stormsdotter.livejournal.com ([identity profile] stormsdotter.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] davis_square2010-03-09 09:48 am
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Looking for Martial Arts

I did some basic karate when I was a kid, and would like to get into it again. I know there are a lot of places that offer lessons in all sorts of marital arts, but I had a very bad experience with the one in Arlington Center.

To put it simply, I hate people yelling at me. Most martial arts teachers I've seen treat their students like a drill instructor chewing out new recruits, and I absolutely refuse to pay money to have someone scream at me.

Can anyone recommend a place to learn martial arts with polite, helpful instructors? I don't have much of a preference for the type of art, though I think Akido would be interesting. I am looking for some place on public transportation, preferably on the Red Line.

Do you have any suggestions? Thanks!

[identity profile] anyee.livejournal.com 2010-03-10 04:03 pm (UTC)(link)
CW Tae Kwon Do. http://www.cwtkd.com
They're on the red line in Central Square, on the street behind Mass Ave towards the river. The school is affiliated with MIT, so lots of fun geeky adults of all types come kick there.

I've done TKD on and off for years. I love CW for a few reasons:
1) They respect your body's limits. When things start swelling and tearing, the instructors tell you to stop, even if you don't want to!

2) They're focused on the sport and accomplishment. There are many people who go to tournaments, many levels of training, and a sense of overall desire to do well.

3) They're non-profit, so the rates are lower. Less than 100/month as I recall it. JHKim is about 250, last I checked.

CW TKD awesome. A lot less traditional but a lot more enjoyable. I found that at JHKim, the focus was on getting money out of me. From blackbelt clubs to special training programs, there was always a new money-making scheme. That was one of the major reasons I stopped going.

[identity profile] dylanesque29.livejournal.com 2010-03-13 04:35 pm (UTC)(link)
Seconded. I started studying at JHKim school in Quincy, and finished at the Cambridge school, and I saw a fairly rapid decline in quality. They've become a total belty factory. Avoid.