I was just wondering what you guys thought about this. Any advice is appreciated.
I recently formed an affiliated training group under a group of instructors who will remain nameless. My first impression of these guys was that they were very nice (were very cool to me everytime I spoke with them) and their material was very straight forward and functional. When I did semi-private training with one of the instructors it involved a lot of good training and I was very pleased. Now, one of the requirements for training under this group of instructors is that everyone participating had to buy a peice of equipment from the organization that (for me at least) was expensive. However, because I wanted to train so badly I went ahead and bought it.
Then today I spoke with some other guys in my area that were going to have a seperate training group under the same group of instructors, but they never ended up following through with it. This guy asked me if the instructors required me to buy the piece of equipment. When I told him yes and that we were not allowed to train without it, he proceeded to tell me that one of the reasons he did not go forward with the training is because one of the instructors told him that because his guys were the same race as the instructors, they did not have to buy the piece of equipment that everybody else was required to buy. For sake of illustration and clarification, let's just say the instructors are Filipino and they told this guy "because you and your guys are Pinoy, we aren't going to make you buy the stuff that everybody else has to." The guy I was talking to thought this was kind of f_cked up so that was one reason he didn't start training.
Now, my gut reaction is to be pissed. Being a broke postbaccalaureate student who is trying to figure out a career, I really don't like spending what little money I have on people who are not going to treat me fairly. I don't mind spending money on training, but I at least want a teacher that is going to treat me fairly. It also makes me wonder what other things I am missing out on in terms of training information just because I'm not the same race as the instructors. Then, when I think more about it I feel like I may be overreacting and I say to myself that everybody gets special treatment in some way and if these guys seemed cool to me and if they had good training then I should not be bothered by the whole thing and I should keep training with them.
My questions to you guys are.....
Can you ever really know whether or not your instructor is treating you fairly? If so, how do you know and if not, why not? AND.....
Do you guys think I'm overreacting about the whole thing when I say I feel like not training with these certain instructors any more because of this incident?
My main hang up is these guys' material is very, very good and, in a certain sense, is very unique. So if I stop training with them, I'll never get that info. On the other hand it may be worth it to distance myself from them if I'm going to be treated unfairly despite how good the material is. Thanks.
C.J.
too long. please summarize.
J/K! What the heck? 96 views, and no posts?
Calbert,
What you do at this point is entirely up to you. YES I have left schools, clubs, and training groups because of the way the instructor acted towards me, EVEN if I loved the material. On the other hand, there are some things that I want to train so badly that I would put up with a certain level of nonsense.
It sounds like you need to decide what level of nonsense this is, and how badly you want the training. It's a tough choice, to be sure.
~TT
PS - This is not all in your head. There are groups like this out there, to be sure.
I'll bet I know EXACTLY who it is. Is it the same group that you and I had an email conversation about? If it is...YOU WERE WARNED!!!! :)
C'mon calbert, 'fess up: did Scott warn you or no?
LOL at Scott! Actually man, I stopped associating with that group not long after our internet conversation. My problems with them that were reinforced with your independant critiques was what finalized my decision. This group I am speaking about now is a different group, but they are very close with that other group. Maybe I shouldn't have gotten involved with them because of the association, but they seemed so different with how the organization operated, with how they trained, and with their training mentality. (Wow, I sound like a battered woman).
"Wow, I sound like a battered woman"
Calbert, my advice to you is give them another chance. I think they really love and care about you. Maybe it was something YOU did that set them off and that is what caused the whole thing. Just go back to them and work things out.
So, going along with the woman theme: you were warned about the guy, so instead you went out with his brother.
FB, stop trolling.
4 Ranges, going along with the woman theme, you are correct.
Besides this incident, these guys have not really shown themselves to be anything like the other group. However, given this incident and given their close relationship with the other guys, it makes me seriously wonder whether or not this is just forshadowing for things to come. Also, these guys are so close to that other group that they often do and don't do certain things based upon what the head of the other group says. This could be another clue of things to come, or maybe I'm just overthinking this.
Skip it. The material isn't worth it. In the long run, it's just not. You learn TWICE as much from an instructor with integrity than you do with an instructor who has none. Why?
Because the only time you learn anything from an instructor is when that instructor cares more about YOU than their association, reputation, enrollment, etc. He cares more about you and your development rather than his own connections or his own money. That's a TRUE teacher.
I agree, it CAN'T be that good of material that you can't get from another source. Maybe just my opinion, but there's no way I would stay knowing that. I would especially 'cause a stink as well, but that's just me!
"Skip it. The material isn't worth it. In the long run, it's just not. You learn TWICE as much from an instructor with integrity than you do with an instructor who has none. Why?
Because the only time you learn anything from an instructor is when that instructor cares more about YOU than their association, reputation, enrollment, etc. He cares more about you and your development rather than his own connections or his own money. That's a TRUE teacher."
That has to be one of the greatest things I've ever read on the JKD Forum. All I can say is, hell yes!
It may or may not apply in Calbert's case (is this an isolated but of course wrong case of favoritism (made even worse by basing it on race/national origin) or a sign of overall integrity/things to come?), but you are right on about what makes a good or lousy teacher regardless of how much they know.
I've come to the conclusion that I would much rather train with an instructor who knows less but will care about my progress and teach me everything he knows than an instructor who knows more but is greedy/stingy about sharing information. I should cut and paste what you wrote and e-mail it to my old instructor.
expose them publicly. Be part of the cure for all the BS out there.
Hey fats:
thanks dude. That's been my experience with my instructor Armando, and I try to do the same. Thank you for the compliments. I hope it helps Calbert in his situation.
not everyone who teaches does so from their enjoyment of teaching, unfortunately...
there is a lot of ego out there...
Calbert-
I hope this finds you well. Having been a part of many organizations, groups, etc. I would have to say that you are better off finding some other system / organization to train with. There's way too much nonsense out there. If it's the group I think you may be refering to, the material is not that unique. There's only so many ways to swing a stick....... Just like what has been stated before - an instructor and/or group who is honest and concerned with your development is priceless. Just my .02 worth. Good luck...
-wes tasker
Would the piece of equipment be a training rig?
Wow, I didn't realize that this thread was back up. Thanks for the feedback everybody.
Marc_Scott, that's a negative on the training rig. Even when I was affiliated with that organziation I didn't buy into the whole rig thing. Besides, a rig plus the 4 blade trainers that come with it is $250.00. Even if I had that kind of money to spend on a rig, I wouldn't pay that just out of principle. You are warm though.