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JazzKicker
Orange Belt
Orange Belt

Joined: 07 Aug 2017
Posts: 171
Location: NJ
Styles: Hapkido, JKD, TSD

PostPosted: Tue Aug 07, 2018 1:48 pm    Post subject: Private lessons or personal trainer? Reply with quote

Most karate/TKD etc. training seems to be done in group classes, especially for kids. Then there's black belt classes, or informal groups or training partners.

How many of you, though, if you had the time and money, would want to do private lessons? Would you want to train with someone "famous", like Dan Inosanto? Or just get personal attention from you instructor?

I can imagine where someone who is wealthy, or a celebrity (or both!), or just a busy executive, might want to do that.
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OneKickWonder
Purple Belt
Purple Belt

Joined: 17 Feb 2018
Posts: 513

Styles: Tang soo do

PostPosted: Tue Aug 07, 2018 2:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'd love to have private lessons. By that I don't necessarily mean one to one. Possibly small private group of me and most trusted training friends.

And as for 'famous' teachers, I don't think so. I know a handful of martial artists that I consider exceptional. They are not famous in any way. Just ordinary regular folks that happen to be good people and outstanding martial artists. Those are the folks I'd be happy to pay for private tuition.

But what format would that take? If it were entirely up to me, I wouldn't attend regular classes long term with private instructors. Instead I'd want maybe a few sessions with one, then a few sessions with another and so on, because each of these exceptional martial artists that I know has different things to offer. I have a friend who competed in what might have been called MMA except no grappling. He is the best I know at striking. Then there's a guy I know that is an ex soldier who mixed aikido with combatives. He is the man for practical, realistic, dirty street survival. Then there's a guy who loves aikido but added in tai chi and some judo and a few other bits. He is the most fluid at moving of anyone ever. He'll ask you to genuinely try to punch him for real at full speed, you'll miss because he's moved off centre without any apparent effort, then he'll calmly explain all the dynamics from his new position to your side. So between the three, one can teach excellent striking skills, one can teach real stuff and one knows how to move without effort. I think if you put the three together I think that's a pretty comprehensive coverage. Especially if added to a foundation of regular generic training.
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sensei8
KF Sensei
KF Sensei

Joined: 23 Feb 2008
Posts: 16386
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Styles: Shindokan Saitou-ryu [Shuri-te/Okinawa-te based]

PostPosted: Tue Aug 07, 2018 10:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Over my 5 decades in the MA, I've done group and private. The dynamics were about the same, but I suppose that that's to the credit of our Soke and Dai-Soke; exceptional MAists and instructors across the board.

The majority was done in a group setting; that was my mom's financial decision, from 7 years old to 13 years old, and I don't regret it whatsoever. The private lessons were when I was a JBB, ages 13-18 years old, and from Godan and up; however, they were private in that as a JBB, there was a solid band of roughly 7-13 of us. By my choice, I opted back into the group setting from ages 18 years old to 27 years old. Then, there's Godan and up, in which I was elected into the SKKA's Board of Regents, whereas there was 12 board members; private lessons were one of the perks of being an elected member of the SKKA. Albeit, those of us who were part of the Hierarchy were very much spoiled by Soke and Dai-Soke.

The usual group setting was 25-40, in which, one might think that they'd be lost in a crowd, but they weren't whatsoever. Again, the type of the instructor(s) makes a very big difference.



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tallgeese
Black Belt
Black Belt

Joined: 04 May 2008
Posts: 6879
Location: McHenry County, IL
Styles: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Bujin Bugei Jutsu, Gokei Ryu Kempo Jutsu, MMA, Shootfighting, boxing, kickboxing, JKD, Pekiti Tersia Kali

PostPosted: Thu Aug 09, 2018 8:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Privates are a pretty common thing in the BJJ world. I think they can be extremely useful for focusing on a specific problem on is having, a position or technique that is giving someone issues, etc. The individual focus based on your game and physical attributes is a useful thing.

As for with famous practitioners, that's entirely up to you. Part of this is the experience of it. You'll learn, of course, but it's probably not going to be a seamless to integrates as material coming from someone familiar with how you work. That said, the experience is usually pretty cool.
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Bulltahr
Brown Belt
Brown Belt

Joined: 08 Mar 2015
Posts: 727
Location: NEW ZEALAND
Styles: Shotokan, Seido Juku

PostPosted: Thu Aug 09, 2018 3:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Been looking into Benny "the jet" Urquidez a bit lately, I see that John Cuzack trained under him and was wondering if it was one on one or a normal "group" class. I would love some one on one lessons, not necessarily with someone famous, just with someone really good, mostly for kumite TBH.....
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Wastelander
KF Sensei
KF Sensei

Joined: 18 Oct 2010
Posts: 2730
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Styles: Shorin-Ryu, Shuri-Ryu, Judo, KishimotoDi

PostPosted: Thu Aug 09, 2018 3:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

We do private lessons pretty frequently at our dojo--people often do them to prep for tests, or to get caught up after being out for a while, but sometimes just to work on specific things they want help with. We also have some people who can't attend regular classes, for various reasons, who do private lessons, instead.

