How To Start A Dojo (The Legitimate Way)

[@siriusbontea]

Thanks for this heartfelt and genuine message. There is much wisdom in your words.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Ah, thank you so much! It felt like such a necessary video, given how tough times are, and that many are being held back from making honest money through karate. Thank you for watching and leaving such a lovely comment 🤗

[@siriusbontea]

@@GojuRyuKarateCentre, it's the least I could do. It's an important message that is applicable beyond just karate!

[@zoehinis7848]

Sensei life is best life!

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

That it is 💛

[@diakidis3167]

Thank you very much Sensei, that was a very heart felt explanation of how to create and keep open a Dojo. Your right, when someone opens a Dojo, it has to be treated as a business, that's how you keep the facility operating. I've saw documentaries that the Chinese and Karate Masters where teaching their arts in alleys away from the public view, and would only take donations. But time brings change, that's simply not possible in modern times. And your right follow the organization's requirements for teaching, and if they don't give their approval, then simply open a Dojo yourself, but keep to the traditions of the art, and make good character and honor the main culture of the Dojo, and you'll have great students for years to come. Thank you for your great incites Sensei. Just to be clear, I'm not interested in opening a Dojo, but they are very important to perpetuate the art for future students.

[@martialartsthoughts]

This is a great video... I've been a martial artist for 22yrs, I'm a war vet, and I also do Executive Protection... My primary job is in technology (But that isn't going well any longer) ... I'm not a part of an organization.. However, I aim to have my own school... Obtaining my black belt was painful. However, worth it.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Thanks for your feedback I hope you succeed

[@davinaerwee2349]

Wow Chè. Bless you always

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

💐💐💐💐

[@barbarba7]

Thank you Sensi. Was amazing to watch and listen. And I love that you care as much as you do. We need more like you out there. Wel done indeed. Sending lots of love.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

We appreciate this so much! We are only able to do what we do because of the support of students and families like yours. Thank you for making our work possible 🙇

[@leilak7076]

Wonderful advice. Thanks sensei. From south africa.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

You are most welcome, fellow South African!

[@balakrishna8837]

Thank you sensei

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Thank you for watching and commenting! 🙇‍♀️

[@angelinadamatta2670]

And thank you for giving such good advice on possibly extending our karate federation in the future!

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Maybe one day, you'll be running your own dojo, with our endless blessing and support!

[@angelinadamatta2670]

Thank you sensei!

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

💐

[@amariencopney3599]

Thx for your advice and wisdom and you didn’t offend me in any way you were just giving your honest opinion and I acknowledge and respect that👍🏿

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Thank you so much, Amarien! We really appreciate the feedback, and the time you took to watch this :)

[@bacfu]

Respect from across the pond in Michigan thank you for this inspiration and incite.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Thank you so much, Barrett! We hope to continue this series in more detail over time. We really do love to hear from all karate folk, and we wish you all the best from the bottom of the pond

[@ianswertothatname]

Good video, loved your authenticity.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

I appreciate that! Thank you so much for watching :D

[@Samlaren]

Thank you for that! And I am sorry to hear about the missing income. I do hope that this Covid-thing eases soon so you can go back to you normal life. (if it doesn't - ever thought about Skype lessons?)

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Thank you for the kind wishes! We are grateful our dojo is still standing - many have had to close 😔 We are thinking of doing classes or seminars over Zoom, once we have gained a little bit more of a following and there's some interest! Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment 🙏

[@lesedi629]

Thank you for the insight.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Glad it was helpful!

[@budokarate6212]

Thank you very much for this very valuable teaching. Excellent video. Osu! I will hopefully be opening a satellite dojo a safe distance from our Honbu dojo. It would have happened earlier, but the covid thing sort of put a damper on things. I was looking for a KZbin video that was not all about running a franchise dojo, or McDojo. I obviously found it here. Thank you for you honestly on this subject. It all makes sense. I agree on every point you made and it reconfirmed my vision of thinking as well. Running it professionally and morally correct. I am Kyokushin/S. Oyama lineage

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

This is the spirit of a true future Sensei - respecting the process and striving for authenticity. We did a second video on the logistics as well, but I'm sure you found it auto-suggested after this one. Covid has definitely made it harder, but if you have the drive, you will definitely make it work! We believe there is enough space in the sun for everyone, and we wish you every success with your dojo. We'd love to hear how it goes! Huge respect for our Kyokushin karate siblings! Sensei Oyama's books have been helpful in my karate studies. All the best, and thank you for watching and commenting 🙇🏻‍♀️

[@budokarate6212]

@@GojuRyuKarateCentre Thank you, Osu! I did watch the second one as well. Very good points and very important.

[@donmcelohiney8112]

That is what happened with me. I Teach for free at my Dojo for months at a time wile my instructor is out of town. I have 20 years karate experience, and i am a 4th degree black belt.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Don, I hope you realise that you have more than enough experience to open your own dojo. I'm not advocating that you undercut your instructor and take students with you, but everyone should get paid for their time. The difference between amateurs and professionals is that professionals get paid. Thank you so much for taking the time to watch our video! Best, Zoe

[@hybridkarate4106]

Very realistic and valid points! My opinion also :)

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Hey, thanks! Really appreciate the comment and the time to watch the video! Wishing you all the best for 2021!

