Are all TKD classes heavily 'child friendly'

Discussion in 'Tae Kwon Do' started by grepskill, Jan 20, 2015.

  1. grepskill

    grepskill New Member

    Hello!

    I've been to a few different Tae Kwon Do places (in nottingham) and have been hugely put off by the numbers of young kids, even in adult classes.

    I'd much rather be able to train with people closer to my age group who perhaps take it a little more seriously than what I'm getting. I did a grading for Yellow Stripe and had to do it with kids no older than 8 doing it alongside me which greatly puts me off as I feel somewhat embarrassed (perhaps just my attitude which needs changing!

    Anyway, just wondering whether anyone else has experienced this or could point me in the direction of perhaps a more mature geared class?
     
  2. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    You can train in my class in Southwell, the youngest in your class would be 13. You would grade alongside adults, not kids. Class is on tonight if you're free and Mondays :)

    My Instructor teaches in Nottingham and though he allows some younger kids in with the adults, it's usually very few and higher grades, so the class is mostly adults and has a large spread of high grade adults training. Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday.

    You could even do both :D

    Mitch
     
  3. grepskill

    grepskill New Member

    Hello Mitch!

    Thanks for your reply,

    Could you perhaps send me some more info on your classes? Such as costs and what not? I can't seem to find a PM function to give you my email but have set up so I can receive emails from yourself I believe.

    Thanks for your reply.
     
  4. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    PM's won't work for you until you've made a few more posts, so I've sent you an email with details :)

    Mitch
     
  5. Dead_pool

    Dead_pool Spes mea in nihil Deus MAP 2017 Moi Award

    Does it have to be TKD? TKD does have quite a child friendly reputation.
     
  6. Moi

    Moi Warriors live forever x

    If he trains with Mitch it'll be different :)
     
  7. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    We've had a chat and unfortunately he can't make my classes as they're way across the other side of the city from him. :(

    To be fair, classes are or are not kid friendly, arts are just arts. I teach adults differently to how I teach kids, but they all learn TKD. Kids learn Muay Thai and Kyokushin, they just learn differently.

    As a tangent, I do think it's a self-fulfilling prophecy. I used to think only kids were interested in martial arts these days, and mainly young kids at that. I worked hard to retain the adults and older teens I had by changing teaching focus for them and that worked OK, but I never had large numbers so they were integrated into the younger class.

    But it was when I bit the bullet and split my classes by age that it really took off. Now I have classes for 13 year olds and up that are heaving, but still get plenty of kids in the younger age ranges too. It was well worth it from my point of view as I get to teach the stuff I personally enjoy more as well.

    I hope you find something else Grepskill :)

    Mitch
     
  8. Pretty In Pink

    Pretty In Pink Moved on MAP 2017 Gold Award

    So what you're saying is.... Do BJJ?
     
  9. Dead_pool

    Dead_pool Spes mea in nihil Deus MAP 2017 Moi Award

    Actually Muay thai or kickboxing if he wants a TKD analogue

    but now you mention it....................
     
  10. android

    android Valued Member

    know what you mean, I tried a few different classes lately :

    first they had me doing movements with a ten yr old

    second class was like attending primary school - with a couple of adults thrown in
     
  11. bodyshot

    bodyshot Brown Belt Zanshin Karate

    The TKD school in my town is not child friendly. In fact Ive never seen a kid in the place. The one time I went in there the place smelled bad and the music was gangster rap. The head instructor looked to be in his early twenties and was teaching class in his street clothes and smokeing a cigerette...Say what.
     
  12. Simon

    Simon Administrator Admin Supporter MAP 2017 Koyo Award

    Maybe it was an adults only class.

    Maybe the smell of hard work.

    My Tuesday class follows a yoga/pilates/fitness type class and the instructor must work them hard, as you can smell the sweat when you walk in and the windows are all misted up.

    Nothing wrong with that as far as I can see. The hall is spotless, but small and they have the windows show in the winter months.

    Nothing wrong with this either.

    I wouldn't play music with swearing, but I have the occasional ganster rap track playing.

    Before Christmas I was at a school that was playing love songs.

    "I'll teach you how to beat people up to love songs" the instructor said.

    I was hilarious (and a tough class).

    Still nothing wrong with this.

    I was assisting with teaching by the time I was 19.

    You should really be carrying your gym clothes with you, but I have done a couple of classes in street clothes when I've been late due to traffic.

    This is out of order though.
     
  13. bodyshot

    bodyshot Brown Belt Zanshin Karate

    Oh no it was like dirty gangster rap. And it smelled like mold in there. To make matters worse when I walked in the dude stoped talking to the four adults he had on the mat and scowled at me and said "can I help you" like I was trespassing.
     
  14. matveimediaarts

    matveimediaarts Underappreciated genius

    Since I wasn't there I can't say for sure, but some people are just naturally aggressive/rude, even when they don't try to be. My shihan, for example, is a very loud fellow from New Jersey. I recently overheard one of the little girls from the kids class crying to her little friend because "he yelled at me". This wasn't just a little sob either, she had tears rolling down her cheeks. :eek: I'm pretty sure she got over it. I seem to recall seeing her leave when I got to the dojo today.
     
  15. Latikos

    Latikos Valued Member

    Might not be the best way to behave towards a new guy, but maybe he was annoyed, because there was some dude waltzing in, too late for his class.
    (At least it sounds to me, like you were late)

    Again: Not a good reason to leave a bad impression with the new guy, but on the other hand, it's not the best first impression to come in late.
     
  16. Pretty In Pink

    Pretty In Pink Moved on MAP 2017 Gold Award

    Did you wait until you were allowed to come on to the mat and then bow?
     
  17. bodyshot

    bodyshot Brown Belt Zanshin Karate

    Hes just a rude guy from what I hear. I stayed and watched them work out it was kinda sad, the main hoodlum tried to get me to sign a contract (1 year) used lots of pressure when I said no.
    Anyway I picked the Hybrid Karate school two blocks over. I even went to the local college and tried the wrestleing club and a Krav Maga group...Wasnt into either one.
     
  18. TKDstudent

    TKDstudent Valued Member

    This seems to be the problem with TMAs, especially TKD, as it appears to be the most popular MA. Since the money is with the kiddie's parents, TKD has become an activity that adults do not seem to gravitate to any longer as it does not fit their needs like it did when it was 1st brought to the West. This explains the boom to MMA & before that, the combat karate styles.
    ;(
     
  19. bodyshot

    bodyshot Brown Belt Zanshin Karate

    Could be'
    Idk.
     

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