[Benning Boy]

I love my island.

In addition to my white slavery and opium trade, I love martial arts.

Every 7 years, I invite the forums artists to come discuss the arts on my island. This year, it's an open, which means this thread is for the newbies to the arts, because some of you are looking for a school, or have questions, and a panel of experts can share their experiences with you.

So when this thread shuffles back, and a newbie throws out a question, link them to this.

I'll kick it off.

Warning signs that the dojo-dojang-kwoon-social hall your looking at might not be legit.

Go.

[c3shooter]

Warning signs- Your sen-sei is Mr. Miyagi
For practice, you are waxing his car

[Benning Boy]

Originally Posted by c3shooter

Warning signs- Your sen-sei is Mr. Miyagi
For practice, you are waxing his car

Laugh if you want, but I can restore a rich luster to even the rattiest ride now....

[Benning Boy]

Let's start with the phenomenon known as the ATA school.

Anybody care to throw in?

[Dillinger]

ATA and How to Know if your Dojo will have you as the laughing stock of the martial arts world??

If this guy is your lead instructor.....

[Benning Boy]

Ah, I see you're familiar....

[Shihan]

What ever became of the PKA? It used to be popular on ESPN. I would like to see it return.
They rarely show K1 anymore. Just wondering.

[dunerunner]

Ahh, the American Taekwondo Association; my first Dojo!

How surprised I was when I started studying under Grand Master Gary Garrett, "Play time's over Boy!"

[Benning Boy]

Originally Posted by Shihan

What ever became of the PKA? It used to be popular on ESPN. I would like to see it return.
They rarely show K1 anymore. Just wondering.

This raises our first issue, organizations.

To elaborate, Shi is talking about a sports organization, kind of like what the NFL is to football.

The problem there, anybody can start an organization, only the one with talent will survive. This currently goes on with MMA.

I think the PKA ran into financial trouble, and that's where that left it.

As far as organizations in schools, don't fall for it.

I've been a member of many federations in my time. A school wants something to make it credible, creates a federation, and hangs a logo on the wall.

My last school was part of a "world" organization, but had only one school, and is now defunct.

There's nothing illegal about this, but it's on the border of unethical. Maybe a guy opens a school, and starts an organization with the hope that he will one day have a chain of schools, and this will govern them. Not a deal breaker, but not something you should consider as a basis for joining, either.

[Benning Boy]

Originally Posted by dunerunner

Ahh, the American Taekwondo Association; my first Dojo!

How surprised I was when I started studying under Grand Master Gary Garrett, "Play time's over Boy!"

The ATA.

I was between schools, and checked them out.

A mother was signing her daughter up, and trying on her uniform for size. She was informed that she would recieve a stripe for her belt after attending her first class.

I looked at the uniforms, you get a patch for everything. Attendance, you broke a board, you stretch well.

I talked to the instructor, nice guy. Seemed sincere, but it was kind of easy to see what the place was.

I dislike black belt factories. You can get one online, with a high quality certificate, for $50.

I dislike day cares, and that's what saw when I thanked the instructor and left.