First TKD Class, and i walked out..........

android

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Hi Everyone

Just found the Forum, looks pretty active compared to some i have seen !

I really want to try Tae Kwon Do class to see if i like it..
After scouring the web for days i narrowed it down to a couple of places near where i live, when i could make it on Tues and Thur classes.

Went along last night to local school, apparently first lesson is free
I was quite surprised at the number of children when i got there - some with parents, the lady running the class said the Adults would start at 7.30

I hung around for a bit, feeling pretty awkward. few older guys in uniform doing some half hearted kicks, i got the feeling maybe the class wasnt for me - and just left. Yes, i know - not great, i felt bad about it later. nerves probably. ( Could i really come here twice a week )?

I suppose i thought it mike look more strict and disciplined,
whats with Blue uniforms as well? some guy had one one - i thought they were all supposed to be white.

Anyway as i was leaving i saw a couple of guys in uniform walking in, both looked about my age, and more 'serious' if you get what i mean.

Kicking myself a bit now, and wished i had stuck around another half hour - things might have looked very different. any other newbies had similar experiences?
Thanks
Andy
 

drop bear

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I have always stuck out the class. I went to a place on the wrong day once and stayed for the hip hop class. (locking and popping)
 

Cirdan

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You are not the first to be uncomfortable around a bunch of grown ups dressed up in pajamas :D
Just go back there and attend a whole class, they will be glad to have you and it will indeed look very different.
 

TrueJim

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At the school my son and I attend (a relatively large school) we have a few different uniform colors:
  • The white uniform is standard, of course
  • At our school, children in the Black Belt Club (contractual commitment) get a blue uniform.
  • Teens and adults in the Demo Team wear a black uniform (usually just to Demo Team practices).
  • Students who have been in the class for a while and have demonstrated that they're pretty good helping other students get a red/black Leadership Team uniform (and have to attend special Leadership classes, where they learn how to teach; a few have gone on to become paid instructors eventually).
At our school we have kid's classes in the early evening, a mixed adults/kids class later in the evenings (for families that want to study taekwondo together) and then the last class of the evening is the teens/adults only class. I actually prefer the mixed adults/kids class -- there are enough adults that there's always somebody to partner with, but enough kids to add a fun energy to the class.

Speaking for myself, I found the phrase "older adults doing half-hearted kicks" the most surprising. We never have half-hearted anythings at any of our classes, and I know our instructors would have something to say if they saw half-hearted anything! (They're the kind of instructors who give the whole class extra exercises if one student is slacking.)
 

Cirdan

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Some students kicking each other half-hearted while discussing technique or just horsing around while waiting for class to start is hardly suprising, nor any indication of how the class is going to be. I might be mistaken but that is the impression I of what was happening from the OP.
 

Buka

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Welcome to the forum, Android.

Probably be best to go back, watch a couple of classes on various nights, then go to the other places near you and do the same.

As for the uniforms - we got a whole bunch of different uniforms in Martial Arts.
 
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android

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thanks everyone

I think i need to go back, and give it another try.
If the class isnt for me - hopefully i can find something else nearby.

Tomorrow night is the next one...
 

Mephisto

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Some students kicking each other half-hearted while discussing technique or just horsing around while waiting for class to start is hardly suprising, nor any indication of how the class is going to be. I might be mistaken but that is the impression I of what was happening from the OP.
Sounds like they were warming up. at my gym and most gyms I've been to it's not uncommon to see guys lightly warming up before class. Not every strike has to be 100% intensity, especially when warming up. The op hardly gave the class a chance. I wonder if he's trained anywhere before. I know before I started ma all I had to go on was tv and movies and hearsay as to what to expect from a class(this was before youtube). The op should first decide what he wants from an ma, than see what is available near him. He may have walked into a mcdojo or he might be missing exactly what he's looking for. Mcdojos aren't necessarily bad if you're not looking to compete.
 

tshadowchaser

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first welcome to the forum if I have not said that before.
if you where watching the kids program go back and watch the adult program and if you like the looks of it join for the free class. Talk with some of the adults before and after class and ask questions.
Also go to the other schools you could study at to see what they look like.
Oh try not to sign any long term contracts and be alert for a school that premisses a certain belt with in a small amount of time
Best of luck
 
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android

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first welcome to the forum if I have not said that before.
if you where watching the kids program go back and watch the adult program and if you like the looks of it join for the free class. Talk with some of the adults before and after class and ask questions.
Also go to the other schools you could study at to see what they look like.
Oh try not to sign any long term contracts and be alert for a school that premisses a certain belt with in a small amount of time
Best of luck
just looking at another local long running club - for Shotokan Karate
may go along and check that out as well
doesnt have to be TKD after all ... does it
 

tshadowchaser

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good idea to check out all that is available that in the area that sounds good to you
 

Mephisto

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just looking at another local long running club - for Shotokan Karate
may go along and check that out as well
doesnt have to be TKD after all ... does it
What do you want out of a martial art? Strictly self defense? Fighting ability? A culturally enriching experience? Weight loss? Just something to do? Many arts may cover more than one of the aforementioned areas but some will specialize in one particular area and get you to your goal faster and help you reach new goals.
 
