Found a school looking for input.

**Pilotrowa** · Posted On: 6/20/2012 5:43pm

Been looking around my area for good martial arts schools for a bit, looking to get back into shape and learn a traditional style. A friend of mine works for an ATA Taekwondo school and got me signed up for an intro month.

Then the first class.

It was a disorganized mess. They had me in a class with BBs and one me and two other colored belts. The instructor (not my friend, our schedules conflicted) only taught me the first six steps songahm 3 form the Yellow and Orange belt were doing and had them finish teaching me the rest.

I'm sure you've heard enough of ATA on these forums though.

Anyway, I've found a new school, a Shito - Ryu, and am wondering if I'm getting suckered into a McDojo or not.
I went in and asked a few questions and they said I could sit in for 2 classes free to see if I liked it.

Questions I asked:
1. How long to get a BB in this school?
A: Minimum of about six years, usually longer for most people.
2. How long for testing new belts?
A: Depends, for the starting 3 or so three months then generally six months after.
3. What's in the belt test.
A: Mostly forms and katas. Sparring only to test your BB.
4. Can I fail and how many chances in the test?
A: Yes I can fail but you have 3 chances during the test.

Website for the school (though they don't maintain it much): asakakarateschool com

**slamdunc** · Posted On: 6/20/2012 8:33pm

First of all, welcome to Bullshido.
[QUOTE=Pilotrowa;2698555]I'm sure you've heard enough of ATA on these forums though.[QUOTE=Pilotrowa;2698555]There's a lot about ATA on here; I don't know that any of it is good, but a lot of info.

Originally Posted by Pilotrowa

I went in and asked a few questions and they said I could sit in for 2 classes free to see if I liked it.

Questions are good, sitting in on and hopefully, participating in the classes will give you a better perspective.

Originally Posted by Pilotrowa

Q. How long to get a BB in this school?
A. Minimum of about six years, usually longer for most people.

A minimum of six years, at least they're not telling you two to three years, like a lot of schools do. Coincidentally, the two or three years is about the length of a contract. This should always depend on the individual, his attendance, dedication and ability.

**aiyer** · Posted On: 6/21/2012 10:00am

Originally Posted by Pilotrowa

Questions I asked:
1. How long to get a BB in this school?
A: Minimum of about six years, usually longer for most people.

Not a bad answer, I think six years is about average depending on how often you train.

2. How long for testing new belts?
A: Depends, for the starting 3 or so three months then generally six months after.

Depends on how much your grade improves which each test, one kyu, less than a kyu grade, more...

3. What's in the belt test.
A: Mostly forms and katas. Sparring only to test your BB.

That's not a good indication at all. The shito ryu clubs I know require sparring (jiyu kumite)
from the first exam.

4. Can I fail and how many chances in the test?
A: Yes I can fail but you have 3 chances during the test.

Seems like a bit more chances than I'm used to but at least he says you can fail.

So depending on costs, I don't think it's a mcdojo. (Site doesn't seem to work for me.)
However, the lack of sparring is something to keep in mind.

**Pilotrowa** · Posted On: 6/21/2012 6:18pm

Ah, thanks for the welcome and replies.
As for pricing, they only had year long contracts or pay by month. It was $160 paying month by month but the 1 year program was $1320 ($110 month). Classes are scheduled 3 days a week for adults (friend says that isn't enough but tbh it fits my schedule fine).
He did say there is sparring during classes just they avoid below the belt hits, but yeah during testing you don't kumite until you test for black.
I guess I'll find out more when I sit in, but just wanted input. Just really want to avoid crap school and money suckers.

**vaquero de las nalgas** · Posted On: 6/27/2012 9:11pm

Originally Posted by Pilotrowa

Ah, thanks for the welcome and replies.
As for pricing, they only had year long contracts or pay by month. It was $160 paying month by month but the 1 year program was $1320 ($110 month). Classes are scheduled 3 days a week for adults (friend says that isn't enough but tbh it fits my schedule fine).
He did say there is sparring during classes just they avoid below the belt hits, but yeah during testing you don't kumite until you test for black.
I guess I'll find out more when I sit in, but just wanted input. Just really want to avoid crap school and money suckers.

$160/month / 12 classes/month = $13.33/class
$110/month / 12 classes/month = $9.16/class

Sounds like a good deal but I always advise people to avoid signing contracts. You can read all sorts of horror stories on this website about people signing contracts with schools, and then regretting it.

**RWaggs** · Posted On: 7/02/2012 1:40pm

Originally Posted by Pilotrowa

Ah, thanks for the welcome and replies.
As for pricing, they only had year long contracts or pay by month. It was $160 paying month by month but the 1 year program was $1320 ($110 month). Classes are scheduled 3 days a week for adults (friend says that isn't enough but tbh it fits my schedule fine).
He did say there is sparring during classes just they avoid below the belt hits, but yeah during testing you don't kumite until you test for black.
I guess I'll find out more when I sit in, but just wanted input. Just really want to avoid crap school and money suckers.

I guess it all depends on what you're looking for. I would not train here. No kumite for tests until Shodan is no good. No kicking legs during sparring is no good. $160 per month (month to month) for 3 classes a week seems very high. (My Karate (Kyokushin) school is $50 per month for the same amount of classes.) For the prices you're giving, I would expect an MMA gym with training opportunities every day.

Yeah, man, I don't like any of it.

**WorldWarCheese** · Posted On: 7/02/2012 8:25pm

I'm in with RWaggs, that seems wicked expensive to me, at most I paid $100 and usually well under that for my training and that usually meant 4-5 days training. Also, this is literally the first time I've heard of a Karate (not TKD or Kenpo) school offering contracts.

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 7/02/2012 9:36pm

Originally Posted by vaquero de las nalgas

$160/month / 12 classes/month = $13.33/class
$110/month / 12 classes/month = $9.16/class

Sounds like a good deal

Weird 3 classes at that rate isn't good at all IMO. Makes me wonder what you pay for your classes? I mean even the TKD MCdojos in my area have 5 days a week plus a Saturday morning. Even if it fits his schedule that's ridiculously high.

**alex** · Posted On: 7/02/2012 10:06pm

thats a fucking awful deal bro. my kickboxing gym is 80 bucks a month- thats 2 classes a day, gym is open throughout the day, both the head coaches are international champs and one is a former K-1 vegas tourney winner. and thats in NZ dollars which are worth nothing anyway. thats not even getting into the other bad things you listed about the place.