Dear Stephen,

Im slightly sheepish, but mostly very amused at something that just transpired. During lunch, I was thumbing through the most recent issue of Martial Arts Professional — actually the first Ive received of my subscription. Of course it was my letters being published in the Sound Off department that provoked this spate of correspondence. As you know, I was put off by your rather dismissive tone in response to my letter. Having been busy, as usual, with one thing or another, Id only gotten through the first few pages of the magazine. So, this time, I thumbed up to the Sound Off section, and then, turning the page, discovered … well, your response to my letter continues for an entire page more! Boy do I feel silly. In my defense, the preceding page concludes with the Why not send us a letter? box, so it was a natural assumption that this was the end of the section, and that your short, snide rejoinder to my extensive, and presumably well-reasoned letter was all that there was. So I am compelled to add a few comments in reaction to your fine and well-stated observations.

First, parenthetically, I will note that I have been blessed with many teachers, and teaching situations, from a variety of sources that have leavened my character with much grace and good humor, so I am not at all embarrassed by this lapse. As I say, its funny to me, and somehow the timing seems very apt. And on that basis, directing myself to your first remark — that is the first remark on the second page! — I dont take what you have to say personally at all. I am a student and proponent of the Four Agreements, so even if your observation were intended with ill will, which clearly it is not, I have the freedom of choice to respond to what you have to say in any manner I wish.

Clearly you took the time to visit my website, actually apparently both websites, as the content of your letter demonstrates that you know more about me than my published letter revealed. Thank-you for that. This makes things easier for me, as I neednt fill you in on my background. And yes, anyone who has any measure of respect for martial arts must recognize that, as a Second-Degree Black Belt, I know barely enough to get by. This is not false humility. There is such a huge amount of knowledge available in martial arts as to be overwhelming. Just being exposed to the essentials is an undertaking; learning the basics is a challenge; gaining true mastery is a lifelong pursuit. Anytime I am tempted to get a bit full of myself, all I need do is see my teacher execute, or train with any of my seniors, some of whom are a decade younger than me, or more, and I settle back into appropriate humility.

Plus of course my school is very new. It took a year just to work out the kinks. Just a few months ago, I finally came to recognize that pursuing two careers, attempting to develop each essentially from scratch, was, in glorious understatement, misguided. I have largely abandoned attempting to develop my photography business. The market is soft and transitory; everyone has a digital camera; and few are willing to pay what I charge. I know there is a market for my work, and I will find it ultimately, but I choose for now instead to focus all my attention on building my dojo membership.

So, addressing a few of your points in turn: yes of course student retention is key. Its tough enough finding prospects willing to look into my school; more often than not, once these take a trial lesson they are willing to join. But building a business means keeping them for a significant time; or, focussing on budo, if they are to learn anything of any lasting value, they must train for several years at least. So again, the challenge is retaining the student while maintaining the integrity of the art — quoting back your quotation of me. I learned, and I accordingly teach in the same fashion, first a series of basic skills before I did any significant contact. To me this is just sensible and reasonable. So, while maybe some old-school systems beat the crap out of their white belts, we dont. This, in my opinion, is not only bad business but bad budo as well.

Perhaps it is because I started my martial arts training in my forties, but also perhaps it is intrinsic to my character, that Im never harsh. You might say Im driven more by temperance than by testosterone. Im sometimes tough on my students, but call it a gentle toughness. I expect a lot, and get a lot. Youve got to be in shape, and youve got to be sharp. That takes hard work and perseverance. So thats what I expect. But, I also teach to the level of the ability of my student. I expect more from someone with youth and natural athleticism, and some measure of experience, than from someone who perhaps has had no training of any sort, and who may be overweight and out of shape.

