Dojos: money machines?

[Kyokuyama Dojo]

2001: new era.
I think some "masters", instructors, M.A. instructors are out of the way in Martial Arts.
Many people teach or use M.A. just to make a good income, to make a good busines, and, don't got me wrong they are very professionals .
BUT... Most of the school I visit around USA and others countries they lost the real reason to learn and teach Martial Arts. S E L F D E F E N S E !!! To know how to fight and protect our selves.
Some dojos to day are circus, and not martial arts places where you can teach or learn the real way of M.A
With all my respect to every body. please dont take this personal, but ,I think so.
I wish to see soon M.A in a much better level.

[Jason Chambers]

:cry:

[MarkF]

Well, yes, but only if you have thirty-nine kyu grades and 800 kata.

Mark

[Kyokuyama Dojo]

You know better Mark.
There is People Teaching in dojos with no idea about Martial Arts.
What do you think about 20 years old 5th degree black belt or as I heard last week 23 years old ;"Master".
Some Masters teach tehoric concept in M.A. wich are not practical in the street.
Peace.

[kenshorin]

Kyokuyama -

First off, it's an E-budo policy that posters sign with their names, so that way we know who we are talking to. Secondly, I completely agree with you. Many schools are compromising the study of their prospective art in order to make more $$$. I, too, have travelled to other schools, and students who haven't been training very long (and honestly aren't very good) are considered "masters" because they help the money machine. But there are just as many quality schools out there, it is always the negative 1% that stands out. It is the duty of those of us who really care about the arts to educate our respective communities about what we do, and that belts and other trinkets are not the goal, it is an understanding of how to defend oneself and to develop yourself to be a better person that matters most.

[Jason Chambers]

Originally posted by Kyokuyama Dojo
You know better Mark.
There is People Teaching in dojos with no idea about Martial Arts.
What do you think about 20 years old 5th degree black belt or as I heard last week 23 years old ;"Master".
Some Masters teach tehoric concept in M.A. wich are not practical in the street.
Peace.

Well how old is you kyoku?

[Jeff Hamacher]

Originally posted by Kyokuyama Dojo
I think some "masters", instructors, M.A. instructors are out of the way in Martial Arts.
Many people teach or use M.A. just to make a good income, to make a good busines, and, don't got me wrong they are very professionals .
BUT... Most of the school I visit around USA and others countries they lost the real reason to learn and teach Martial Arts. S E L F D E F E N S E !!! To know how to fight and protect our selves.
Some dojos to day are circus, and not martial arts places where you can teach or learn the real way of M.A.
here in japan, i think that many very good teachers and dojos charge very reasonable fees for excellent instruction, and from what i understand that's the way it should be. my teachers usually hold training in public facilities (school gyms, municipal sports centers) or borrow space through friendly connections. monthly fees are generally just enough to cover the expense of using these facilities, pay for sports insurance, and provide a small stipend to the teacher for their time and effort.

the situation in other countries seems to be vastly different, however. my impression is that teachers often own or rent a proprietary space for which they are responsible financially and practically. this overhead means that the teacher must keep an eye on the bottom line or they could bankrupt themselves and lose the opportunity to instruct, even if they have willing students. given that kind of pressure it's almost understandable that some teachers will arrange their priorities according to financial demands, in spite of the fact that it can compromise the essence of training or leading training in martial arts.

and i don't know if everybody's principal reason for training in martial arts is practical self defense, Kyokuyama. it certainly isn't mine. if a teacher doesn't give instruction in practical self defense that's no reason to accuse them of knowing nothing about the martial arts. every martial art, every teacher, and every student have their own goals and guiding principles. having said that, i still agree that "martial arts teachers" shouldn't be selling snake oil, but i think it's up to the prospective student to figure out whether or not their potential teacher is the real deal, so to speak.

[Kyokuyama Dojo]

I' sorry Sir. I forgot to write my name at the end of the post.
Just to let you know I'm Guzman Erramuspe and my Dojo address and phone # should be at the end of this post.
Regards.

[red_fists]

Hi.

I found MA Training in Japan to be very reasonably priced.

My current Instructor teaches at 5 locations to earn her income as she is a full time Instructor.
I have heard of places that charge high fees, but than a lot of those places use Sports Gym's and the Fee includes Gym & Dojo Fees.

As Jeff has mentioned most of the people over here teach at Schools and other public facilities or Parks, and with this we are forced to attend at certain times only.
So if the Teacher rents a place only once or twice a Week than that is how often we train with the Instructor.

One big Difference I have seen. Most of the Schools over here ask for a monthly fee only(no contracts) and you are only requested to sign a small form stating that you have understood the rules of the School. Apart from that no obligations.