Villari's masters Program

ziason

ziason

Yellow Belt
The school I am at now has a new program they call the Masters program. You get 4 classes a week and 1 private lesson plus a new uniform with the new villaris logo on the Gi and a racing stripe down the sides, with free patches, and the Villaris White Belt to Black Belt DVD set. And seemingly accelerated advancement. Here is the thing though. It seeems to me since they started this that the rest of us (I am not in the program, it costs much more than the regular program.
They have been running the program since I was an orange belt, I am a blue belt now. I don't have a problem with the program, I know someone who is in it and he is progressing nicely. BUT, I have noticed that as I am advancing now, I am NOT beign show new material for my new belt levels in class, but the Masters are. It happened at purple and again at Blue. I asked repeatedly to be show several combinations and forms and neither my main instructors or any of the other instructors did. I only learned the new material from the DVD set I bought, and then my Main instructor recently told me I was doing one of the combinatins wrong, that he doesn't teach it the way it is on the dvd. I bought the DVD from him when he was trying to sell me on the Master program. I'm a little frustrated as I have been really working hard to improve. Before this program started after each advancement we were shown the new material we needed to learn for our next ranks. And in class we would break up into groups by levels so we could practice more advanced materials. Now the ONLY material he seems to focus on in class is the basic material Piono one, combo 6,7, and 8 point blocking system, etc. Nothing really above yellow belt. We have had a lot of turn over lately, new people come in, but don't seem to stay past yellow or orange. I know hee needs to teach them, but I feel I am missing out because I have advance and am not in the special Masters program. I think my money should at least get me the basics of my belt level. Has anyone else here had any experience with this program in their school?
 
Not a Villari affiliate, but I'd suggest you get an appointment with your instructor asap and discuss your feelings.
 
I have one word to describe this...Marketing! IMHO, I think its crazy to force someone to join this program, by holding the learning of material over their students heads. People are going to do it, because they want to progress...those that don't don't progress.

Mike
 
Your instructor may be going through a period of adjustment as well trying to integrate the new program. you can't assume he is leaving you out on purpose. talk to him about it and then you will know. if he is trying to cut back on what is taught to non-program... then you have a problem.
 
The fact that you are required to learn new material from a DVD and not directly from the instructor, and that you are being overlooked in favor of another group that pays more than you do, is a strong signal that you should find a new school.
 
ziason said:
The school I am at now has a new program they call the Masters program. You get 4 classes a week and 1 private lesson plus a new uniform with the new villaris logo on the Gi and a racing stripe down the sides, with free patches, and the Villaris White Belt to Black Belt DVD set. And seemingly accelerated advancement. Here is the thing though. It seeems to me since they started this that the rest of us (I am not in the program, it costs much more than the regular program.
They have been running the program since I was an orange belt, I am a blue belt now. I don't have a problem with the program, I know someone who is in it and he is progressing nicely. BUT, I have noticed that as I am advancing now, I am NOT beign show new material for my new belt levels in class, but the Masters are. It happened at purple and again at Blue. I asked repeatedly to be show several combinations and forms and neither my main instructors or any of the other instructors did. I only learned the new material from the DVD set I bought, and then my Main instructor recently told me I was doing one of the combinatins wrong, that he doesn't teach it the way it is on the dvd. I bought the DVD from him when he was trying to sell me on the Master program. I'm a little frustrated as I have been really working hard to improve. Before this program started after each advancement we were shown the new material we needed to learn for our next ranks. And in class we would break up into groups by levels so we could practice more advanced materials. Now the ONLY material he seems to focus on in class is the basic material Piono one, combo 6,7, and 8 point blocking system, etc. Nothing really above yellow belt. We have had a lot of turn over lately, new people come in, but don't seem to stay past yellow or orange. I know hee needs to teach them, but I feel I am missing out because I have advance and am not in the special Masters program. I think my money should at least get me the basics of my belt level. Has anyone else here had any experience with this program in their school?
Click to expand...

Look like the ''Black Belt club'' with a new name...
 
If there is a program for the master class than it should have its own time frame. it should not be taking up time in a different class setting. if the teacher is not willing to talk with you and try and fix the issue than i would seek out a new teacher. I understand with new students at the beginning they need more time looked at them but that should not make you suffer. I think becomeing a black belt is more than a dollor amount and that time is needed to grow to that level. its not the belt that make the martial art person Its the knowlage that is passed on and how well the person learning it does with the info shared. I teach with the physical side but also the mind needs to be worked. and 1 of the best ways to become better at things is to meditate. best of luck hope this helped.
 
ziason said:
The school I am at now has a new program they call the Masters program. You get 4 classes a week and 1 private lesson plus a new uniform with the new villaris logo on the Gi and a racing stripe down the sides, with free patches, and the Villaris White Belt to Black Belt DVD set. And seemingly accelerated advancement.
Click to expand...

Could be a period of adjustment, could be you need to talk to your instructor.

