First, my student base is limited. I only take students age 13 and up. I feel that what I teach is inappropriate for children. I also limit some material to ages 18 and above.
Second, I limit the number of students that I take at any one time. I teach EVERY class personally and work hands on with each student individually. Not really something one can easily do with a larger class.
Third, every student is told at the time that they join they I will receive payment in their sweat. Train hard, accept bitter or leave! I don't need students who will be an embarrassment to me or the art. So, yes my students train hard or I ask them to leave. And yes, I have told individuals to leave.
My students are quite diverse in why they come. Most desire self-defense, some also are interested in fitness and philosophy. Regardless of why they come, every student must do conditioning, a minimum number of forms (I only require five at most) and sparring. We spar probably five out of eight classes. Here are our sparring rules:
1. Students may wear as much gear as they desire. Mouth guards, cups, MMA gloves, and head gear with shield are required.
2. Punching, kicking, gouging, locking, throwing and grappling are permitted to everywhere except the neck, knees and back.
3. Grabbing may be done limit-lessly to any part of the body. We are a mantis school after all.
4. Everyone spars everyone else regardless of sex or weight class.
5. If you learn a weapon, you will spar with that weapon versus any other weapon that I choose.
No other kung fu school that I know of in Northeastern Ohio spars with the same open rule set that we do. NONE! If another does, I hope that they correct me here.
Finally, two kung fu schools that I believe deserve recognition here: Ho Chun (Gene Chicoine's shuaijiao school) and the Shaolin Kung Fu Institute (Gino Belfiore/John Ervin) are two of the toughest kung fu schools in Northeastern Ohio and definitely stand out as schools that represent true fighting TCMA.