those 20 years arent spent learning techniques man
those 20 years are spent conditioning your body, because there are so many conditioning excercises
the actualy learning can be done in 3-5 years i agree
those 20 years arent spent learning techniques man
those 20 years are spent conditioning your body, because there are so many conditioning excercises
the actualy learning can be done in 3-5 years i agree
Last edited by bawang; 03-07-2009 at 09:00 AM.
Honorary African American
grandmaster instructor of Wombat Combat The Lost Art of Anal Destruction™®LLC .
Senior Business Director at TEAM ASSHAMMER consulting services ™®LLC
The moment they ask us to choose between two different paths, the implicit message is that we can only follow one. -Daniele Bolelli, On The Warrior’s Path
i agree with this, that sometimes martial skill can be good, and teaching skill may not be that good (or experienced). at the same time, a teacher who is worried about paying his rent might not be able to give 100% to his students in the classroom. there is a fine line between making a fair, comfortable living while teaching good martial arts, and "selling out". at the same time, you have to pay what teachers are worth. want to learn from average guys, pay low prices. want to learn from highly qualified masters, well you shouldnt expect to bargain with this teacher.
many of our own masters didnt charge much for lessons probably because they did not realize the value of their art and knowledge in american money. and the ones who do, and charge what they are worth... its not fair to say they are dishonest.
about the length of time you study for the art, i believe this depends on your goals. some people are happy with mediocre skill and knowledge, so a few years is good for them. others want to do this for a career, or just want to learn at the deeper levels of the martial arts. this will require a master who knows his stuff, and of course the financial commitment to learn...
I don't know what is better, but I'd never want to be the PART-TIME TEACHER paying FULL-TIME RENT. Lots of schools seem to have that situation. Always trying to balance between charging reasonable rates, wand avoiding going broke. Much better in my opinion to be the big school guy running a business, or the tiny school(community centre, park, home) guy with little overhead. I think half way between doesn't work.
A very dear old friend of mine who owned a small store also taught WC at night after he closed his store for the day. He did not seek out students, but would only take a new student after talking for a long time. He also requested the new student bring him $1,000 the day before they would start. He had several students and would not work with more than one at a time. He had a couple of students coming in every night, but they would be at a particular time. I don't think he would have more than 6 students at any one time. Most were not aware of one another.
The purpose of the $1,000 in advance was to generate solid interest. If the student was soundly and firmly committed to learning he would not hesitate. If he did not then he was not soundly committed. There is nothing more aggrivating then have some one beg to learn and then not show up on the first night because he had a change in social affairs. To learn one must be dedicated and focused. Nothing will focus you more than the prospect of losing a thousand bucks. He could make a hard fighting machine of anyone in less than 6 months.
I was walking down the street with my son and I met a guy who just opened a fresh martial arts school and was passing out fliers. He couldn't have been over 40. I introduced myself and he said his name was "master han". He was a full time teacher....I wonder if he has an island of prostitutes and karate-fu experts.
I have two reaaaaaaaally different instructors. One is quiet and does little explaining, one is specific and open in his corrections. A lot of people worship instructors that I would think are clowns, and vice versa.
If it feels right, I suppose it must be.