Bobbie Lawrence Karate Training Center

**patfromlogan** · Posted On: 4/18/2009 9:54pm

We (some students from a moderately hard sparring school) went to the Bobby Lawrence Logan branch one night when our instructors were busy. We were warned not to spar anyone and for sure, be real careful not to hit anyone. We hardly got sweaty and later heard how rough and tough we'd been! If they thought the Chirioku guys were bad ass, they'd flip out if they saw Kyokushin (or Wado or for that matter, any style that has elements of realism and attempts to teach self-defense and fighting).

McDojo and Bullshido to the max! It is the largest franchised "martial arts" chain in Utah. A shame that they don't teach martial arts.

Bobby Lawrence Karate, 880 S Main St, Logan, UT 84321 (435) 792-4777‎ has to be one of the worst programs... EVER. Lots of clapping, though and they are very good at clapping in unison. I've been in schools that sometimes clap in unison, then they'd hit pads or each other and throw each other around. In Bobbie's franchise, more likely after clapping together for awhile, they'd line up to run at a target and give a big sloppy front kick (but I admit, they kick high - they seem to like the leap around aspect, but they've missed out on the hitting aspect) and a loud screech, oops, I mean kiai. Then clap some more and then maybe get into a poor horse stance and do sloppy punches and screech some more, with of course more clapping in unison before, during, and after the various "martial arts" exercises. And they are big on synchronized Xtreme type kata, and of course they have some flashy uniforms to match those Xtreme moves. Too bad that stuff sucks as they spend a lot of energy practicing the moves.

A couple years ago the local franchise made the mistake of entering the local karate tourney. The instructor was eliminated in the first round kumite and his students didn't place, in anything. In contrast the new Kosho Shorei Ryu Kempo dojo had lots of little trophies and medals in kata, weapons, and kumite. And it's not because the tourny guys are slanted. It's put on by two schools, one a TMA Okinawan dojo and the other the Chirioku Karate school, an eclectic American type style - and they welcome all the bbs to help judge, be they AK, TKD, or Kung Fu types. The Bobbys learned their lesson, though. That was the last time they entered that tournament, or any other - now they have exclusive Bobby Lawrence tournies and naturally don't invite anyone who's not a member; might make them look real bad to have actual martial arts students show up.

Reviews from Yahoo local (slightly edited):

from a mom
"I'm not sure I would go so far as to say the Logan school is 'sleazy' but it is no secret his head is not in the game. It is the case that he is consistently late to open his own studio. Parents ought not have to plead their case for him to get there in time."

from a dad
"My daughter is enrolled at the Logan studio, much to my dismay... I will not let her 'try out' for the Logan demo teams. The head of this studio is very unprofessional and the whole place is disorganized. They never tell the parents what is going on (unless it is something that gets him more money).

from a kid
" My brother and I both quit going. They always get little kids to sign up but the older ones quit because it's such a joke..."

***Omega Supreme*** · Posted On: 4/18/2009 10:48pm

Dude, you're abusing the rating system. It might be a sucky school but there's no way it got 1's across the board.

**patfromlogan** · Posted On: 4/20/2009 9:34pm

Originally Posted by Omega the Merciless

Dude, you're abusing the rating system. It might be a sucky school but there's no way it got 1's across the board.

If Bullshido would offer some negative ratings I could evaluate it more accurately. I was being generous. If a dictionary had McDojo/Bullshido, their picture would be on that page.

Shitty ma, small strip mall school, poorly equipped with the all too typical bs of "We teach grappling," but the instructor has NO rank in BJJ, Judo, or anything else except a watered down version of American Kenpo. Aliveness? Give me a break. Equipment? Maybe they have a Bob somewhere, I know they have some large thin pads that the kids leap up and screech at, after which they then go and clap for awhile. Let's see, lots and lots of 11 year old black belts, that's for sure. Money grubbing instructor that not only shows up late, he hustles the parents for his bs self improvement crapola.

Fxxk these worms, they suck.

Uh, and they have bad art too!

***Omega Supreme*** · Posted On: 4/20/2009 10:53pm

I don't give a rats ass if they teach combative yoga. You should change it here's our criteria:

RATING AND YOU - READ THIS BEFORE POSTING YOUR REVIEW - No BS Martial Arts

Any other way you make us look like witch hunters.

**patfromlogan** · Posted On: 4/21/2009 9:43am

OK, point taken, I read all of the guide (grumble grumble), instead of glancing at it once long ago:

"Remember, a low number rating is simply a classification of the curriculum taught, NOT a derogatory statement about your school."

So they have a commercial space, I'll raise it to a six.

Instructor ratio is tough because the night I was there the instructor wasn't present and a student was running the show. I did see him in his office, so following the guide, they get a three (perhaps the guide is too kind?).

They do have compliant drills and some no touch point sparring, so liveness leaps up to three.

from the guide:
Atmosphere/Attitude:

1-5: Everyone's a douchebag/tough guy/pansy to corresponding degrees and/or drama.
6-7: Fairly impersonal, various cliques or noticeable drama.
8-10: Open, supportive but challenging, bizarro hippy ass-beating love fest.

Since the students seemed mostly happy, busily clapping away, and they do smile a lot (and spend much of their time happily chatting amongst each other), atmosphere gets an eight.

Somehow I'd taken the atmosphere rating to mean what I had in Kyokushin and see in West Side Jiu Jitsu - a supportive group (with egos left at the door), encouraging each other in learning, with out embarrassment or shame for whatever level or skill one possesses or lacks, in real FIGHTING skills. An atmosphere where the skilled and strong are looked up to as examples of what hard training and dedication can produce; confident strong fighters. And strong fighters that are pleased to help out and gentle with students. Strong fighters who want to bring you up to higher levels of skill.

Bobbie Lawrence, in MY way of rating atmosphere would get about a -11.

How could Jonas rate grappling 1-3 and define that rating as no grappling/anti grappling? They do have some shitty weak ass grappling, so they get a four?? It just doesn't seem right - it's off.

Another comment (to me): US Army officer, BB and ex-MMA fighter, "I got my boy into the school and yanked him out the same week. Even that girl (pointing to a young woman's picture on a poster advertising a women's self defense class), as a black belt instructor just plain has crummy form. It's worthless."

**patfromlogan** · Posted On: 4/21/2009 9:58am

Here's some stuff from their site: http://www.bobbylawrencekarate.net/programs-LN.php

Check out the video of the happy deluded dancers (oops, I mean martial artists). It's like a video of disaster that goes on and on, each scene more scary than the last.

Does your school have a Pee Wee Ninjas (2-3 yrs) class? Get your two year old down to a Bobby Lawrence McDojo and get 'em started on their black belt.

Black belts (representing of Utah I believe):