Kenpo without the peanut gallery?

[Carol]

Are there any Kenpo schools out there that are "nothin' but mat" ... as in, no area for spectators at all?

Just curious

[hemi]

Well at our school spectators are not aloud, you’re on the mat or at home. Except for belt promotion ceremonies. Even then the school has a 3 foot wide path in the back with just a few chairs. No bleachers in the school LOL

[gakusei]

We no longer have a viewing area. It was always interesting watching parents 'take' class in the lobby.

[Anoise]

we have a small area in the front of the dojo, but the big mat is for TKD. The kenpo class is held in the back and it's pretty much nothing but mat. There is a bench that could seat 4 right up against the wall and the mat. There are no mirrors in the back room either (jujitsu guys are hard on mirrors) and mats up the side of one of the walls. Since there are only 3-4 Kenpo students right now, we go to the front to use the mirrors once in a while.

[flying crane]

Our school is in a back room in a church, as one of the minister's sons is a student. Apparently the teacher had a space of his own in the past, but lost it due to cost, and was able to use the space in the church. There is really no publicity for it at all, and no kids classes. Just a small group of adults who like to train.

[Martin Seck]

We train in a small invite only after hours group. All mat baby! LOL.

[kenpochrstn]

Why no viewing area? Does this mean no where for parents etc., to wait? I don't think that would fly real well around(N.East OH.) here. Is this pretty prevelant in other area of the USA?

1stJohn1:9

[flying crane]

Why no viewing area? Does this mean no where for parents etc., to wait? I don't think that would fly real well around(N.East OH.) here. Is this pretty prevelant in other area of the USA?

1stJohn1:9

Well, I know that my teacher does not cater to children, so there does not need to be a place for parents to come in and watch. The classes are all adults, people who want to train some serious stuff. In my opinion, a lot of the classes for children, especially young children, like under age 10, can really be glorified babysitting. Sure, the kids can learn some of the basic movements and stuff, but the really effective and downright nasty stuff that we practice is just not appropriate for them and is beyond their ability to understand. So my teacher just doesn't do it. And my impression is that he isn't interested in making a public spectacle out of class, so it's quiet, low-key and out of the public eye.

[sifuroy]

We mostly train adults. Ocasionally we take a younger student. We don't encourage parents to watch. They can if they keep quiet and don't interfere.

I am most Respectfully,
sifuroy

[Dianhsuhe]

We have 4 chairs in a small strip on the edge of the Dojo floor. They are mostly used for holding our bags and what-not. Spectators are allowed but this is a Dojo behind (and attached) to a house so it is not like we get walk by traffic.

[Arizona Angel]

We let our kids watch us take class. Lol, you would be surprised what they pick up. (Thank goodness for an instructor who lets me bring my kids to class or else I would not be able to train most of the time.)

[Rob Broad]

When my first instructor gave the school I trained at, we had a simple policy of the front of the building was for parents, they could not see into the floor area, and they had to be quiet. This worked great no distractions for the children, no instant wannabe black belt mommies wanting to tell the instructor how to teach. Shortly after that I was encouraged cut the front wall in half so that people could watch. It caused more problems that it was worth. Later when I had a second school, I used plexiglass to seperate the spectators from the class and it worked fine. But I still found children got distracted by the parent watching. Eventually I got smart, and coated the plexigalss so it became a one way mirror, the kids could only see themselves, the parents could see in, and there were no problems.

Given the choice I would go back to the first option of no spectators and eanyone waiting for some in a class would have to be quiet.

[Martin Seck]

Why no viewing area? Does this mean no where for parents etc., to wait? I don't think that would fly real well around(N.East OH.) here. Is this pretty prevelant in other area of the USA?

1stJohn1:9

When the commercial students train there they have a huge viewing area of over 20 seats.

The after hours class is "closed door".

[jdinca]

We allow parents and family to view from several places around the mat. It's a very rare occurence where we have a parent causing a problem. If they do, we ask them to move to the entry area where they really can see through a wooden screen but really can't interfere. We also have an office with a one way mirror where the parents can watch the real little ones that can get distracted if they see their parents.

Instructor and BB workouts are closed, no spectators allowed.

[John M. La Tourrette]

Hi Rob,
Here's what we do, a small version.

>Given the choice I would go back to the first option of no spectators and anyone >waiting for some in a class would have to be quiet.

Yep.

No spectators, ever!

Even our students are NOT allowed to watch other people in their private lessons.

When a brand new student is working through his INTRO, we allow him to come 10 minutes prior to his private lesson, and to go into his own screened off room and do his 35 pushups, 35 sit-ups, and 50 jumping jacks.

We do allow another student to come into the room as a Uke for the student taking a private session. Everyone needs somebody to hit upon to make sure that their targeting is accurate.

No spectators allowed for any of the Mastery Classes either, or for the Sparring Mastery, or for the Fighting Mastery.

Sometimes a student is injured and wants to watch. NOPE! They either participate or leave the room.

The only ones those rules are NOT for are the Black Belt INSTRUCTORS, who are always full up teaching their own clients!

Anyone know “why” we have rules like that?

©Dr. John M. La Tourrette
Ps. 1. I just talked with one of my students, a 3rd black belt from another school. He said I like to learn new stuff without the pressure of someone NOT of my rank gawking at me.

2. I just went back and asked another of my 3rd blacks (one of our trainers) if he minded others watching his session. His answer, “No one gets to watch my session”. I asked him “why not?” His answer, “It’s MY FXXKING lesson and I paid for it”.

3. I just went back and talked to one of my 1st blacks (another trainer), and asked him his opinion. Here it is. “It makes me feel a little bit uncomfortable, like they are judging me”.

4. I just went back and talked with a purple belt. His answer, “No way. It’s a private lesson and I want it private, just me and the instructor.”
I asked him about others watching a sparring class? “His answer, no way sir. I don’t want anyone knowing what I know. I don’t want anyone getting these secrets unless they are down here just like I am, sweating to earn them”.