyone get into a fwd stance , zen kutsu dachi for you japanese stylist ok reverse punch, gyaku tsuki for those in the back and so on" After class I talked to her. She asked how long Ive been training. I told her I started my training in 1983. She said wow that before I was born.
She was taking Shotokan and was getting ready for a tournament so I helped her with her kata one on one for about a 1/2 hour-40 minutes she wanted to know if I ever competed in a tournament. I told her every major one from mexico to canada. So she asked me some questions about tournament sparring. I invited her to my reg class where I teach sparring. I told her right now Im starting the 5 angle of attacks so she should come it would help her. That was cool I thought.

The next funny incident was when this little cholo came in while I was talking to the girl and asked me "Hey man you know how to fight?" I calmly looked at him and said "No!" He had a puzzled look on his face and walked away. My boy ( my #1 student) asked me " Daddy why did you tell him no". I smiled and told him because I dont know how to fight. I can defend myself very well but I dont fight". He smiled and understood the lesson.

All in all it was a good class. I knew God set up the class and wouldnt let me down.
Im so jazzed Im going to go and work out some more do some cardio...life is good.

 

[Baoquan]

The next funny incident was when this little cholo came in while I was talking to the girl and asked me "Hey man you know how to fight?" I calmly looked at him and said "No!" He had a puzzled look on his face and walked away. My boy ( my #1 student) asked me " Daddy why did you tell him no". I smiled and told him because I dont know how to fight. I can defend myself very well but I dont fight". He smiled and understood the lesson.

Much respec'. :asian:

 

[TKD USA]

I really like trainig outside especislly sparring because the fresh air is really good for your lungs but I try not to do to much of it because you have to get used to sparring inside, it's just the air pressusre is different.

 

[James Kovacich]

I find teaching in the underground fashion to be advantageous. It allows me to move around and have students in differant locations. I have students in Silicon Valley where I work and used to live. I bought a home in Tracy, Ca. and have room to build a dojo so I'll be teaching there soon. Also Stockton and Sacramento are not far away as well as the bay is still close by.

I have a student (my nephew) in his last year in college playing football in Southern Ca. that I've been training since he was 15 and another student thats 18 years old and headed down there to play on the same football team as an incoming freshman. Heres the 18 year old.
http://www.scientific-streetfighting.com/academypics.html

They will be able to train together at school. Thats great for my nephew and me because through him I have a reason to help him start a group in Southern Ca. as well as train with one of my instuctors down there too.

The same goes with my other students. Hopefully some will take initiative and head their own groups as well.


If all works out I get to travel and teach and learn.

 

[AdrenalineJunky]

I train my MT workout twice a week, and normally do it in the front yard. I train with a couple different people, and it's nice because I can really get personal with them. In the gym, it's all business. My instructor doesn't eff around, and because I've been doing this for so long, he really pushes me--proly because I'm trying to get back into fighting shape. Training on my own is just more relaxed, even though I love to train at the gym. Also, I get a lot of people walking by who stop and ask what we are doing. It gives me an opportunity to plug the school I go to, and another school here in town that my buddy trains at. Grass, air, and some pretty hot chicks walking by makes for a pretty good workout. :ultracool

AJ

 

[noble man]

I train in the back yard,garage,have been for abot 1 1/2 years of my training in this art kajukembo.When I started with my instructor he had a small school and about 5 students.Due to rent increases we moved trainig to his house.You can really tel the difference in the training.It is hotter and colder and sometimes wetter butt the training is lot more realistic.

 

[Shodan]

I, too, am partially the product of hole in the wall Kenpo training!! My first "dojo" was the aerobics room at a racquetball club. From there, I was in a "real dojo" for awhile, then back to the inside of an old warehouse, then out of a garage and then out of an apartment. Next, I spent a number of years in and out of two separate, but linked (part of the same school in two separate towns) dojos. Now, I have moved away from my "home" dojo and I drive 30 miles two times per week to work out of a garage with some other misplaced Kenpoists. It's really hard to find Parker's Kenpo around here, so I am happy to be training with some people that learned as I did. The main instructor there and I both travel to our "home" schools from time to time and bring back info. to share with the others. We have different instructors, but have learned the same way with only minor variations in material.

