Advice

**WorldWarCheese** · Posted On: 1/21/2007 10:41pm

Okay, first of all, I wasn't sure where this should go and so it is here.

I took Goju Ryu karate from http://www.cormierselfdefense.com/ and it's your typical Krotty point-sparring, kata obsessive, we-talk-more-than-train, type of place that would be right at home in an Ed Parker Ke_po place. Thus I am leaving. It's only saving grace is the good Judo training I get there.

I found a Kyokushin Karate place a few block away that is Full-Contact Heaven. Very smart and hardcore training there. I've begun some intro classes and return in the summer when I get back from school.

Here's the thing, though: I still want to take Judo at the old place, but I have previously been very in the karate there and was one of the paid instructor types there. (Look for Terry Suriyamongkol on the website. That's me) And was sorta "The next Sensei" or something of the school.

So the question is how do I hand in my keys, say "I found a karate that's better than yours and am not teaching for you anymore because I think it's faulty. But I'm staying for Judo" and not either have him blow up in my face and refuse training or just feel awkward whenever I enter the place and see him before Judo?

I've kind of made up my mind what I'm going to do, but some advice and opinions would really help. Thanks.

**alex** · Posted On: 1/21/2007 10:43pm

tell him you dont wanna do karate anymore just judo. no reason for him to know you are moving dojo, not that its his business anyway really

**WorldWarCheese** · Posted On: 1/21/2007 10:53pm

Yeah, it's kind of what I was figuring on doing, but even then he'd be nosy in only a way a McDojo owner loosing money can. He'll ask the why's and the whatnot's and he will keep pressing because I was supposed to be that guy who teaches classes for **** pay instead of him to little 8 year old blackbelts. Besides, he hates judo with a passion and just likes the cashflow.

**alex** · Posted On: 1/21/2007 10:56pm

am i the only person who doesnt have a problem with telling someone to **** off? if he doesnt like it tell him to **** off. if he hassles you tell him to **** off. if he gives you funny looks tell him to **** off.

in fact i think you should just walk in there tomorrow, tell him to **** off, then go to the judo.

**pauli** · Posted On: 1/21/2007 11:02pm

"goju isn't what i'm looking for right now."

***Cassius*** · Posted On: 1/21/2007 11:04pm

Make sure to bang his mom, wife, daughter, girlfriend, and sister after you tell him to **** off. That really drives the point home.

**Epicurus** · Posted On: 1/21/2007 11:08pm

"it's not you... it's me. I think we should spar other people. I can't give you what you need right now (money for nothing)"

I've heard 'em all, as both a bad dancer and a Taijutsu instructor.

**mrsumo** · Posted On: 1/21/2007 11:10pm

Not the most horrible predicament to be in. Are you sure the Judo there is worth staying for? Maybe before you make the switch take a free lesson at a different judo club. In any case I would let the teacher know why you are switching schools. People take martial arts for different personal reasons. Not every class is gonig to be right for everybody. There are probably plenty of people out there who perfer a Karate class with minimal contact. Just like the thousands of folks who take cardio kickboxing, or tae bo. Maybe you are not the only student there with that opinion. He might change the cirriculum a bit. Or start a FC sparring club. In the end it is your development that is important. And it is your money. Besides, he aint heavy, and he sure ain't your brother.

**toad** · Posted On: 1/21/2007 11:14pm

ok, if they give you a title like "the next sensei" telling the person in question to "**** off" is not a smart decision IMO.

I have actually had an astonishing similar experience, which is why I was kicked out of my previous school.

worldwarcheese, I too was givin a teaching title in TKD at my school. first, in charge of the kids class, then, in charge of the adults as well.
did they promise you to open up a branch that you will run? they did that to me.

while I was recieving all this praise, there was only one class where I was consistently getting my ass kicked..... BJJ class. the head of the school hired a BJJ guy to teach us and I entered about 3 months after he came.

it was the only thing that I liked from then on, after telling my instructor that I wanted to train only in BJJ, and that I did not want to be his "head instructor" anymore, he was bothered, he asked questions.... but he agreed to it. (as if he had a choice.)

but the thing is, he ended up kicking me out because he thought that I was promoting an art that he was not teaching and that the other students were not comfortable with me.

so in a matter of 2 weeks I went from being an "heir" to some TKD school, to being kicked out of my only place of training.

If you are at instructor level, I am sure you have known these guys for quite some time now, and I know that simply telling them to "**** off" when they want to convince you to still be they're instructor (be it student or peer) is not the best way to do it.

bottom line is, you feel that you need to expand, so do it, and explain it to them as that.

side note* what mainly kept me from doing my own training was the thought that I was going to abandon my students, but after a 3 months of teaching them triple kicks and ridge hands, I felt that I was already doing them a disservice far greater than not teaching them at all...

**WorldWarCheese** · Posted On: 1/22/2007 12:36am

Thanks for the advice. Especially that line from pauli, it's a good one. And Idunno, I was raised in such as way that teling to **** off meant I got my ass kicked by a tennis racket wielding banshee of an Irish mother. It's not in my nature.

Besides, the other students are good people, just led astray and ignorant (I've sent a few here but after some lurking they came back and asked if I was crazy...) Anyhoo, with the prices of Judo raising I might have to stop it alltogether, which is annoying because it's awsome.

And Toad, I already had a short mini-school for a year then closed it because school issues. So, yeah. I'll try to stay in Judo as long as I can but it may be time to cut ties alltogether.