That said, I am a true believer. I know what martial arts can do for body, mind, and spirit. I am a reformed wimp myself. I may not be the toughest guy around, but Im much tougher than I was a dozen years ago, in all aspects of my being. So I also never place limits on what I believe any of my students can achieve. I doubt anyone would have bet thirteen years ago that I would achieve shodan, much less to become dojo-cho of a traditional hard style school. And my teacher didnt make things easy for me. And while it is also true that we are a hard style, a contact system, I too place a higher priority on safety than on going balls-out. Injuries happen, but most can be averted. So again, Im never harsh, am sometimes tough, expect a great deal, but also recognize that everyone progresses at their own pace. All I ask is that you do your best, and stick with it. Ive been there, and I respect that you are undertaking a very challenging pursuit. And I frequently let my students know this. I truly believe that anyone can benefit from martial arts training, given effort on their part and good instruction on mine.

Then of course is the matter of generating revenue. Im still working may way through this. I havent gotten much past the building membership part. But Im well on my way to solvency. I will not speak to each point regarding half-dozen things that successful martial arts schools have in common. To me the points you raise are largely inarguable. There are a few things Im dubious about, such as your assertion that a relatively high percentage of students in these quality schools achieve Black Belt. Achieving shodan in Koei-Kan Karate-Do is far from commonplace; not that we abuse our students, but its a long and challenging path — roughly five to six years. But then again, just a few months ago, I had my doubts that there would be much demand for the system I teach in the first place. Frankly, I believe thats why I was focussing so much attention on photography. Once I dropped that notion, and started spreading the word, to the contrary, I discovered that there is a hunger for what I teach. I have been greatly heartened by this. So thats the first step. Ill keep to our standards, and in eight years well see how many black belts we have.

I will say that I am not always successful at concentrating on student retention, or improving revenue, every day. Some days are just taken up with, call it Stuff. Especially since I am currently a one-man operation, both professionally and personally, many of my days are full up without allowing me to get to these essentials. (I should add parenthetically that I do have a training partner, the other Nidan here in San Luis Obispo, who came up through the system with me. But he has a real job, as an attorney, so is available to train and teach only perhaps once a week. Still, I am very grateful to have had his support, assistance, and friendship throughout the years, and I doubt I could have made it without him. That said, this is my show, and my challenge). But just recruiting and signing up new members is a constant, if not everyday, pursuit of mine; and I frequently schmooz, shall we call it, to encourage the flagging or hesitant student to stick with it.

One might argue, given all that must be done to grow and sustain my business, perhaps I should not have spent the hours I have these past three days in this correspondence. I have many pressing matters to address. But I believe that this has been highly productive, even energizing, and is consequently important in an intangible way. In case you havent figured it out yet, I love budo, as embodied in Koei-Kan Karate-Do, and all that it represents. I love practicing it, and I love teaching it. I love seeing my students progress, and in developing the bonds that come about in this process. I have also made many great friends, both within and outside the ranks of Koei-Kan. Koei-Kan yudansha especially are persons of uniformly high character. Martial arts have made a profound difference in my life. There have been many twists, turns, and dead ends in my fifty-seven years. I finally have found my true path. I have other objectives I will pursue; but I have come to believe that these will come about only by springing from the foundation of this business, of this dojo, that I am building.

In my first correspondence, I left open the possibility that I might join NAPMA yet again. Thats still an open question. Being a child of the sixties, I suppose, I am still, despite all this, skeptical, even a bit cynical, about moneymaking — or money-taking — ventures. But, having had the privilege of corresponding directly with you, my skepticism has softened. I still believe that there are martial art schools that are producing high revenue but low-grade practitioners; but that, I am willing to concede, may be more reflective of the individual school owner, and not as a direct outgrowth of NAPMA policies. So, notwithstanding the opinions of my newfound traditionalist friends whose emails first alerted me to the publication of my letter (and who may be cursing me now), I take you at your word.

So in conclusion, please continue to send me your postal mailings … assuming thats not exclusive to NAPMA members. I promise you that the postage will not be wasted, and that the mail will not be returned as undeliverable. Im just getting started, and I intend to stay. This is what Im born to do.

In Budo,
Larry Rhodes
Koei-Kan Karate-Do of San Luis Obispo

P. S. Again, feel free to publish as you wish.