IRO-Bot
Orange Belt
Hello. My name is Doug, and I've had an interested in martial arts all of my life, but I never got into them until just recently.
I know that, after reading the thread about USSD, I may or may not get a lot of flak, but I don't care at this point.
I started at United Studios of Self Defense in Bountiful, Utah just over five months ago. It was the best decision that I'd made in my life up to that point. I loved the classmates, and my instructor is a great martial artist, an inspirational motivational speaker, and a wonderful teacher. Seems to be a rarity amongst USSD schools from what I've read. Actually, while we do have many unexperienced instructors here in Utah, myself included (yes, I'm one of those guys who joined the "Instructor's training camp" and got my instructor rank in a week), we also have some incredible instructors. My own instructor, Mr. Ryan Whittaker, is amongst them.
I loved every bit of my training as far as I went as a student, and then I got into the Instructors' Academy. I tested for my next rank that very week and skipped purple belt. It was a boost to my ego at that point, but also a bit intimidating. The whole experience was.
As time went on over the last few weeks, I started learning things about United Studios that I was better off not knowing. I had policies forced upon me that I don't agree with. And I'm losing more money than I'm earning.
I've recently made the decision to quit as an instructor. I'm not cut out for it, first of all, I can't afford it, second, and there are many personal reasons inolved.
I feel that my training will be more complete with a systematic approach as opposed to the approach that one recieves in the Academy. Basically it's, "here, catch!"... And it doesn't work for me.
Also, I don't want any part of the internal and external politics of the system. I joined this school to study martial arts, not to be a businessman.
To top it all off, they don't want instructors spending any outside time with other instructors or students. Being that I was close friends with most of the students before I became an instructor, that was the blade that cut deepest. It makes it near impossible to date one of my (former, and hopefully future) fellow students who--despite policy--I've been growing closer to in time.
Overall, the USSD Instructors' College is ruining USSD for me.
In truth, I was going to quit today. But my wonderful instructor happened to have something come up and was gone before I got to the dojo. Now I have to wait until Monday.
There are some things that I'm afraid of when I do quit, however. I'm afraid to be stuck with a $15,000 (yes, fifteen grand) bill that I can not afford. On another scale, I'm afraid of losing the respect of my instructor who has helped me so much since the day I met him.
Anyway, now you know how I was introduced to the martial arts. You know my experience with United Studios. Know, also, that if things go reletively smoothly, I intend to return to USSD in my former place as a student where I can rightfully earn the blue belt that I have, and then continue on through the ranks. From there, I'll see how long USSD can hold my loyalty, as at this point it's rather brittle.
If things don't work out, however, I'd like to find another school in my area. I would love to find a Kajukenbo school, but I don't think there are even any in all of Utah, let alone my area. Other than that, there are other Kempo (Shaolin and American) schools around here that I could explore.
I know that, after reading the thread about USSD, I may or may not get a lot of flak, but I don't care at this point.
I started at United Studios of Self Defense in Bountiful, Utah just over five months ago. It was the best decision that I'd made in my life up to that point. I loved the classmates, and my instructor is a great martial artist, an inspirational motivational speaker, and a wonderful teacher. Seems to be a rarity amongst USSD schools from what I've read. Actually, while we do have many unexperienced instructors here in Utah, myself included (yes, I'm one of those guys who joined the "Instructor's training camp" and got my instructor rank in a week), we also have some incredible instructors. My own instructor, Mr. Ryan Whittaker, is amongst them.
I loved every bit of my training as far as I went as a student, and then I got into the Instructors' Academy. I tested for my next rank that very week and skipped purple belt. It was a boost to my ego at that point, but also a bit intimidating. The whole experience was.
As time went on over the last few weeks, I started learning things about United Studios that I was better off not knowing. I had policies forced upon me that I don't agree with. And I'm losing more money than I'm earning.
I've recently made the decision to quit as an instructor. I'm not cut out for it, first of all, I can't afford it, second, and there are many personal reasons inolved.
I feel that my training will be more complete with a systematic approach as opposed to the approach that one recieves in the Academy. Basically it's, "here, catch!"... And it doesn't work for me.
Also, I don't want any part of the internal and external politics of the system. I joined this school to study martial arts, not to be a businessman.
To top it all off, they don't want instructors spending any outside time with other instructors or students. Being that I was close friends with most of the students before I became an instructor, that was the blade that cut deepest. It makes it near impossible to date one of my (former, and hopefully future) fellow students who--despite policy--I've been growing closer to in time.
Overall, the USSD Instructors' College is ruining USSD for me.
In truth, I was going to quit today. But my wonderful instructor happened to have something come up and was gone before I got to the dojo. Now I have to wait until Monday.
There are some things that I'm afraid of when I do quit, however. I'm afraid to be stuck with a $15,000 (yes, fifteen grand) bill that I can not afford. On another scale, I'm afraid of losing the respect of my instructor who has helped me so much since the day I met him.
Anyway, now you know how I was introduced to the martial arts. You know my experience with United Studios. Know, also, that if things go reletively smoothly, I intend to return to USSD in my former place as a student where I can rightfully earn the blue belt that I have, and then continue on through the ranks. From there, I'll see how long USSD can hold my loyalty, as at this point it's rather brittle.
If things don't work out, however, I'd like to find another school in my area. I would love to find a Kajukenbo school, but I don't think there are even any in all of Utah, let alone my area. Other than that, there are other Kempo (Shaolin and American) schools around here that I could explore.
