Dojo Business Ethics-Advice NEEDED!

I'm looking for a new dojo in my area & I'd like some advice as to what to look for in deciding which to join. Here are a few questions I need some advice on.

1. What should a new student be aware of when joining a new dojo? Some tips please!!

2. How can I tell if the Sensei is someone trustworthy, knowledgable, and a dedicated MA instructor (as opposed to be a scam artist)? what should I look for?

3. How long should it take a student to know if it's the right dojo for him?

4. How valuable is record keeping? Attendance, medical records, other paperwork, etc

5. Do all instructors flirt with new female students to get them to join?

6. Typically, how friendly are the other students to a newcomer? (I've seen some cold shoulders at the newbies).

Thanks for your response. I'm a bit green around the gills & need to find a good place to learn MA. Thanks again.

1. Size of the classes 2. Experience (# of years, type of styles, # of yrs in this school) of the instructor teaching the classes you will be attending 3. Hidden Fees ('black belt' clubs, promotion fees, uniform fees, manditory tournament fees, weapon purchases) 4. Track record of injuries (or lack there of) 5. Overall philosophy (aerobics in jammies or SD application?)

If they ask for $1000 up front or charge for the intro lesson, I'd have a few warning lights go on. Long contracts too. Strip searches are a no-no.

About as long as it takes to pick out a new car.

For you or the school? I keep a MA journal of my training and teaching. I encourage my students to do so as well.

I only flirt with the ones that are wealthy. ...and cute. ...and breathing. OK, still warm at least.....

Really, this question is way too general. Everyone is different. Don't lump all males (or females or hermaphadites) into the same tater sack.

Large schools tend to be a bit more aloof to newbies. Small schools are more friendly unless you're a maniac or a dunce.

Dramamine, Lynn...Dramamine.

Be aware of what you are looking for. The school I hate for it's tourney/tae bo mentality may be exactly what you are looking for, and the school I love for it's brutal self defense honesty may be your nightmare of attitude and testosterone. Decide what you want out of all this (forget 'black belt' :o) figure out what you want to learn!), and then have a look at the school from that perspective.

Be aware of your budget.

Basic interpersonal relationships; does the instructor make you feel uncomfortable? In what way? Could you learn from them, could you have a teacher student relationship with them, could you respect them? Avoid an excess of 'hidden costs', 'black belt clubs' guaranteed times for goals, lots of bragging and bullshit. Remember that martial arts instructors are human, and that they are prone to the same faults that you hate in other people, judge them as you would anyone else.

Example: Do they trash other local schools on your visit there? Do they have senior students who couldn't fight their way out of a wet paper bag? Is your potential instructor full of himself? Do you like that? It IS a personal decision, after all. I hate that sort of thing, but I'm not you.

Almost right away, with anything further showing up withing the first couple of months of training.

Yours or theirs? Theirs is arbetrary, generally varies school to school and is mostly meaningless. Yours is valuable, and will tend to help you learn and retain what you've done.

Most men flirt with attractive females, very few will do it strictly to get you to join. If you aren't interested, ignore it and keep a serious attitude. If it continues, or if you feel uncomfortable, recognize that this goes back to standard interpersonal relationships. You will have trouble learning from someone you don't respect, or in an uncomfortable atmosphere. Martial arts instructors are as varied as the rest of the population, and there are assholes everywhere. There are also lots who aren't assholes - find a good one who isn't an asshole, you'll be way better off in the long run.

Typically this is a difference between large and small schools. Small schools, such as where I train, are usually a close knit friendly bunch who would love to meet you and unless you are a git you'll do okay. Large schools are used to newbie turnover and generally you have to put some time in before they'll get to know you and stop making you feel like an outsider.

Keep in mind that 'good' is a personal evaluation. Ignore the tripe on this group until after you know what you are looking for. If you truly are most interested in tournaments, then one of them increadable arts which is great for self defense is pretty useless for you, and you shouldn't bother feeling bad for liking it.

But be honest- if you want self defense first and formost, then one of them schools with lots of trophies isn't likely to be your best bet. It is a different goal with different training methods.

:o) Kevin

You are the bottem if the totem pole and may be asked to sweep floors, wash mats, and other such jobs.

Ask to see his creditals. Also ask if you can observer the class a few times beware of any dojo that will not let you observe a few classes. Talk to the other students after class see how they feel about the teacher, you can learn a lot from the current students.

him?

about one year I should think. A dojo should never seem like a bad place, if it does leave a find a new dojo.

Your record keeping or that of the dojo? in either case not terribaly.

WHAT! NO NO NO! That is terribaly unresponceable of the instructor, all studends shoud be treated as students not as possable mates. I would never train in a dojo that was so condasending to female students. Avoid these places like a plauge!

Well there does tend to be a bit of akwardness, I think this stems from meeting new people and then 'fighting' with them. After a bit when the akwardness ends you may find the people who seemed to be the most unfriendly are actualy some of the most kinda people you will ever meet.

No problem, that is why the net is here. Good luck with your training.

Despair Bear

Get information: on the art; from friends who study MA; from students at the dojo; from parents of students at the dojo; from stuff like the Newbie Guide. If you don't know anyone else who studies martial arts, get an athletic acquaintance or a PE teacher to accompany you.

Personally, I don't care for contracts and I don't care for any club or school that doesn't welcome visitors and/or observers.

Listen and observe carefully. Check with the BBB if possible. Still it's hard to tell if anyone is trustworthy.

Don't know. I didn't have much choice when I started studying. If you enjoy classes and feel that you are making progress, that's a good sign. I always felt better after I practiced than before. When I got to dreading classes themselves, then I knew it was time to leave.

I keep promotion records for my students but that's easy because we promote just two or three times a year. OTOH, my teacher's records for us weren't quite so tidy so some of us had to apply twice for the same rank. No big deal...we know what we know with or without rank.

No, and I would find the exit asap if this happened to me. I am and have always been totally against this sort of behavior in the dojo. I'm against dojo members dating too and will counsel my students against it. I can't stop them and there are no club rules, but when the subject comes up, I tell them my objections.

Look, some groups will welcome you with open arms, other's will see if you stick around. It's like any other group. We throw around and mash newbies in a very friendly way but these are mostly college aged people. Yes, I've seen little cliques and such in other training clubs/schools/halls but so what's new? I try to spend just as much time helping beginners as intermediate students but there are some things that intermediate judoists must learn within the curriculum that's not appropriate for beginners.

Good luck.

Karen

'cause eggbeaters can't say 'No'.

Egg beaters?????

In the immortal words of Mary Malmros:

I have two words for you: 'wall current'

Of course that was in a (slightly) different context, wiseguy.

You can take them camping with you.

Pffft! In the immortal words of Mojo Nixon: 'Go get Vibrator-Zilla and put 220 on money, honey!'