Product, Progress, and Pricing

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I am karate instructor with more than 20 years of experience and a business degree.

This is a synopsis of my philosophy for product, progress, and pricing.

Product

If I were selling a material product rather than a service I would evaluate many things.

I would make sure the product is the best available given all possible elements. Researching the

elements of providing karate instruction,

I had to evaluate all styles of martial arts and what they could offer.

I find Okinawan Goju Ryu to be the most relevant style for a variety of reasons.

The style pushes students past perceived physical limits. The depth of material is so extensive

that the student is constantly engaged and challenged.

Okinawan Goju Ryu promotes strength and flexibility. It includes many forms of training

that build both mind and body.

On a personal level, I chose a training program that I knew would push my physical limits

aerobically and anaerobically.

Goju Ryu training operates under a step process that forces the body to develop as one

progresses.The extremely difficult intricacies of movement force the brain to be engaged

throughout training.

The style was created more than 14 centuries ago by monks to develop the brain for meditative

focus and to strengthen the body for defense.Because it is such an old style with traditions that

have been carefully studied and passed on by masters, I am certain that it has been honed to perfection.

I am constantly reminded of this when I discover the layers of depth within the movements.

Any move not practical for self defense or brain function, I am sure would have been discarded centuries ago.

The Goju fighting style is extremely practical in real defense situations. Goju students practice

close in fighting to be more in control of their opponent’s movements.The intricacies of using

minimal effort to redirect the opponent’s energy can be discovered through diligent training.

Repetition of movement enables the body to react quickly in self defense through muscle

memory before the mind even fully engages.Scientists studying body movement and brain

function are now again realizing this discovery first made by the monks centuries past.

The twelve kata of Goju Ryu hide all the secrets and principles of movement within the style.

Only by doing the kata repeatedly over many years can one begin to discover the depth

of knowledge that they contain. In trying to perfect the kata the body becomes stronger and movement more balanced.

The intricacies are so difficult that it becomes apparent that it takes more than a lifetime to gain true proficiency.

Okinawan Goju Ryu is highly regarded worldwide at the pinnacle of all karate styles.

Sensei Morio Higaonna is irrefutably the most adept living karate master in the world.

I have been training with Sensei Higaonna for nearly 20 years, discovering the depths of this amazing style.

All of my students have the opportunity to train with this karate legend.

The International Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate Federation was developed to teach karate in its true form.

As members of this elite organization, my students are held to the highest karate standards known worldwide.

My perception of Okinawan Goju Ryu as the most relevant karate style is reinforced by similar beliefs

of more than 100,000 students in more than 70 countries who train with Sensei Higaonna.

Progress

In a day and age of immediate gratification, students desire a hierarchical model to measure progress.

Enforcing standards of learning is very difficult.

Every person is different and we all have different perceptions.

Many martial arts styles have made acquisition of belts more immediate. This rewarded behavior is not

always reflective of student ability.Some of the other styles have little depth.

To become proficient requires little training. The goal of being awarded a black belt becomes more

important than actually learning the skills and earning the belt.

Since I’ve been training in Goju Ryu for so long, I’ve become accustomed to the high

standards of our belt system.Each rank represents proficiency of movement and kata.

There are 10 ranks preceding the adult black belt.

If one trains diligently with body and mind, a black belt can be achieved within five years.

Prior to 1953, there was no belt system. Sensei Chojun Miyagi (1888–1953), who named the style

and is considered the founder,was opposed to belt ranking. His main argument was that he believed

a belt system would become a hierarchy of ego. Ego does not fit in a discipline which has as

its main goal self growth and understanding and being a giving member of society. Sometimes I feel

the effects of the belt system, and would like to go back to a time when students were motivated to train—just train.

Pricing

So many factors are relevant. This is my perspective. With a college degree in business with a

concentration in international economics, I have devoted myself to the study of money, and how it relates

to supply, demand, and people. I also spent seven years of

my professional life as an accountant.

I was raised with nine siblings, so price always controlled our lives. Birthday gifts and new clothes

were not part of the family budget.Growing up with nine siblings within seven years of my age played an

important role in my life. I know how to have fun, and I know

how to have fun while teaching.

I know I bring the best karate style to my students. I teach nearly one hundred percent of my classes.

I am demanding, and I hold myself and my students to the highest standard.

My peers believe I should charge a premium for the exclusivity that my dojo offers. Because of my

impoverished past, I can’t do this.

 I would rather not exclude people who are restricted by a family budget.

Accordingly, I have priced my classes slightly lower than other martial arts schools in the area.

As an accountant, I strive to keep overhead low,

including expenses of my personal life. I choose to live 30 miles from the dojo in Fallbrook so

I can have a little land for my animals and old cars.

My small house, built in 1948 on 3.5 acres, cost less than a two-bedroom 1-bath condominium in Rancho Bernardo.

My dojo also offers generous family discounts. I do this because

I know that the larger a family is—the harder it is to budget.

Also, with the current fast pace of society, many family members hardly find time to spend together.

Grouping parents and kids together in the same activity greatly contributes to family cohesion.

I have watched other dojos lose students. As operating expenses increase over time, so do membership rates.

To help offset this,

I offer a loyalty discount.

The two-tier discount is for students training more than three years and for those training more than five years.

The discount benefits the dojo because the most skilled students choose to stay, and they are available to

help others newer to the school.The system can only work if the total student count increases over time.

I love karate training. If I could—I would train four hours a day, seven days a week.

I’ve scheduled classes so that the most motivated students can attend at least four times

per week and even up to seven. I know most martial arts schools restrict students to two classes per week.

This offers the truly dedicated student less opportunity for growth.

When a student is under pressure—as when grading for a new belt or competing in a tournament—progress is easily measured.

It is apparent who trains more regularly.

Karate training has enriched my life. I’ve trained and competed in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, China, and Okinawa.

I want to offer these same opportunities to my students.

Let’s feed the passion! Train hard

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