[@hybridkarate4106]

@@GojuRyuKarateCentre my pleasure. we can all learn from each other and find people with the same points of view that will corroborate or improve or views. On the other hand we can all evolve and change opinions when growing in martial arts

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

@@hybridkarate4106 We love that we can connect with so many different martial artists around the world now, without expensive flights or gatekeepers. By sharing, we grow! What a time to be training :)

[@hybridkarate4106]

@@GojuRyuKarateCentre for sure 🙂🤙🏼🙏

[@Burvedys]

I may add my two euro cents to the things one must consider before opening his dojo - it's rent versus owning the facility. This coronavirus showed us that not necessary the government would be keen to help your dojo as a small business to pay its rent when the dojo is shut down due to quarantine requirements. And not necessary the landlord would be very helpful to share the burden of your closed business and writing off your rent until you are fully operational again. Owning the facility might help (and utility bills could be as low as possible). But if it is a national emergency and you cannot run your small business of teaching martial arts and dojo debts with overdue payments are mounting, then you are in a big big trouble no matter how positive thinking is involved or how tough you are because of your rigorous training. Unfortunately, we got a second lockdown and different government (elections...) and too many my colleagues are out of business of teaching their arts and they lost their dojo spaces. So a dojo rent is a huge thing now and must be considered very thoroughly.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

You are absolutely right - I don't think there's anywhere in the world where renting is affordable (landlords are generally greedy) and its a very capital-intensive thing. The easiest way to start is in a public hall, like a recreation centre, and to build up a dojo until you can afford your own space. We have seen instructors lose everything because they did not own their land or building, and it is so heartbreaking to see. So, being a sensei and owning a dojo is not easy, and it is important that people know that. Thank you so much for taking the time to comment!

[@stephanierodriguez1359]

You learn how to teach BY TEACHING there is no min required level according to the ancient way everything you just mentioned is all for PROFIT generation not a part of true KARATE DO!

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

With all due respect, my husband in the video has been teaching karate for over 20 years - we would make much more money following the specialities we studied (I could be making much, much more as a copywriter at an ad agency than as a karate instructor, with 15 years experience in that field, working fewer hours with better benefits. But here I am, teaching karate.) A dojo needs money to survive - there are overheads that need to be paid so that the doors can stay open. There is nothing dishonest about this. When a dojo closes down because it can't afford to run, important knowledge is lost, as well as a place for people to belong. No amount of goodwill can pay for things like rent, insurance, or lights and water. Giving 7 year olds black belts, letting people teach without basic first aid knowledge and giving people titles in exchange for hundreds of dollars. This is dishonest. We run a deshi program so that people can learn how to teach by teaching with help and support. I myself did a full time deshi ship, after assisting in the dojo for years, and tutoring at university as well. We are teachers. We love what we do. And if we wanted to make money, there are much, much easier ways of doing it than running a dojo. Thank you for watching and commenting. Best, Zoë

[@stephanierodriguez1359]

@@GojuRyuKarateCentre with all do respect ive been teaching for 38 years and training still to this day that makes 40+ years since ill soon be 60 what your husband said is NOT our WAY its his western WAY so although i appreciate anyone whom trains i do not appreciate false information if he had of said my way or the new western way i would have said NOTHING but he packaged this as if this that he said is the only way it has always been which is false misleading information OSU!

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Perhaps that is a mistake on our part, and it was not our intention to claim that is the only way, but it is one way to open a dojo and try build something from the ground up. But if we were running a McDojo for pure profit, we would be selling DVDs or seminars, or charging for our info. We have put out 120+ videos on Goju Ryu for free - if we were truly about the money, we would have taken up offers to produce seminars or do DVDs. But our passion is running our dojo and taking care of our students. We just also happen to like making videos and connecting with people all around the world. Our channel brings us joy in the karate-ka we have had the fortune to discuss history and karate with. We actually run a second business so that we can keep our dojo running - everything is for our dojo. I'm sorry you feel that we are bringing dishonour to karate, but we are doing our best to teach Okinawan karate in our way - helping people become strong, humble and compassionate through karate. Thank you for your input as it is important to have respectful dialogue, especially when there are dojos that are about money and not about karate. I just want to you know that karate comes first for us. Best, Zoë

[@stephanierodriguez1359]

@@GojuRyuKarateCentre maybe you wont understand this but the WORLD is your DOJO when you are taught right EVERY WHERE YOU GO so to goes the DOJO i never called you a MC'DOJO those are your thoughts not my own i just correct wrong like i myself was corrected i accepted mines seems your having a problem accepting yours OSU!

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

I understand where you are coming from, and I apologize for coming across as not understanding. We just take what we do seriously, and we worry when we make mistakes, just like everyone else. We would never want to come across as being about money - I hope that it is clear that we are about karate, which I know you place first as well 🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️