But this DVD thing and less attention to their students that are not in the program appear to me to be a ploy to force you into the program. If I understand you correctly the program costs more than what you pay so once again I feel it is an attempt to get you onto the higher priced program so they can get more money. Which is a big sign to me that the money is more important to them than the integrity of the martial art they are teaching.

And how apparent is the accelerated advancement? How much do they depend on the DVDs for training and how much of a kick back do they get when you buy them?

I agree with Flying Crane

Flying Crane said:
The fact that you are required to learn new material from a DVD and not directly from the instructor, and that you are being overlooked in favor of another group that pays more than you do, is a strong signal that you should find a new school.
Click to expand...
 
That's horrible.

Shame that the school is shamelessly profiteering (and I say that as a pro-business person) off of a program that can be a lot of fun for the students as well as the instructor.

My old school, IMO, did their version of Black Belt Club really well. There were no special pins or patches, or if there were, no one bought them. They offered the racing stripe gi. Not everyone bought them. (I never did, I hated the way they looked). But, 6 times a per week, after class, was "club" time on the mat...where we went over a lot of material that was typically over and beyond class work. We learned grappling, knife disarms my instructors learned from a knife fighter, stick work, and a whole bunch of stuff that was fun to do. I had no issue with the extra tuition. Naturally it was extra instruction, and I was more than willing to pay 10% more tuition to learn the extra stuff that was learned in the club.

Definitely recommented to have a long talk with the owners of the school and think VERY hard to see if you want your training, martial arts reputation, and background tied to a school that does business in such a way.

Wishing you good luck and wise choices :)
 
Xue Sheng said:
Could be a period of adjustment, could be you need to talk to your instructor.

But this DVD thing and less attention to their students that are not in the program appear to me to be a ploy to force you into the program. If I understand you correctly the program costs more than what you pay so once again I feel it is an attempt to get you onto the higher priced program so they can get more money. Which is a big sign to me that the money is more important to them than the integrity of the martial art they are teaching.

And how apparent is the accelerated advancement? How much do they depend on the DVDs for training and how much of a kick back do they get when you buy them?

I agree with Flying Crane
Click to expand...
The money angle definetely plays a part. If you sign up for the advanced program you must either pay all at once (several thousand dollars),
or in two or three split payments. As for the accelerated advancement, it seems the master students are tested seperately, usually during a week night. Every test I have ever taken was on a weekend with agroup of various ranks. I have seen students in the masters program as orange belts on Monday for example and on Wednesday night they had been promoted to purple. Supposedly the private lessons are supposed to be where they get the extra instruction, but in reality they are getting the material they would normally get in regular class that the rest of us are no longer getting, unless we have a DVD. BTW, you don't have to buy the DVD either, but if you don't learn from that I'm not sure where you are going to get the material from.
 
Geez, man, this just doesn't sound good to me. In all seriousness, I suggest you look around for a new school. They are just taking your money and giving very very little in return. And they are also trying to funnel you into a higher-paying program to get what you should be getting in the regular program.

Run away. Keep running away.
 
Definitely sounds shady to me.

Keeping material from some students 'cause they aren't a member of a club sounds really bad.

I would definitely start looking elsewhere.

Jeff
 
ziason said:
The money angle definetely plays a part. If you sign up for the advanced program you must either pay all at once (several thousand dollars),
or in two or three split payments. As for the accelerated advancement, it seems the master students are tested seperately, usually during a week night. Every test I have ever taken was on a weekend with agroup of various ranks. I have seen students in the masters program as orange belts on Monday for example and on Wednesday night they had been promoted to purple. Supposedly the private lessons are supposed to be where they get the extra instruction, but in reality they are getting the material they would normally get in regular class that the rest of us are no longer getting, unless we have a DVD. BTW, you don't have to buy the DVD either, but if you don't learn from that I'm not sure where you are going to get the material from.
Click to expand...

Several thousand dollars!?!?!?!?!?

I am going to assume there is a contract too.

Like I said before, I agree with Flying Crane and I will add JeffJ too.

Time to look around and start checking out other schools.
 
ziason said:
The money angle definetely plays a part. If you sign up for the advanced program you must either pay all at once (several thousand dollars),
or in two or three split payments. As for the accelerated advancement, it seems the master students are tested seperately, usually during a week night. Every test I have ever taken was on a weekend with agroup of various ranks. I have seen students in the masters program as orange belts on Monday for example and on Wednesday night they had been promoted to purple. Supposedly the private lessons are supposed to be where they get the extra instruction, but in reality they are getting the material they would normally get in regular class that the rest of us are no longer getting, unless we have a DVD. BTW, you don't have to buy the DVD either, but if you don't learn from that I'm not sure where you are going to get the material from.
Click to expand...

You better be learning how to use a light saber for $7,000!!! :jediduel:
 
Yeah, Villari's really sounds like their integrity is better than the USSD alright.:lfao:
 
:erg:

Time to get out before you pay into it too many dollars! Being part of the dojo, paying for, and taking regular classes is like studying for the Masters program anyway. That's where they all started too. No extra Charges. Get out while you can!
 
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