:asian: :karate:

 

[Mark Lynn]

Good thread!!

I've enjoyed reading other people's experiences training in the backyard/garage/parks dojos of the world.

My karate/TKD instructor quit teaching commercially back in 1982 and he opened up his garage dojo then. I was invited to join in around 1983 by then he had installed the first mat that was remenats of a comerical schools old mat.

He charged nothing, as he told us that we kept him young by coming out and training. We paid in blood sweat and tears. As a blue belt I was the junior student but we wore no belts, in fact it was only on special (new years day) workouts that we would wear rank. So for the longest I didn't know I was sparring brown and black belts who were my seniors. Mike (my instructor) was like a father to some, best friend to others, and mentor to all of us. Even after 20+ years we still get together for New Years workouts and some still train at the house on a regular basis.

We mainly sparred and fought and fought, body work, etc. etc. however when I would come back from college or if I was the only one to show up for class that's when he taught me my forms/basics etc. etc. In time other instructors would come by and we started training in weapons (kobudo) as well.

In 2002 he rented a room at a resturant and we all gathered to celebrate the 1st 20 years. It was amazing to see all of the people alone with their spouses and girlfriends/boyfriends etc. etc. Some of my closest friends are from that dojo.

Those were the days.
Mark Lynn

 

[Mark Lynn]

Thought I would share this as well.

Someone mentioned about working out in front of their house. Back in 81 when I started we had a small back yard with a dog. So generally late at night I would go out in the front yard and practice my katas and such. Also I had an interest in weapons (after seeing Chuck Norris in "The Octogan" anyway I would play with the nunchaku and the sai as well. Well a neighbor boy who lived across the street from me use to watch me out of his window, and it interested him enough to seek out instruction from a commercial school. I think I found this out about 7 years later when my mother mentioned to her friend about her going to see my shodan test (I hadn't tested yet), anyway it turns out that he got involved in the martial arts and had tested for 1st black some years prior to me testing.

Someone mentioned about working out in a park, so heres another story. We had a good size snow storm (several inches is a severe storm in TX) anyway I drove out to the outside of the town to a new park. No one was around and it's snowing and I decide to practice with my boken in the snow. So here I am cutting away moving up and down this field trying to keep my cuts right and I glance up and there is a policeman watching me from the warmth of his car. He just shook his head like who is this nut, and he drove on. I have no idea of how long he was there, and thankfully he didn't give me a hard time.

Mark

My daughter likes these and asked me to put them here.
artyon: :boing2: :idunno:

 

[Shogun]

I have trained like this in the past. its fun. I actually teach a few people like this. we move around, but usually I train in my room-turned-dojo, a big open field-turned-dojo, or my friend's wrestling ring (.......turned-dojo.....jk) I don't charge anything, other than if they need supplies.

 

[RCastillo]

Good thread!!

I've enjoyed reading other people's experiences training in the backyard/garage/parks dojos of the world.

My karate/TKD instructor quit teaching commercially back in 1982 and he opened up his garage dojo then. I was invited to join in around 1983 by then he had installed the first mat that was remenats of a comerical schools old mat.

He charged nothing, as he told us that we kept him young by coming out and training. We paid in blood sweat and tears. As a blue belt I was the junior student but we wore no belts, in fact it was only on special (new years day) workouts that we would wear rank. So for the longest I didn't know I was sparring brown and black belts who were my seniors. Mike (my instructor) was like a father to some, best friend to others, and mentor to all of us. Even after 20+ years we still get together for New Years workouts and some still train at the house on a regular basis.

We mainly sparred and fought and fought, body work, etc. etc. however when I would come back from college or if I was the only one to show up for class that's when he taught me my forms/basics etc. etc. In time other instructors would come by and we started training in weapons (kobudo) as well.

