School & Instructor bashing

[AceHBK]

When you get perspective students come in for a visit do you bash other school sin your area as a reason for them to join yours?
Does your instructor bash other schools in front of you?

I do notice that some schools bash other schools when u go in for a visit. They will say things like, "their teacher is no good and produces poor students" "they charge too much money for what they are offering." " i am better at this art b/c I am from that country the other schools have masters who are not from that country where the art came from."

Martialtalk is a BIG forum and we all know this is a small world so I am sure there are people bashing other people schools and you may not even know it.

 

[michaeledward]

Trying to find an objective point of view for a question such as this is difficult. How a statement is perceived, and how it is intended can often be miles apart.

I was sitting with Mr. Planas after a recent seminar, speaking about my good fortune for ending up at a school that studies under the Parker Planas Lineage. Mr. Planas said that even in other schools, where the lineage is different, they would have their 'Roast Duck' grand master to pay homage too. I believe that is a bit self-depricating on the part of Mr. Planas.

My comment about my good fortune in my lineage could certainly be seen as 'bashing' another school that, perhaps, doesn't share such a clean lineage. Too often, students are unable to objectively determine the quality of their training.

It takes year to learn if you kenpo is any good. And then, with that much invested, it is difficult to dissociate. Don't you think?

 

[mantis]

yep. i went once to this nice TKD/Hapkido school to get more info and eventually join.
when he asked if i had any experience i said i am currently a student of a Kung Fu school. then he started going off about how KF sucks, and that TKD and his school specifically is the best in the area then he started telling me stories on how my KF school is copying his school!!!
i was like, nice to meet you, too!

my KF school on the other hand promotes humility. we do have students from other arts, and some are black belts in TKD, karate, or different grappling arts. but the teachers make them feel comfortable to present their previous knowledge. In fact, sometimes they try to teach us techniques from different arts/schools/styles or families within the style to open our mind to different situations.

as for the "they charge too much" comment, that comment i really like! it always leads to a good deal (at least money wise) afterwards

 

[terryl965]

Ace it is sad but it happens all the time, you know me and I never really bash other schools. I try to say how we do things this way and why and leave the other place out of the mix. Myself and school has been bashed by every single TKD school in the area and I'm still here and will be quality speaks for itself.
Terry

 

[rutherford]

I think everybody who has visited a few schools before choosing one to study at has run into this attitude before.

I've even chosen to train with somebody who had this attitude.

But, I think we can all agree that it's a poor way to comport oneself.

 

[green meanie]

So far I've only been in one school that did that and when the Instructor started doing it I stopped going there. Now that I run my own school I make a point to not behave that way. In fact, there's been times when it became obvious that what I was teaching wasn't what the student was looking for and I've encouraged them to go and check out someone else's school.

 

[Kacey]

I agree - I don't bash other schools; in fact, I go out of my way to make sure students from other schools know that things that are different between my class and wherever they came from are just that - different. Not better, not worse, just different. I have had other instructors bash me - mostly this one Korean who tells everyone that women can't be instructors.

 

[AceHBK]

So far I've only been in one school that did that and when the Instructor started doing it I stopped going there. Now that I run my own school I make a point to not behave that way. In fact, there's been times when it became obvious that what I was teaching wasn't what the student was looking for and I've encouraged them to go and check out someone else's school.

It takes a big man and a helluva good teacher to recognize that and suggest that. Most would keep collectin the tuition check and wouldnt think twice. Kudos to you.

 

[AceHBK]

I agree - I don't bash other schools; in fact, I go out of my way to make sure students from other schools know that things that are different between my class and wherever they came from are just that - different. Not better, not worse, just different. I have had other instructors bash me - mostly this one Korean who tells everyone that women can't be instructors.

Wow! Have you ever gotten the chance to talk to him about that? As a man I wouldnt want an instructor who thought that way.

 

[Rich Parsons]

When you get perspective students come in for a visit do you bash other school sin your area as a reason for them to join yours?
Does your instructor bash other schools in front of you?

I do notice that some schools bash other schools when u go in for a visit. They will say things like, "their teacher is no good and produces poor students" "they charge too much money for what they are offering." " i am better at this art b/c I am from that country the other schools have masters who are not from that country where the art came from."

Martialtalk is a BIG forum and we all know this is a small world so I am sure there are people bashing other people schools and you may not even know it.

I tell prosepctive students ehre is what you will get for this price. If you train here a while and are not happy, then let us know, and if you have an idea of what art you a re looking for we will give you an introduction.

