I have been doing martial arts for some time now and I ve always been honest about my training.

I ve tried various things but the only sports that I really did some progress and didn't give up are:
-shotokan karate (black belt)
-brazilian jiu jitsu (blue belt two stripes)
-few months of mma training. Still spar mma when I have the chance though.

even though I do some other business, I ve always wanted martial arts to be a part of my life, and dreamed about teaching when I m ready enough. (actually my recent dream was teaching jiu jitsu after I get high lvl enough)

Recently a friend of a friend asked me to give them private karate classes to them.
Though just a few months ago I happened to put a small ad about that I m looking for some karate sparring partners, because I cannot train as often as before and I don't want to get rusty on it.I also said I welcome beginners cuz I could teach them what I know.
With this ad I found some people but at those times I had many problems so we couldn't get the group together so plan died.

However, just when my friends friend asked me for classes I also got two emails from two different people that said they want to train karate with me.I told them that plan died, however I m planning to give private classes to some people so If they want to join I can also teach them. They were ok with this idea so I told them I will contact them as soon as I get everything ready.

So after this I also contacted few more people and I have a group to teach right now as soon as I find the place.

But I m still feeling a little strange about this.Because:

-I always wanted to teach jiu jitsu but now I will be teaching karate if I agree on this plan.
- And I m not a 124124th dan tekkenstreetfighterryu karate sifu master.(And I m not old, fat and I still have my hair) I only have a black belt.

However I also feel like I can do it because I ve told them:

-everything about myself to the people that want to study under me. I told them my real level.
- I will not focus on kata ,I will focus on sparring and how to really apply the techniques. I told them I don't like unrealistic techniques like spearhand or something however I will just show it to them(not forgetting to mention that it wont work in real life) so they will know it just in a "cultural" way.
I m more interested in fighting not larping.
- If they want to see real fighting they should watch mma, and see fighting is not like in the movies.
- and I will "spice" the classes with some bjj techniques because no matter what you do grappling is very important in real life and you really want to learn self defense(or kick ass) you better have some idea about it.

also all these people kinda came to me, I didnt go and talk with them for hours trying to convince them and catch their money and later on planned to fill their head with useless ****.(classes wont be expensive by the way)
I never planned to teach karate, my plan was teaching bjj in the future.But, I still like karate and even though I didn't have a plan like teaching karate before I like the idea of it and I think I can handle it quite good.(the only thing is it won't be like the traditional karate training, it will be more my way)


I want to ask you guys. Do you feel there is something unethical about this? And should I care about "disrespecting karates sacred ways"?

If you feel like its ok for me to teach, do you think as long as I m honest about my training, I can keep on with this plan and slowly turn it into in a business?(Maybe I m not so clear here, what I mean is trying to get more students and instead of just "giving classes" turn it into a club)


Any serious comment is appreciated.

I'm not a shotokan guy, but I don't have a problem with what you are doing as long as you are honest to yourself and your students.

One suggestion I have is since you don't seem to want to, or feel worthy, of teaching traditional shotokan, go ahead and teach whatever your are good at.

Find out what your students really want to learn, if they really want to learn karate stick to that or send them somewhere else. If they want to learn self-defense, teach them what you think is applicable from all of your training. If they want to learn bjj teach them that.

Well, assuming that shotokan is "average" you've got what? 4-5 years experience? I'd assume at that level you'd be more than qualified to teach a beginner's class at your own dojo. As long as you're honest about your level to them, and are able to realise when they've outgrown what you're able to teach them it shouldn't be an issue, at that point you just point them to the nearest shotokan school and then keep sparring with them.

I am a Rokudan, and I dont teach kata to my "few" students. The same thing can be learned in 2 man sets and sparring with hard contact. Teaching will actualy make you get better. don't feel like you cant. If after say 6 months, they can keep up with you or consitantly get the better of you, maybe you should not be teaching, if not, your ok. If they are wanting traditional karate training and your only a shodan, this might pose a problem. usually one should be a 3rd degree before teaching without supervision. You wont be able to promote them to black belt (unless you "found" you own system by your self and proclaim yourself grandmaster....but then you would have the bullshido membership starting threads about you) if they just want to learn to fight you should be fine.

I don't know how this stuff works where you live, but here, you need to be certified by the government to teach MA, its mostly for insurance purposes.

I personally don't dislike the idea of you teaching them what you know, but having no exp. in this, I suggest you take it slow, so that no one gets hurt and make sure you're covered (insurance and legally-wise).

