I'm new here...

When we were looking for the Kung Fu school, we saw another Martial Arts school...

It is mainly a TKD school, but the instructor also is teaching BJJ

The BJJ at the TKD place is only $50 or $60/month.
The TKD instructor is only a Purple Belt in BJJ (5th deg black in TKD).
He said he will soon hire a BJJ instructor, and rates will
increase then, but will stay the same for students already enrolled.

The TKD is about $115 / month if we pay month by month.
The Kung Fu works out to about $85/month.
I lean towards the Kung Fu right now, but the advantage
of the BJJ/TKD is I could participate right along with them.

I need to double check their class schedule - IIRC, BJJ was
a bit late in the evening (for me). They do BJJ w/o Gi two
days per week, and then with Gi on Fridays.

We'll probably do the one month trial at the Kung-Fu and the TKD/BJJ places.

There are some schedule issues going on in life right now which may mean
having to wait a month or two though. At least they do a lot of stretching
and rolling at the Ninjutsu Dojo.

 

Mark:

I managed to find a place where 4 or 5 current UFC/Strikeforce division fighters train and was somewhat open to the public. There's maybe 5 - 7 kids 14 years and younger - the rest are adults and older teens who are serious about fighting.

I suggest you consider doing the same. Put them in straight boxing two days out of the week and BJJ another two days out of the week. There's an excellent article here on MAP that I saw the other night, that deals with having a 'base' from which to operate and how important it is to develop that primary operating base ( whether striking or groundwork ) from which one can optimally incorporate things learned from the traditional MAs. I wish I could remember where I saw it...do a search...its well worth your time.

If you think you and they are ready to move past the fluff...then get serious and move past the fluff...just bear in mind...you will not feel comfortable for some time to come. Thats how you know you're in the right place. It'll feel a little like standing on a street corner in a rough part of town. You get that feeling...you're in the right place. Just accept it... become part of it. Thats how you and your young'uns will grow.

Ya gonna have to get out of the comfy 'burbs, friend, for that to happen. You need to put yourself in an environment that'll make you intimidated and uncertain...just like it is in a real fight.

Barring that...

Check with some of the guys here about Kyokushin karate. Its something the more I hear about, the more intrigued I become. But being in the right schools are extremely important. Ask some of the very knowledgeable MAPers here to give you some leads for your WA area.

Cheers,

PS.

I did check your links and ya, it did look McDojoish; HOWEVER, that doesn't rule out good things there...but, ya already know its fluff without anyone here telling you, right? I think having Kung Fu knowledge would be excellent...excellent for someone with a good base of boxing, wrestling, bjj, etc. There's a Kung-Fu section here on MAP, you might want to ask 'em what they think...but I suspect you already know yourself.

Take care

 

I know it's an old msg thread.

Just an update in case anyone is interested.

The homeschool funding system changed - now the education provider
has to fill out a bunch of government forms and get paid directly from
the school system.

The Ninjutsu Dojo instructor didn't want to hassle with the paperwork,
so we didn't re-enroll the kids there after the summer hiatus that we took (as planned).

My wife found a MMA school that had a home school class, but there was a
scheduling issue, so she kept looking around.

She took the kids to a place that offers Karate and Ninjutsu (Tony Bennest
teaches there, in Edgewood, WA). I did a little research, and didn't
like what I found. The kids liked it, but from what they described, it was just
Karate with Ninja LRP stuff thrown in.

So, I asked my wife to see if the TKD-BJJ place we liked would be willing
to work with the school system payment system. She called, and we were
supposed to go there and talk to him and show him the forms, then go to
the Bennest school so I could see it in person.

I think the TKD instructor didn't realize we were still looking... the next
thing you know, both kids were signed up for TKD, he handed them
uniforms and said "Okay, go change".

So, we decided there wasn't much point going to the Karate-Ninjutsu place.

That was last Thursday IIRC... they did their 2nd TKD lesson yesterday.
It's fast paced and aerobic, which is good for a P.E. class. It's more
sport than self-defense oriented, but I'm fine with that.

My wife was worried that my daughter would flounder in such a fast
paced environment, but she has really been giving it her best and
doing fine (We were worried she might get overwhelmed and give up
trying with full mental effort/focus). She's not the most coordinated kid
(neither me or her mom were coordinated as kids). But she is really
paying attention and trying to do the techniques when the instructor
gives her input on refining the motion (we aren't talking much refinement
of technique for either kid yet - 2nd lesson... I think you can imagine).

She was a bit intimidated when we were watching the classes a few
weeks ago, and that intimidation was lingering - but once she got out
there and participated, she didn't worry about looking awkward.
She was able to just say to herself "Everyone here was a beginner
at one time, so it's normal to look awkward at first".

My son is really motivated and enthusiastic, and wants to do MA
pretty bad, so I don't worry about him, other than making sure
he doesn't think he's too awesome already. Fortunately the
instructor singled him out and commended his flexibility (he is
always stretching and trying to kick high) and also corrected him
for sticking his butt out when he kicks.

