KARATE DO

KARATE DOUGH

• association fees - NONE
• contracts - NONE
• monthly fees - $35 per student; $55 for 2 & $70 for 3
• test only every 4 months

  yellow belts (12 & under) - $15 green belts - $20 brown belts - $35 black belts (all degrees) - $75

• classes 2 nights a week 1 ½ hours of formal class (30 minutes before class and 30 minutes after class of individual training with black belts is available every class)
• annual training camps and clinics - NO FEES
• special marketing programs to attract children - NONE
• changes in traditional teachings - NONE
• uniforms and equipment - students are permitted to buy anywhere.

There is nothing wrong if you make money at teaching karate, but when it is the only reason to teach, the spirit of traditional martial arts may become lost. Foster Sensei said money should not be made by exhorbant fees to the students, but by the number of students.

We in the Alliance believe if there is the temptation of an opportunity to make large amounts of money, quality of karate may suffer. That is why test-fees remain inexpensive. For example, if my truck payment is due and it is test time, multiply the number of students by the amount of tests, and there is my truck payment; but since some students may not be ready for their belt, they could go ahead and be promoted just to make the amount needed for the truck payment. I have even seen this happen to make the payments for a new, large dojo. Don’t misunderstand this...a new, large dojo is nice, but if students have to be promoted when not ready, to make the dojo payment why have a new dojo? Also remember, as karate was first being introduced to the world, many dojo’s were nothing more than someone’s garage...and many good karate-ka came thru those garage doors.

The Alliance has stood firm in these beliefs that the teaching and quality of traditional karate will never be sacrificed for the sake of money. Many people say they do not teach for the money, but their costs say otherwise.

Karate-do or karate- dough...be proud you have chosen traditional karate-do, the way of Yoshukai Karate Alliance!

Written By: Sensei Dugan