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android

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What do you want out of a martial art? Strictly self defense? Fighting ability? A culturally enriching experience? Weight loss? Just something to do? Many arts may cover more than one of the aforementioned areas but some will specialize in one particular area and get you to your goal faster and help you reach new goals.

certainly not weight loss, self defense appeals - but im certainly not starting with that mindset, Martial arts have always appealed to me since a very young age.
I did tai-ch for about 1 year, before my daughter was born, few years ago i did several Kung -fu lessons, run by a supposedly 'Shaolin monk' , until he left and didnt come back..........
i like to run / cycle and generally keep active,
I dont know to be honest, maybe its the New year thats prompted me to get out there and try something again.
 

Drose427

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Go back and watch a full class, the first bit isnt gonna be a good representation no matter where you go. One word of general advice for whatever you decide to do, find a school that has no issue with you cross training, or training with people outside of your style. Odds are there will be some sort of stipulation i.e. Gradnmaster doesnt wanna see their techs at test, or dont wear a uniform bearing our associations names (remember if you act like an *** at an outside school while wearing your schools name, you're misrepresenting your entire association.), but you're still allowed to study style B or train with people from various background. I've always been thankful that my instructors have been adamant about not limiting what techs I could learn or where I can learn them. Apparently, this is a limitation for many schools (the only one I know of in my area is an MMA gym that wont let people train anywhere else), but problems arise when the only martial arts or fighting styles you're experiencing are within your style.
 

Mephisto

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certainly not weight loss, self defense appeals - but im certainly not starting with that mindset, Martial arts have always appealed to me since a very young age.
I did tai-ch for about 1 year, before my daughter was born, few years ago i did several Kung -fu lessons, run by a supposedly 'Shaolin monk' , until he left and didnt come back..........
i like to run / cycle and generally keep active,
I dont know to be honest, maybe its the New year thats prompted me to get out there and try something again.
Look around for a filipino martial art. They tend to offer a little from every area; culture, exercise, practicality, ect. FMA can be hard to find a lot of groups train out of parks, rec centers, and garages, but if you're interested I'm sure some of us here could help you find a group in your area.
 

TrueJim

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Apparently, this is a limitation for many schools (the only one I know of in my area is an MMA gym that wont let people train anywhere else)...

I think there's definitely a joke in there somewhere, "The local MMA gym won't allow their students to mix their martial arts..." I believe you of course, but how does that even make any sense. "We teach Mixed Martial Arts here...so don't you go learning any other martial arts!"

More generally though...how would somebody even enforce something like that? Stop accepting your money? Craziness.
 

Drose427

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I think there's definitely a joke in there somewhere, "The local MMA gym won't allow their students to mix their martial arts..." I believe you of course, but how does that even make any sense. "We teach Mixed Martial Arts here...so don't you go learning any other martial arts!"

More generally though...how would somebody even enforce something like that? Stop accepting your money? Craziness.

They honestly seem like the MMA equivalent of a Mcdojo. I cant vouch for their training, but the lowest monthly fee was something like a $300 flat rate + extra classes, like no-gi BJJ according to a guy I met who used to train there. In their defense though, the place was pretty huge with a lot of equipment. They teach Muay Thai (although his wasnt distinguishable at all from kickboxing and I know many gyms do this), and multiple kinds of BJJ. He stopped going there and now trains at a smaller gym. He seems more happy with it!

They try to enforce it with their contract. Theres an NDA students have to sign stating they cant teach/train at other gyms or schools within something like 50 miles. I really dont see how this could stop anyone but hey, it's their Gym. Let them run it how they want. Theyve been there a few years now so I guess theyre doing something right!

I'd link you to a website if I could, but here in nowheresville, Ohio only like 2 of the gyms/schools in our area even have one XD
 

skribs

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If you're not sure if leaving was the right thing, you didn't give it enough of a chance. If people are warming up or horsing around before class, they might not be using full intensity so they dodn't hurt themselves. It's the same reasoning behind stretching before class or warming up before going on the field as a quahrterback or pitcher.

I would aay watch the adult class, and try a couple. If you still don't like it, try another dojang. But maybe you actually like it.
 

Tony Dismukes

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They try to enforce it with their contract. Theres an NDA students have to sign stating they cant teach/train at other gyms or schools within something like 50 miles.
I've never seen anything like this and I would laugh loudly in the face of any instructor who tried to have me sign such an agreement.
 

drop bear

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certainly not weight loss, self defense appeals - but im certainly not starting with that mindset, Martial arts have always appealed to me since a very young age.
I did tai-ch for about 1 year, before my daughter was born, few years ago i did several Kung -fu lessons, run by a supposedly 'Shaolin monk' , until he left and didnt come back..........
i like to run / cycle and generally keep active,
I dont know to be honest, maybe its the New year thats prompted me to get out there and try something again.

Try Capoeira if you can find it. If you want to do something different and fun.
 

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