The instructor looks so precise and fast and powerful, that
watching him demonstrate the right way is really impressive,
and my son knew whatever he said was probably right.

I really enjoy watching the instructor demonstrate - he is so good
at what he does, that it is like watching a really good dancer do
moves that you know took years to perfect.

So far, we are pretty happy there. TKD may not be the MA that
the kids do for the rest of their lives, but I have a feeling if they
do stick with MA, we will be at that school for quite awhile.

 

Okay Mark, lets just go on as if that last one didn't happen...shall we?

I don't have the original post that was supposed to have been posted instead of that other thing; but I was saying that we had homeschooled one of ours one year and I offered some of my opinions on homeschooling here in the States - essentially that it works great if your kid(s) is/are good candidates if they don't have any self-supervisory or motivational issues AND the parent(s) is/are of a state of mind that truely understands what education really is and knows how to apply that Greek ideal to the modern world. I.E., willing to be prepared to think outside the box for longer hours than their kids are actually required to. The one doing the tutor/instructor role needs to go beyond the cann'ed guides and so forth if they really want to open up the potential thats in such an environemnt

 

I can't say our kids are self starters, but that just means that my wife
has to keep after them.

We do a lot to make learning interesting. Things like building a pulsejet
engine, dry ice bombs, etc.

I'm planning to build a Van De Graaff generator and Franklin bells soon.

A lot of people think we have "interesting" discussions at the dinner
table... things like drawing a picture of why x^2 is called "squared"
and then showing Pythagorean Theorem.

My kids know that if they ask a science or math question, they'll get a good
answer, but it may take awhile. But they also understand the logic behind
their math lessons.

Thinking outside the box... my friends say I don't even recognize that there may be a box.
Here's a link to my Youtube page... it sort of shows that I don't think like normal people do.

I don't do most of the teaching, but my wife really does a good job - she puts a lot of effort into it.
She used to work at our kids' school as an assistant teacher, and IIRC,
the principal asked if she wanted to become a full time teacher.
They also are in a co-op that holds formal classes once or twice a week.
My son is taking an auto technology class, and my daughter is taking something
which I should remember if I were a better parent.
Last summer we put them in sailing lessons... that's a long story.

Homeskooling is definitely not for everyone, but I think we're pretty good candidates for success with it.
It has opened the door for the kids to do Martial Arts, so it can't be all bad!

I wish I could stay home and be the teacher though.

 

I'd love to raise my kids in some what of the way of the original cheaper by the dozen!

 

I'm not familiar with that show (other than knowing that it's about
a large family), but I can kinda guess where you're likely coming from.

Homeschooling is a serious commitment... I'd love to be the one doing it,
but for now, I'm the one with a job.

But once we get done with our long drawn out move into our new house,
I can get back to stuff like building a trebuchet, going on field trips to
museums, etc. evenings and weekends (Though if I sign up to do TKD
with the kids, evenings will be occupied)

We did get to do the American Museum of Radio and Electricity recently,
which is what inspired me to build a Van De Graaf generator

Back to Martial Arts.... we did go watch a Karate tournament at the Tacoma
Dome last weekend. It was "Light Contact", which isn't what I would prefer,
but I'd imagine there are Medium & Full contact Karate tournaments in other
organizations.

We didn't count it as a field trip.

 

Yep, I used to obtain Helium-Neon lasers from store scanners, had a number of solid-states, a few metal-vapour lasers, had machined a very nice optical table, all manner of optics mounting hardware, beamsplitters, filtres various odd coated mirrors at one time; some of the power supplies were scary - the ignition voltages could be upwards of 20,000 Volts! Electricity acts strangely at those voltages - can really jump large gaps to get you; had various radio transmitters and receivers, valve-powered amplifiers of all description.

But one felt like they could hold and touch the principals involved - not just some abstract notion in a book at at school. You could play around with physics and come up with your own test-beds.

It sounds like your situation and the interests you have make home-schooling the ideal for your kids as well!

As far as their MA go, I don't think they'll have any real problems. Just realise that it will NEVER be perfect in all categories.

 

The original Black and White "Cheaper by the Dozen" is an american film classic!
It'll give you some ideas with homeschooling!

 

Oh, the movie, not th TV show. Now THAT interests me.
My Wife & Kids love that kind of stuff. We are watching the old David Carradine
Kung Fu series on DVD, and mythbusters, modern marvels, Rocket City Rednecks,
etc. are favorite in our house. I also got them "The Long, Long Trailer", and other
classics like Errol Flynn's Robin Hood are popular with us.
So was Flubber

I have a Neon transformer (12KV output) that I use for a Jacobs Ladder.
Brought it home from storage for halloween. Going to put it behind an antique
french window for safety & to make it look like it's inside the house. Our old
1949 farmhouse would make an okay haunted house. If we ever "Victorianize"
it, it will look like the Addams family home.

