I am in a situation and the other dojo switching thread made me think about posting it here. I moved a little over a year ago. I have trained other styles, but I started in a Goju Ryu dojo where I have been welcomed and really enjoyed the training. They require a one-year-at-a-time commitment, which I made with mild misgivings (I had no intention of leaving, but I dislike the feeling of being stuck). My situation is somewhat different in that I am a single dad with 50-50 custody. This means that every other week, I don't train (I could get a baby sitter or something, but prioritize time with my kids on those weeks over karate). The way this worked is that I would train 4 hours a week on my free weeks, but the timing was brutal (late night class followed by early morning class the next day, twice a week). I have also had some health issues (knee injury, followed by surgery for a deviated septum) which have made it hard for me to keep up regular training. My contract is up in a couple of months. I have made contact with another teacher in the area who also teaches traditional Goju. The new dojo structures their classes differently, so I would be able to do 2 two-hour training sessions, plus 1 one-hour session each week. They are a smaller dojo and don't split their classes by rank. In my experience, training in mixed-rank classes is great for beginning students (which I am) as the quality of the instruction is enhanced by having training partners of higher rank. The last piece of information is that the new dojo is affiliated with a different organization within Goju ( a larger one with more US affiliates I believe). My plan is to meet with the new teacher to be sure his class is what I want, then wait until the time comes to renew my contract with the current teacher. When it comes up, I will explain that I need to switch organizations to better fit my schedule, not because I don't like his school. I would like to do this without burning bridges, but I know politics in MA can be touchy. Any thoughts on how best to navigate this?
Well i would just explain the situation directly without spin - although I may have been tempted to do this prior to committing to the other dojo to see if they he woudl have made some kind of arrangement with you. At the end of the day you need to do what is right for you and I know many clubs that will happily refer students to each other. If he takes umbridge at this then you are probably better off away from him anyway Good luck
I would talk honestly to your current sensei. Family comes first, and anyone should understand that. It might be nice to give him the opportunity to offer you a compromise first, but ultimately you pay to train and so you get the choice as to where that is. As long as you handle it politely, explain that it's about seeing your kids, then I would expect a handshake, a "best of luck," and no ill feelings. Mitch
This. Combined with the plan you stated. What are the contract conditions at the new/other place? Having a yearly membership would be a dealbreaker regardless for me personally - particularly knowing my injury rate.
Out of interest, do you have any links to the dojos that you've mentioned? Simply because I'd like to see which organisation you're training under.
That is right up at the top of my list of questions for the new teacher. I was planning to visit last night, but then I found out they were having a big grading for the junior class and felt that was probably enough chaos for one night. He indicated he'd rather talk about details in person (instead of email) so I am holding my questions until I visit. I really like the dojo, which is why I agreed to the contract. It is my biggest gripe for sure. He did let me suspend payment for three months when I was injured, so I am paying for the same total time, but shifting it to months when I can actually train.
TKDMitch hit the nail on the head for me. However is there no way you could train at both venues? Current class the weeks you don't have the kids, new class the weeks when you do, for example.
I find the whole contract thing quite interesting. We pay per semester or year, but there's no contract on it. In fact we don't go looking for payment usually until about 3/4's of the way through each semester, when someone finally remembers. But I guess if you enjoy the training and the months can be carried over to when you actually train during them, then it shouldn't be too much of a problem, as long as you get a chance to be sure you'll be happy with the environment there. It's just the principle of the thing.
I really can't afford to pay dues both places. I am hopeful that the new place will fit me well and I'll be able to make a seamless switch. It sounds less structured and more learn-at-your-own-pace, which I like. The instructor suggested I just join the class when I visit, so I am just going to jump right in. I'll let you all know how it goes. There are little things about the new place I like, classes are mixed rank, rather than breaking classes by rank and training at different time. Special events and announcements are posted online, rather than only at the dojo, which works well for me. But, as every beginner who ever posted "Which club should I join?" on here has been told, it really boils down to the teacher and the training. As far as the contract thing, it does feel very restrictive. This is not, by any means, a McDojo, but it is run as a business. I understand the tension, but I guess I tend to fall out on the "Don't eat from your karate," side of the spectrum. Places that emphasize the business aspect, even when the training is excellent, make me feel uncomfortable. Thanks everybody for the comments. I'll let you know how it goes in a couple weeks (I have the kids next week, so no training for me).