Personally, I haven't done that many formal private lessons, but I've spent a pretty good amount of time informally training with my Sensei, and others. Now that my Sensei has passed away, I really wish I had done more private lessons/training with him. I don't know how "famous" they are, but I definitely have a list of people I would consider "high profile" that I would love to get private lessons with.

For Okinawan martial arts:

Nakazato Minoru, head of the Shorinkan
Higa Kiyohiko, head of the Bugeikan
Bill Hayes, head of the Shobayashi-Kan
Shimabukuro Zenpo, head of the Seibukan
Shinzato Katsuhiko, head of Kishaba Juku
Taira Masaji, head of the Okinawa Goju-Ryu Kenkyu Kai
Hokama Tetsuhiro, head of the Okinawa Goju-Ryu Kenshi Kai
Shinjo Kiyohide, head of the Uechi-Ryu Karate-Do Kenyukai

For other martial arts:

Chen Xiao Wang, Chen Tai Chi
Yang Jwing-Ming, Yang Tai Chi
Maul Mornie, Silat
Doug Marcaida, Kali
Buakaw Banchamek, Muay Thai
Dieselnoi Chor Thanasukarn, Muay Thai
Hakuho Sho, Sumo
Osunaarashi Kintaro, Sumo
Jimmy Pedro, Judo
Kashiwazaki Katsuhiko, Judo
John Danaher, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Mike Winkeljohn, Kenpo/Mixed Martial Arts
Lyoto Machida, Shotokan/Mixed Martial Arts
Georges St. Pierre, Kyokushin/Mixed Martial Arts
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Shorin-Ryu/Shinkoten Karate | 2010-Present: Yondan, Renshi | Sensei: Richard Poage (RIP), Jeff Allred (RIP)
Shuri-Ryu | 2006-2010: Sankyu | Sensei: Joey Johnston, Joe Walker (RIP)
Judo | 2007-2010: Gokyu | Sensei: Joe Walker (RIP), Ramon Rivera (RIP), Adrian Rivera
Illinois Practical Karate | International Neoclassical Karate Kobudo Society
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bushido_man96
KF Sensei
KF Sensei

Joined: 31 Mar 2006
Posts: 30167
Location: Hays, KS
Styles: Taekwondo, Combat Hapkido, Aikido, GRACIE, Police Krav Maga, SPEAR

PostPosted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 12:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've always liked the group setting for classes, and have never really had many private training sessions. Sometimes I'd get together with my instructor and trained together, but wouldn't call them private sessions, really.
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MatsuShinshii
Black Belt
Black Belt

Joined: 15 Aug 2016
Posts: 1423
Location: Kentucky
Styles: Machimura Suidi Rokudan, Ryukyu Kenpo, Kobudo, Judo

PostPosted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 2:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think there is an argument for both.

I have had my fair share of private "classes" and they have their place but IMHO do not replace group class.

Famous teachers for private lessons; well I've had the privilege to train under what we would consider the hierarchy of our organization, but not sure that makes them "famous". Having said that I would have loved to study directly under Hohan Soken O'Shinshii. Even if it were to sit and talk to him about the art. That would be my dream class.

As far as famous goes, I have trained under what some would consider famous and to be honest I found it to be no more advanced than training under any of our Kodansha. I won't mention names but I think the "famous" part goes to their heads and at least in my case, I found the classes to be less than what I expected. So I guess my answer is no, I would not seek to have private classes with anyone "famous".
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XtremeTrainer
Yellow Belt
Yellow Belt

Joined: 20 Feb 2018
Posts: 89


PostPosted: Thu Aug 30, 2018 9:04 am    Post subject: Re: Private lessons or personal trainer? Reply with quote

JazzKicker wrote:
How many of you, though, if you had the time and money, would want to do private lessons? Would you want to train with someone "famous", like Dan Inosanto? Or just get personal attention from you instructor?

I've done private lessons from time to time and it would be awesome to train one on one with a world renowned martial artist such as Dan Inosanto. The most famous martial artist I trained under was Joe Lewis although it was not one on one. Anyway, while I think private lessons are good I think overall the best way to learn martial arts is not with private lessons but with small classes. Small classes I think are best because, with the classes being small the instructor can give good attention to each and every student and a student also has peers to work with. With small classes you have training partners around your same skill level so that's why I think they're better than private lessons. So I think the best way to learn is in small classes followed by private lessons followed by large classes.
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advfhorn
Yellow Belt
Yellow Belt

Joined: 11 Jul 2013
Posts: 61
Location: NJ - USA
Styles: Goju Ryu, Shorin Ryu

PostPosted: Thu Aug 30, 2018 10:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have paid for private lessons for my son to "catch up" when he is having a harder time grasping a concept than other kids his age. Also for confidence before a tournament.

IRT myself ... I am considering it before my testing grade that requires 2 and 3 on 1 while sparring ... I am terrible at sparring.

As far as from a pro ... maybe if I felt I was nearing the level that my own Sensei was not able to teach me more.
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