In 2002 he rented a room at a resturant and we all gathered to celebrate the 1st 20 years. It was amazing to see all of the people alone with their spouses and girlfriends/boyfriends etc. etc. Some of my closest friends are from that dojo.

Those were the days.
Mark Lynn

A great post. :asian:

 

[SMP]

For me my relationship with my instructor and fellow students allows for learning wether we are training in our school or at a park. A large part of my learning has taken place over a dinner table with members of my Martial arts family. Or on a car ride. Our total training shouldn't be limited by the need for any physical stucture such as a school. Nor should it be hindered by taking place in one location. I do believe that a great training can develope within the walls of a school but it can occur in the backyard as well. A couple of thoughts - SMP

 

[DeLamar.J]

I bet I have put in more hours of training in back yards than in a dojo lol.

 

[MichiganTKD]

Master Instructor training often has nothing to do with putting on a uniform and practicing. It can consist of Instructors sitting in an office with the Grandmaster talking to him and each other and learning. I've had sit-down sessions with our Grandmaster that were every bit as good as physical practice, and realize how extensive his understanding of Tae Kwon Do is. Not just technique, but etiquette, why we do things, politics, who's who etc.

 

[terryl965]

Master Instructor training often has nothing to do with putting on a uniform and practicing. It can consist of Instructors sitting in an office with the Grandmaster talking to him and each other and learning. I've had sit-down sessions with our Grandmaster that were every bit as good as physical practice, and realize how extensive his understanding of Tae Kwon Do is. Not just technique, but etiquette, why we do things, politics, who's who etc.

Well spoken most people, instructors forget about the mental triogy that the older and wiser Master's have. I know when we get together we talk about how mental gathering are just as important as the physical aspect again thanks for your insight. GOD BLESS AMERICA

 

[DavidCC]

"My real charge is on their brains and bodies, and they pay up in full each and every class..."


When I open a school, that just might be the motto.

 

[DeLamar.J]

Some of the best training I ever had was in the back yards of high rank black belts. I love backyard training because all the formallaties are gone, and we just train as hard core as we want and dont have to worry about an occasional curse slipping out or anything like that. I cant relax and be myself at the dojo because I am always worried about doing or saying something disrespectful or not politicly correct.

 

[KenpoTess]

Our outdoor training grounds are two-tiered, looks rather like it once was a rice paddy back in the day.. the lower level is all trampled down to the dirt, and it's rather 'fun' to work out after a fresh rain
Last night, we were gathered up on the porch, pondering going out back or inside, as it was just sprinkling, the consensus was outdoors. The upper belts were working on some leg sweeps on the upper level, and contending with a hilly terrain, some bushes and a chain link fence along with a 150 yr old brick smoke house.. I was most amused by the 'wipe outs' *snickers*
It's an excellent place to get a feel for the real world back there, all sorts of things to be 'Environmentally Aware' of

~Tess

 

[jukado1]

Thanks to everybody on this thread, this brought back enough memory's as to help me decide to try to get back in to teaching again, With any luck I'll be able to teach out of my garage, in 100+ degree heat out here in the palm springs area. One point i would like to add is on charging students, for many people, anything thats free is worth just that, nothing, so I've always recommended charging something, but for those who can't afford anything, allow them to work off their tuition, the more a student has to pay, and not just in money, the more valuable the training. once again THANK YOU.

 

[Rich Parsons]

I have done some good back yard / basement / livign room training. I like it, and I also have seen some tests done that way also. People are are not sure what is going on.

I have also done some good training at the beach and other places with some friends. I recently have been workign some people either outside on my back patio or at their place. It is fun. Now add in night time training in poor light, and also if you train with weapons, with weapons that do not reflect the light so it takes it to another level of understanding. This last shoudl only be done between two people who trust each other and have good control.

I like it, I recommend it.

:asian: