Why did you pick your school?

[MonkeySlap Too]

Why did you pick the school you are at?

How was the information communicated? (in-person, lesson, free lesson, intro, brochure, phone book ad, magazine article, etc.)

[SevenStar]

Judo - word of mouth
bjj - word of mouth
longfist - coincidence. I knew of the place but never dropped by since I was training muay thai at the time. when I stopped training in MT due to school schedule, I dropped by the kwoon.
SC - invitation.

I was able to watch a few classes and participate in a few.

[Souljah]

Originally as something to fill my time but I stayed on even though a couple of my friends left due to interest i guess and that was 18 months ago

[rubthebuddha]

the style (wing tsun) was word of mouth, but the school? couple free intro lessons to let me figure out if i wanted them, and let them figure out if they wanted me. :)

[yenhoi]

wc- ran into sifu at hotel.
jkd- found flyer in ma book at bookstore.
bjj- looked in phone book.

[n0rmann]

I read a lot about different martial arts before I found my school and narrowed my choices down to judo, aikido, Chen Taiji and wing chun. I couldn't find a judo school that matched my schedule. I went to an aikido and wing chun school and observed classes, but there was something I disliked about both of them.
Then I went to two different schools that taught chen - but one could not answer any questions about applications. The other stressed the fact that to learn taiji, you had to learn to use it in a fight, even if you never planned on using it. That, and his school was full of weapons - I love weapons. I've been there for more than a 1.5 years, and have no interest in leaving.

[TaoBoy]

I actually started looking through the yellow pages one day to see what was out there and found an ad for a school that a friend had once mentioned. I've always liked the CMAs, so I went down and tried it out. My old friend was still training there and had become the senior student. The style was impressive from day one - so I stayed on. That was almost 3 years ago.

Recently, I started BJJ and found that school on the web. I wanted to train under one of the few BBs in Australia so I picked a school that was a member of John Will's organisation.

The rest - as they say - is history.

:)

[joedoe]

A friend introduced me.

[Stacey]

I tried it out because I enjoyed martial arts as a child.

I sparred a little the first day with an instructor student.

Before I could blink he had punched me and cut me under the eye. As I cleaned up the blood in the bathroom I knew that this was the real deal. I though "Cooool" as I put pressure on my wound.

I have had a thrist for blood ever since. Not other people's, but my own. I like it when my gums bleed. Its a release. Sometimes when I am away from sparring I have my best friend punch me in the mouth. He understands that I need it.

I get a fat lip and can taste the copper blood.

It sounds strange, but when your happiest moments are assosiated with it, it becomes normal. Like sore legs. The acid is fire element and it balances you out with the cool chi kung.

[couch]

After a looooong time at Temple Kung-Fu, I left to search for something new that wouldn't hurt my bank book or my pride. I was tired of being nagged for buying more "memorabilia."

But enough of that!

I searched around the city, and found a couple of schools...gave them a shot for 3 months each...and found nothing I liked.

I went back to Temple Kung-Fu because I didn't think there was anything better out there...

I then thought after 6 months back that I should really give it my all, and go down and see lots of schools.

Some schools weren't open and wouldn't tell me of fees without an interview, etc. Some schools even asked me if I spoke Chinese as a first language...when I said no...they told me they didn't speak english, and hung up!

Eventually, I phoned my current Wing Chun school. The Sifu was open, and kind hearted. He welcomed me into his school and into his "family." He offered me a free class...then he offered me more free classes!!!!

I declined the free classes. This school was the real deal. Real CMA from a Sifu with over 35 years experience. I declined, and started paying.

That was almost a year ago...

After 8-9 years of modified Kempo Karate...it sure was hard to get used to...but I will train to the best of my perfection!

Good luck with everyone's school!

[Shadow Dragon]

Most of the times either walked past a place and noticed that somebody was training there or got refered by a friend.

Most of the refered places are not schools perse, but simply places where a Sifu teaches.

I prefer the informal setting of being taught in a loaned school gym hall with no trappings, advertising, politics, etc.

Most of those places hardly advertise and most of the students are sincere about studying there.
Cheers.

[Merryprankster]

BJJ Internet. Got bored, walked in, liked the mentality and bought my gi the same day :)

Boxing--internet, checked it out, and it suited me.

[wushu chik]

Errrrrrrrrr~ I co-own it?? I guess that's my answer!! :D

~Wen~

[Ish]

my brother started to teach a beguiners class so me and some friends went down and loved it

[David Jamieson]

I didn't. My school picked me.

peace

[eulerfan]

Originally posted by Shadow Dragon
I prefer the informal setting of being taught in a loaned school gym hall with no trappings, advertising, politics, etc.

Most of those places hardly advertise and most of the students are sincere about studying there.
Cheers.

No $hit, huh?

I joined the local YMCA because it had a great gym and yoga classes. I had no idea I'd end up spending over a year studying MAs. Both the Kung fu and the Tai Chi are offered there.

I'm the youngest person in my Tai Chi class by at least 20 years. Nobody at the Y thinks anything of it unless they have limits to the kind of exercise they can do. I guess it's hard to understand. I convinced one of the kung fu students to come to the Tai Chi class and she said, "You've been studying this for months and your still learning the first few moves?" Well, yeah. That's not the worst of it. The teacher has been studying this for ten years and he's still learning the first few moves. Welcome to Tai Chi.

Kung fu is, of course, open to any gym member. But the sifu really tries and manages to keep the class under ten people.

[crumble]

I did about two years of wushu before deciding I wanted something more combat oriented. I asked around a lot, including at this site. A few chicago guys posted some recommendations...

It worked out well. My new school is top-notch and close to my apartment!

The strangest thing was I wound up going back to a school that I rejected during my first search. After two years of wushu and studying, I had a much better idea what I was looking for -- and there it was right in front of me.

-crumble

[SaMantis]

I started judo in college because some of my friends were taking the class, but after I graduated and moved to Orlando I couldn't find a school -- the one that was there closed right after I moved there.

So I drove to a few different schools, asked about the style, watched the classes. Then I waited 6 months. The school that was still open after 6 months was the one I picked.

Probably not the best method, but I didn't know much about martial arts beyond a few judo throws. I nearly picked Chung Moo Doe but I had a funny feeling about it; fortunately I listened to that feeling.

CMD has such nice uniforms, though. :p

[Skarbromantis]

I went to check out another school, for my son and myself after quitting Kempo, on the way out I noticed a small sign in another storefront, It was like it was put there for me, the next week I went to talk to Sifu, he had one of the senior students, show me a form, it was some of the best KF I have ever seen, the quality of the teaching, was apparent in his student, my boyhood dream came true, to study Kung Fu under a true master in a traditional setting, with my KF brothers, like one big happy family...I am honored

Skard1

[Martial Joe]

I found out about my school and tried it...ive never liked anything else more so i stuck with it.

[jmd161]

Kung Fu Qigong Magazine helped me choose my new school.I went to Lee Koon Hung's Choy Lay Fut school here to find out about joining.

They showed me the magazine with Drunken Choy Lay Fut on the cover so i bought it.Well in that issue was a article about The Rare Black Tiger Style and i could'nt stop reading it.I e-mailed the author got Master Woo's phone number and the rest is history.

Black Tiger is everything the article says it is very tough very rare and an awesome style.Master Woo my Sifu is just simply put Amazing.

jmd161 :)

[Neurotic]

I had never even thought about martial arts before. At the time I was playing state volleyball, but my club was starting to die, and I wasn't enjoying it as much anymore.

A friend of mine got me to go to a couple of Wing Chun classes where he was training, and I thought to myself 'this is pretty cool'.

I liked the teacher, the style made logical sense to me.

I kept going, and eventually he didn't.

The rest is history. Never looked back. Been here 4 years now.

Neurotic

[PQS]

Due to work commitments I was unable to train for a long time on a consistant basis, narrowed it down to wanting to try Tai Chi or Wing Chun, tried a couple, went on websites, changed jobs in order to be able to train 5 months ago.
Found a really good school that I enjoy have been training for about 3 months now the instructor is good the students are freindly and U.F. approves(LOL)
what more could I want?
regards
Peter

[GeneChing]

My very first school, well, it was a judo dojo and I was around 5. I have no idea how my parents found it. I should ask them.

But the rest have been my own research, poking around until I've found something that fits my needs that was in the neighborhood. There was a period o time when I was commuting from SF to Sunnyvale (ugh!) to train several times a week, that's about 40 miles, but that was a little too far. Nothing worse then training horse, then sitting in the car for an hour.

jmd161 & crumble - That's so cool. It's very gratifying to read that. Means we must be doing something right!:cool:

[jmd161]

Gene,

I'm forever in your debt this has been a dream come true.

Ever since i was a child i wanted to learn kung fu like in the movies.Me and sifu out in the middle of nowhere doing kung fu.I thought it was just a dream that could'nt come true.I wanted to learn the way they did in ancient china.

Well my dream came true it's just my sifu,Sihing,and me training in the middle of nowhere like they did in ancient china.

I must admit training this way is very hard no AC no mats on the floor no padding or gloves when we spar.No shortcuts just 100% kung fu training.We still bang our forearm,shins,wrists,elbows,etc against trees.

But i would'nt have it any other way.

jmd161:)

[Daredevil]

After having been through a few different styles and schools, I heard about a new teacher having arrived to Finland. At the time I was perfectly happy with continuing Wing Tsun and was experimenting with some Taiji, as well. I went to see the demo out of curiosity, but what I saw totally blew me away.

My current master is the most impressive martial artist I have seen and that alone keeps me learning from him. The fact that the (primary) style he's teaching me happens to be exceptionally cool is an added bonus, as is the informal style of teaching. Somebody alluded to similar things before, but I really like the friendly, from person-to-person style of teaching much more than schools, with too much trappings and too many things getting in the way of training.

There needs be nothing more than a dedicated student, good teacher and respect both ways.

And that is how I came to practise Bajiquan.

[Gold Horse Dragon]

If you are talking of the old saying 'When the student is ready, the master will appear, then okay, but if not...I know better that you sifu did not pick you but vice versa...just to keep the record straight and nothing else.
GHD

[Royal Dragon]

I found Tai Tzu through Kung Fu magazine!!! Sifu had done an artical about it so I contacted him. Next thing I knew I was on a Plane to Baltimore. Now I'm obsessed!!!!

Oh, and Gene, just so you know I found him despite you telling me you were not allowed to give out his info!!! (Just Joshing :D )

As for the guys I'm with now, I was looking for people to practice with, and I ended up with two guys who I greatly respect. We just workout in the park or a basement, or the park distric building in winter. No school, just getting together for the art.

Both guys I met online here.

Monkey Slapp,
I think for a comercial school, you need a phone book add, and some sort of flyer distrabution system. I was thinking of going to the games at the local High school, and passing out flyers as the High school kids leave the event.

I know the local Pizzza hut often lets my Daughters gym put flyers in with thier menues on the delivery orders. It seems to work real good.

[Sho]

At the time when I was looking for a CMA school, a friend gave me a brochure of a CLF school. Later when I got home, I browsed the internet to find more information about this particular school and that's how I found my kwoon.

[HuangKaiVun]

I made my school in order to tie together everything I had previously learned (and then some) and also to present an atmosphere in which I and others could be comfortable.

Basically, I created the school that I myself would have wanted to have attended as a student.