Then again, what the hell do I know, I never taught MA, only shooting, and that was in the army.

Let's see : Not giving your self soke level : check
Not claiming super human abilities: check
Focusing on sparring not kata :check
Confirmed Black belt in his style: check

Well if you don't rip their money off I don't see a reason why not to teach.
You may be actually a better choise for them than a Mcdojo. So, go for it.

Instructing without being a frauddon't claim experience you don't have, don't claim rank you didn't earn, don't claim to be qualified to teach things you're not, don't charge for services not rendered, and don't worry about what others think.

This is how I got into MMA. Someone asked me to help him train for a fight. I told him I didn't know much about it but would work hard to help him. Told him to bring a few friends to spar and that began Ronin Dojo.

We would show up to shows in street clothes no matching team t-shirts or anything like that. The guys would beat the crap out of people and we had a good time. Later on it got bigger and now I train with a UFC caliber fighter and several outstanding young fighters.

Everyone has to start somewhere as long as you don't forget that you never stop learning you will be a good instructor. MA is about having fun and training with good people. You don't need a huge facility just a good clean space and good clean people. Have fun.

Everyone has to start somewhere as long as you don't forget that you never stop learning you will be a good instructor. MA is about having fun and training with good people. You don't need a huge facility just a good clean space and good clean people. Have fun.

THIS is what I was feeling but I think I was waiting someone else to say it to me.

Thanks alot for your comments guys I feel alot better right now.

Hope everything ends up fine.

(About the certificates, I have my diploma and id as a black belt in Turkey from our karate federation. But I don't actually know my rights, and I think those rules don't apply in China. So I m not sure If I can give belts or not but I also think I cannot give black belts)

The way I have always been taught was that you could promote to within one rank below your current rank.

- and I will "spice" the classes with some bjj techniques because no matter what you do grappling is very important in real life and you really want to learn self defense(or kick ass) you better have some idea about it.

be very careful about this. does your BJJ instructor feel that you are ready to teach noobs? some blue belts are ready and some are not. with the availability of purple belts and higher at a greater number of locations, many are not so keen on blue belts teaching.

otherwise your plan sounds fine.

And also realize that any belts or ranks you promote them to probably won't be recognized if and when they go to another dojo. That doesn't say anything at all about your teaching or their skill level, but a green belt from the "Some guy in his back yard" dojo doesn't carry a whole lot of weight if they're looking for official rank. For rank to be recognized, you generally have to belong to some sort of formal organization (and of course pay the requisite membership and testing fees).

But if they're just looking for skills and don't are about belt colors then it shouldn't be an issue.

There's nothing wrong with this as long as you've got enough hours logged on the mat practicing Karate yourself under an instructor.

You're being honest about what qualifications you've got. You don't need a bjj blackbelt or an undefeated mma record to teach Karate. If people need that they can find it at some bigger gym.

Training under other instructors (even in other things) will make your Karate better and keep you humble.

P.S. Shotokan is a lot of fun when you free it from the rigid kihon lines and kata, and focus on jiyu kumite instead. Good luck imo.

be very careful about this. does your BJJ instructor feel that you are ready to teach noobs? some blue belts are ready and some are not. with the availability of purple belts and higher at a greater number of locations, many are not so keen on blue belts teaching.

otherwise your plan sounds fine.

You have a point if they wind up spending significant time rolling around in each other's guards in "Karate" class, but IMO people in any Karate-only class are probably going to be better off having than not having an average bjj blue belt show them how to shrimp, bridge & roll, mount & side control, and 2 basic sweeps.

If he wants to be extra proper, he could ask a purple+ belt at his bjj to come down to give the group their first intro lesson to matwork and not set any bad habits.

This sounds like an excellent idea to me. As long as you follow what other people have said. Also from experience you will get a new understanding of the style from teaching it, you will notice things you didn't notice when you learned the basics. Don't worry about your rank so much as your experience, with all your MA training your more experienced than some people who are opening up their own schools. Just remember your rank and you will do fine.

I'm in a somewhat similar situation. I have a 2nd in TKD, about 6 years of kickboxing, and 6 years of Krav Maga training. I have a small class at a local gym with about 6 to 8 students. I show them TKD and KM techniques, but I don't award rank or anything. They just want to work out and learn how to spar a bit, so I accommodate them. They learn something and I get to spar twice a week, so win-win.