 

I didn't know that series was on DVD. I loved it as a kid...

I love it Too bad ya don't live closer by, I'd love the kids to come see your digs, they love that sort of thing.

 

I found the DVD on Amazon. Bought the first season for my daughter's birthday.
First season DVD includes the 90 minute pilot episode.
Then the kids bought season 2 for father's day.
I'm really enjoying it the 2nd time now that I'm an adult (in theory, anyway).
But now I know why his eyes looked like he was half Asian.

 

Welcome aboard. Hope your search goes well.

 

LOL...right. Well, tell the truth...we all knew he was a notrious head in those days...unfortunately mum caught on to that look in our eyes as well :hammer:

 

Another update - so far so good.

The instructor at International Martial Arts doesn't seem to be in it for money.

TKD counts as PE for the kids' homeschool curriculum, and in WA there
is a program where the state pays for up to a certain amount of curriculum,
so they pay diectly to the TKD school.

My wife asked the instructor if he got paid yet, he said yes. She asked if he
got both months, and he said he got the 2nd month, but not the first. She said
she'd get it straightened out, and he said "Don't worry, first month free".

That wasn't what we agreed to, so we're going to make good on it even if we
pay for it ourselves - it just seems fair to pay for the service since it was
provided, and we had agreed to pay. If we'd arranged for first month free
ahead of time (like, for example, if we were waiting for the start of the
school year, and he'd said bring them to class anyway and start paying
at the beginning of the school year) then I'd have been okay with a free month.

Okay, my rambling off on a tangent aside... it's not a McDojang.
I see some people wearing "Black Belt Club" patches, but I think everyone
gets that when they reach a certain level (Blue or Brown Belt, I think).
I've been meaning to ask him, but he's always busy teaching (only 5 minutes
between classes).

I'm thinking of doing the $29 two week trial, and trying to talk my wife into it too.

 

Some states are surprisingly good with home-schooling, others treat them as nearly a criminal enterprise. Sounds like your in the former, lucky you. Here in Ohio, the schools seem to be exceptionally good and unbelievably supportive...canna say enough good things about them, though some schools are better than others. I'm constantly surprised at how a school can differ in methodology, priorities, personality, even within the same district.

Right, you should encourage the missus to get training...there will never be a more opprotune time than now. I'm glad I did, though I've missed weeks of training due to a very strange and debilitating infection - induced arthritis I've suddenly acquired. I almost don't want to go to sleep anymore cause I know how I will wake up. Poor family has to listen to me howl like a coyote caught in a bear-trap at 3am every night. I'm debating whether this is actually better'n being in the hospital hooked up to I.V.s

Methinks maybe the Good-Lord is trying to let me know I'm a mortal and to focus on what is important. Pain and fear have a unique way of doing that, ya know.

Take care

 

I'll pray for you Belltoller. :cry:

On the TKD - I asked the instructor how much more it will cost to add me or Sherri
and me to the class. I don't know if it'd be appropriate to mention numbers, but he
said xx-15 for 1 more, xx-25 for the 4th one, then he knocked of another $20 if we
all take the class at the same time.

I posted on his FB that I'm trying to talk Sherri into doing it, and he responded
"ha ha do the trail first"... so we may do that (I'm having trouble convincing her though).

He's been pretty accommodating with us - I wouldn't be all that surprised if he handed
us uniforms and said "Free Trial for Christmas" or something like that.
It just seems like that's the kind of person he is - I think teaches TKD because he wants to
share a sport he loves.

I taught myself "Kamsa Hamnida", just in case.

Once I get over this (bad) cold, I may go for it... but I may want to wait for my wife to get
over the same cold, which will be another 2 or 3 weeks, since she is just now starting it
(I'm praying it won't take hold, but I'm not one who always expects miracles).

So, I don't know how long I can watch the kids and resist jumping in there myself. I tend to be
that way - when I see someone doing something that looks fun, I give it a try.

 

:jawdrop: ... that's pretty much the story of my [martial arts] life ... no joke :wow:

I was really, really into Avatar: the Last Airbender when it first came out, and that's what made me want to start martial arts. And I have (really mild) aspergers, which meant that I too was extremely uncoordinated before I started martial arts (now I'm acutally half way coordinated )

Haha you can't really tell I have aspergers anymore. Three years of "speech" in middle school really paid off

 

Right, one of my kids has severe ADHD - which, if you understand these things, you'll know is in the same spectrum with Asperger's, autism - anyroads he does have this lack of spatial awarness anomaly which translates into uncoordination.

As in your case Leah, after a couple of years in Tae Kwon Do, you'd never know he had anything of the sort - it got to the point where he left me in the dust as far as his ability to quickly master a poomse goes. These intangibles he picked up in TKD has helped him in boxing as well - he's not in the top 10% of his class but he's definately in the upper third.

It really does help.

Just wish it translated into better mathematical and geometric skills...but then maybe it does, we're just not able to measure it.