Why do we lose students from our dojos?

[MikeK]

Hot tubs! I like the way you think Glen. How about massages too! I used to get one before each training session to get the knots out of my back.

I get to work on karate once a week for 4 hours. And that's not much time at all.

So where does this leave karate? Is it time to stream line it so that it fits better into modern life and the additional training options we now have?

[benzocaine]

I am a firm believer in solo practice. I still believe you have to roll/spar/partner work at least once a week for the conditioning aspect of it.

Some sensei get indignant if you make it to only one class a week. Some can't fathom solo practice.

[Glenn]

I am a firm believer in solo practice. I still believe you have to roll/spar/partner work at least once a week for the conditioning aspect of it.

I like both, and wouldn't do without either. Working solo gives you time to really think about what you're doing and trying to accomplish. Often the activity of class doesn't allow such time to reflect.

[Guest]

Sparring once a week is good, if you can hack it. I can't take much more then that... I like to do it on Friday because I keep getting black eyes... hah hah.. they seem to look alot better after the weekends over.

[Bill Glasheen]

Tony

Raccoon eyes is a disease of some Uechika. You are getting it out of your system.

Ask Van what he thinks about "vanilla" preparation for head shots. The Uechi curriculum needs some supplementation to deal with this. (We have our stuff in my dojo...) The whole fear of litigation and injury sometimes can set us up for failure against the very things we purport to be preparing ourselves for.

Head defenses (and offensive approaches to such) need to be explored.

Remember, dude, you're supposed to be "pretty." That means you're not supposed to get hit. It take time to get there, and some more time than others. Some of the folks I saw have the toughest time with this were my "natural athletes" who spent lots of time in gymnastics or horse riding, but never did head-to-head sports. (Bad pun, I know...) The chronic raccoon eyes is a 'message from Allah'. *

- Bill

* Ali used that expression after Kenny Norton broke his jaw in the first round of a 15 round fight. Ouch!!!

[Guest]

Ask Van what he thinks about "vanilla" preparation for head shots. The Uechi curriculum needs some supplementation to deal with this. (We have our stuff in my dojo...)
Head defenses (and offensive approaches to such) need to be explored.

It's not really a big deal, getting hit in the head.. it just takes some getting used too. You can start with lighter gloves but go light.. as you get heavier in your hits, go with a larger glove. The fist will still come through the glove (I got a cut on my eye as proof) and you will hear a "crunchy" sound... I think that is just your flesh seperating from your skull or something... not to worry! You'll learn to love it!

[f.Channell]

I think my daughter sums it up best because she refers to all students who quit as "losers".

The one thing every new Uechi student should be told is the magic word without which you will never get anywhere....

sacrifice

You have to sacrifice many things in order to continue your training.
I won't go on because I can think of thousands of distractions.

These distractions change as the years go on.

The good news is you can go from "loser" status back to good graces by getting back in the Dojo and training.

I also tell my students who try a tournament and don't do as well as they hoped that the winners are on the floor competing and the losers found the excuses not to be there. They couldn't sacrifice the time.

f.

[2Green]

Losing students/ head shot training:

It's good if a student always feels slightly overwhelmed but able to overcome the challenge. It means they learned something or found something in themselves that they didn't know was there.

For head shots: lots of good feints to give the student the message, and lots of coaching to reinforce the message, and lots of head shots in a realistic manner in bunkai/kumite as a student gets out of the fear zone.
The Uechi weapons ARE THERE!

What I have seen and experienced is that students are expected to participate in drills for which they have not been prepared, at whatever level they require to feel prepared.
It's like throwing a fourteen-year-old who has never swam into a pool 20 feet deep and saying 'just swim!"

There has to be a clear and coherent teaching path that leads "FROM THE FAMILIAR, INTO THE UNFAMILIAR".

This is a well-known sales technique but really it's a universal teaching principle as well. New students can't wade into all kinds of contact with no preparation. This will overwhelm them and drive them away.
Each stage of "conditioning" (mental and physical) has to instill REAL (not false) CONFIDENCE based on REALITY that the student can USE.

I truly believe that students who leave classes with a real feeling of accomplishment, and learning something of value and, having something REAL that they can use, will come back week after week for the subtle instillation of principles that are the real lessons of MA training.

NM

[Guest]

Quoting NM

There has to be a clear and coherent teaching path that leads "FROM THE FAMILIAR, INTO THE UNFAMILIAR".

This is a well-known sales technique but really it's a universal teaching principle as well. New students can't wade into all kinds of contact with no preparation. This will overwhelm them and drive them away.
Each stage of "conditioning" (mental and physical) has to instill REAL (not false) CONFIDENCE based on REALITY that the student can USE.

I truly believe that students who leave classes with a real feeling of accomplishment, and learning something of value and, having something REAL that they can use, will come back week after week for the subtle instillation of principles that are the real lessons of MA training.

Great post! Teaching and the teaching plan are essential. Tony wisely used the word "charismatic." The best of the best instructors have the dedication and charisma and every class is purposeful.

We have nearly 400 students and Kaicho Martin is opening a 2nd branch. His lessons are expensive and not "affordable." The cost of the lessons requires sacrifice and commitment. As long as the students perceive value from the training they come back. Uechi sells itself too cheaply.

[Stryke]

Uechi sells itself too cheaply.

Anyone else feel Sick !!!

it`s an ART not some some peice of flesh peddling itself on the street corner ...

Isnt martial arts for everyone ?

[Guest]

But if you pay more your elite

[MikeK]

Uechi sells itself too cheaply.

No offense intended John, but you are wrong, Shotokan, Muay Thai & Uechi are just styles so let's not let people off so easy, many times students leave because sensei aren't doing right by their students.

Something that really impresses me about GEM is how he talks about his students. They aren't things, they are people and it sounds like he accepts them at the level they are at and goes from there. My sensei on Long Island realized that most people wouldn't last more than 3 months but he gave them something to take away with them besides promises of mastery 20 years from now. My friend Don teaches select people for free in self defense because he views himself as an instructor. These are people who are more interested in actually passing something along instead of squeezing one more application out of the 2nd transition of the 5th move of the 17th kata.

I've noticed that many black belts, (and green, blue, brown) don't get something, if you are at the head of the class your job is to teach those in the back of the class. I've watched over and over how the higher ranks will work with lower ranks just to get them out of the way. From where I come from if you have rank X and there is someone there of rank X-1 then you teach them. That's your job, that's your responsibility so you better know your #####. Go experiment when the lower ranks aren't around, do it outside of class, but don't have some newbee sitting there wondering what the heck is going on and you are too busy working on your flying 360 degree butt kick.

[benzocaine]

Mike,

Don't forget Bill. He teaches merely for the love of the art. You're blessed to have a 7 Dan right there close by... and FREE

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Most dojo have to charge a fee mainly to cover the expense of renting space.

I don't know of to many people who got rich teaching karate. They do exist, but are the exception rather than the rule.

[f.Channell]

The sacrifice I mention in my post should come from the time available in ones life, not from their wallet.

I know lots of Karate teachers who make lots of money. Including Uechi guys. But more so in other styles. But if paying $150 a month instead of paying $20 makes you happy, great. You are after all $130 dollars better or poorer.

F.

[gmattson]

There has to be a clear and coherent teaching path that leads "FROM THE FAMILIAR, INTO THE UNFAMILIAR".

Words that should be part of every teacher's lesson plan.