Now, I have made comments like, I do not like this person, personally, or this person did this to a friend of mine, but you as the studnet if interested should go check them out for yourself.

 

[Carol]

Never heard anyone bash someone else. I do know my instructors have a little different way of teaching Kenpo than others do, but they never said that anyone else was bad or wrong.

They just say this is what other schools do, this is what we do, this is why we do it differently.

 

[Kacey]

Wow! Have you ever gotten the chance to talk to him about that? As a man I wouldnt want an instructor who thought that way.

I tried once... he told me it wasn't him (despite a very precise description from 3 different people). Then my class grew enough that I could start buying supplies (pads, dobaks, etc.) in bulk, and never had to send other students there to buy things. He only ever did it to adult male students - never kids, and never women... which I thought was interesting, since he has a large kids' class. He also sold one of my students the wrong pads (open fingers instead of closed) because he told her that TKD practitioners had to have a certain color, not a certain style - which was wrong for ITF TKD, on both counts. Since I no longer have to send students there to buy things, I quit worrying about it.

 

[green meanie]

It takes a big man and a helluva good teacher to recognize that and suggest that. Most would keep collectin the tuition check and wouldnt think twice. Kudos to you.

Thanks. Truth is, I'm not a big man... not even sure I'm a good man. But I try to be an honest man and to be perfectly honest I do what I do for my sake as much as theirs... because anyone who's in my school who REALLY doesn't want to be there isn't just wasting their time... they're wasting MINE. I just try to do everyone a favor -starting with me.

 

[Brandon Fisher]

Yes my old instructor did thats one reason I am no longer with him.

 

[Eternal Beginner]

That is horrible! I have trained with people who bashed other styles and that was bad enough but to single out particular schools (caveat...some are criminal and immoral and should be bashed) because you don't like what or how they teach is very immature.

I have heard of one instructor putting on a forum untruths about another grappling school, that they only train gi when they infact do both gi and no gi, but I think that was more out of ignorance than malice. Usually the ones quick to bash other schools have little to zero experience outside of their own little domains.

 

[Jonathan]

Well, this wasn't school or instructor bashing, per se... but my brother-in-law's godmother was a karate instructor (I'm not sure what particular style) in Ohio. We were discussing what we learned in our particular classes; I showed her the stance we used in our kickboxing class, and she laughed it off, saying it was useless- there'd be no punch power, etc.

I'm sitting there, listening to her go on, and I wasn't sure if I should be offended, or start lighting into what I thought the deficiencies of her own style are.

I opted not to 'talk shop' with her anymore. A teacher who scoffs at another's art is not one from whom I care to learn.

 

[still learning]

Hello, Instructors are suppose to be mature and grown-up. If they do bash other schools and so....you have to question their maturity.

As they say..."If you can't say something nice! ..don't say anything!"

Each school has something different to offer....each person..has their own thinking of what they want to learn.

Every school should mention only what they can offer...this is the best way. NOT talk bad about the next schools.

It is very easy to talk bad about other people...it take alot effort to say nice things....!

Just like work..it is easy to be lazy..it takes alot effort to keep working.

The best things in life come to those who work hard...especially in the martial arts.....true? just look around...you can tell..? who trains the hardest.......Aloha

 

[Lisa]

Bashing of a school, instructor, art form is a sad but true aspect of the Martial Arts world and should basically chalked up to immaturity of the person doing it. It comes in many forms, we see it here on this forum every day from students to teachers to you name it, we see it.

Chalk it up to unless you were there and know the whole story, don't believe it, check it out for yourself.

 

[Eternal Beginner]

I have one sensei (who is probably the most mature and respected martial artist that I know of) who actually goes too far in the other direction. Even when he knows about "questionable" instructors or schools he just pretends he didn't hear the question or doesn't know of the person.

The funniest, and very out of character, thing he ever did was at our karate tournament last weekend he had actually cut the head of a former blackbelt of the club out of a club photo because he felt he had so dishonoured the club. So here is this lovely display of past tournaments and group photos with a perfect little square cut out where the instructors head used to be.

 

[bushidomartialarts]

i don't bash other schools and won't tolerate it among my students. in fact, during sales calls if the prospective student is calling around, i recommend two other schools in the area run by men i like and respect.

on the other hand, there is a school in my area i've heard a lot of bad things about and had bad conversations with in the past. if somebody reads between the lines, they may notice that it's the only one i don't sing the praises of....but that's as close as i get.