TKD anyone

[terryl965]

I was training some people yesterday, a man walks in and says TKD anyone and we all stopped and looked at him. I said yes we teach TKD and he replys the deadly art of faking out your opponet. I was trying to be nice and decided I would let my second carry on class and talk to this man. I went over and guess what he is a MMA guy that believes TKD and Karate sucks, so I ask him to show me what is best for me and my school and he begains with I can get you certified to be a MMA instructor so you can make some real money all it will take is 2500.00 and a couple of weeks training with him. I thanked him and politely said no and showd him the door. Trying to be nice when someone is down playing your school is hard but I did make a promise to my BB and wife that I would be more patienece this year an I was. Why does people come in and do things like this? The good thing it was most of my adults and BB so no wories about loosing anybody. Just wanted to get that out of my system.

 

[bluekey88]

Some people just don't have any class.

I find that training a couple of weeks in "MMA" will make you more "t3h deady" than TKD....sheesh.

Sounds like you handled it fine Terry! Congrats on your self-control.

Peace,
Erik

 

[CDKJudoka]

That is an asinine way of trying to make sales, or recruit people for that "federation". Nothing like going into an established dojo/dojang, and expecting the person who is teaching it to be taken by the the that MMA is the best form and Karate/TKD sucks.

I do have to commend you on your self-control. I would have asked him for a sparring session, and if he was able to beat me, using MMA rules, I would then consider "joining" to become a "certified MMA" instructor. Then again, I would wonder how he would feel with his legs tied up behind after I was done.

 

[rmclain]

Hi Terry,

Did you recognize him as one of the Arlington local MMA instructors? Or never saw him before?

R.McLain

I was training some people yesterday, a man walks in and says TKD anyone and we all stopped and looked at him. I said yes we teach TKD and he replys the deadly art of faking out your opponet. I was trying to be nice and decided I would let my second carry on class and talk to this man. I went over and guess what he is a MMA guy that believes TKD and Karate sucks, so I ask him to show me what is best for me and my school and he begains with I can get you certified to be a MMA instructor so you can make some real money all it will take is 2500.00 and a couple of weeks training with him. I thanked him and politely said no and showd him the door. Trying to be nice when someone is down playing your school is hard but I did make a promise to my BB and wife that I would be more patienece this year an I was. Why does people come in and do things like this? The good thing it was most of my adults and BB so no wories about loosing anybody. Just wanted to get that out of my system.

 

[jarrod]

well handled terry. the guy was doing nothing but using old school bully sales tactics.

jf

 

[Tez3]

I hope though that you blame the guy not MMA for being such a pain? Idiots abound especially when they are trying to get money out of you.

 

[CDKJudoka]

Most MMA guys I have run into actually have a lot of respect for TKD, mainly because of the kicking power. I stopped by one of Matt Serra's schools here to find out about classes, as I need to improve my newaza, and they were very receptive to having a TKD guy in there.

 

[terryl965]

Hi Terry,

Did you recognize him as one of the Arlington local MMA instructors? Or never saw him before?

R.McLain

I saw him a cuple of times in Lang sons trader but have never spoken to him, I will ask her about him and see where he is training.

 

[terryl965]

I hope though that you blame the guy not MMA for being such a pain? Idiots abound especially when they are trying to get money out of you.

I never blame any martial arts for what a person does, it is not the arts fault people are like that. I know alot of MMA fighters and some even come to the school and help with the grappling stuff. Most of them are the nicest people.

 

[exile]

You handled it much more nicely than I would have, Terry—which is really the way it should be. If the guy is a boorish jerk, why should anyone let it get under their skin, eh? After all, it's his failure, not yours... but for some reason, it's very hard to remember that when it actually happens.

When someone does that, you have to wonder if (in addition to being dim) the guy is having trouble making sales and has decided (again, stupidly) that high pressure is the way to go. People get desperate when they're facing enough red ink... Far better to smile nicely at the guy and say, sweetly, 'Hell, we've got so many people coming in that we have to have a waiting list for some of our classes!'. But my inclination is too often to get mad—much better to just rub their noses in how well you're doing and how great everything is, and let 'em go off muttering to themselves...

 

[Kacey]

Ah... the deadly art of selling your art by making your customer feel bad about his. I would have to guess one of two things: either someone sold him the same way and he's trying to get his money back, or he really believes the line of BS he's selling. Either way, polite refusal to listen is the best way to get rid of people like. that; anything else will just encourage him.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

You know Terry it amazes me that people would do that. Really poor and pathetic. You handled it nicely.

 

[Miles]

Terry, you handled that well!

I teach in what is essentially an MMA school. Many of our kicking, knee, elbow and hand drills are the same or similar to their practice. We have a different rule-set for our players. We have a similar mind-set for our training.

 

[StuartA]

LOL.. nicely (and politely) handled Terry. I would have invited me in show me what all this MMA stuff is all about and to prove his (baseless) opinion!:angel:

Been there with some yobs a few times, but not a (so called ) martial artist!

Stuart

 

[Kwanjang]

A great lesson for all of us to follow Terry!

 

[IcemanSK]

Kudos to you, Terry. You showed class in the midst of idiocy. You are a true gentlemen, sir.:asian:

 

[mango.man]

I do have to commend you on your self-control. I would have asked him for a sparring session, and if he was able to beat me, using MMA rules, I would then consider "joining" to become a "certified MMA" instructor. Then again, I would wonder how he would feel with his legs tied up behind after I was done.

I prefer Terry's "Mr. Miyagi" way of dealing with this guy, over DarkPhoenix's "John Kreese" way.

 

[CDKJudoka]

Unfortunately, I was not blessed with the patience to deal with stupidity.

 

[Tez3]

I never blame any martial arts for what a person does, it is not the arts fault people are like that. I know alot of MMA fighters and some even come to the school and help with the grappling stuff. Most of them are the nicest people.

I'm glad of that and to be honest it's what I'd expect of you! :asian:

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Well handled, Terry. Sad thing is that it was very obvious that is main focus is in collecting 2500.00, not MMA training.

Notice the pitch: I can show you how to make some real money.

A more interesting pitch would have been: I am offering a two week training clinic that showcases techniques used in MMA that would compliment the art of TKD and benefit your students.

In general, most TKD schools could certainly benefit from the selection of techniques that are used in MMA, but when you come in with a look down you nose attitude, don't expect to make a sale. Heck, he's lucky he doesn't get invited out to the mats and told, 'prove yourself, smarta$$, then we'll talk.' Or maybe he has been told that and now throws out the money tag to keep himself in one piece.

Regardless, his pitch is a poor one and in bad taste.

Daniel