[Patabeamn]

Kaoru,

This now smells. Believe me I once belong to such a dojang for approximately a year, paid $800 for a set of bogu which would otherwise cost around $400. This was all because I absolutely trusted in the teacher there. He was not unlike your current guy. Mainly a TKD instructor by trade who had expanded to kendo. Let me give you my two cents on the situation.

My guy was a TKD 9 dan or something and kumdo 5 dan. I admit that the kendo(kumdo) basics taught there were good and that it gave me a good basis to continue my training at my current dojo. But this guy was after profits (not that I'm against profitting the dojo/dojang I belong to, but when the mark-ups are as much as double the original price, it's getting a bit outta hand.). Not only that, he was into expanding his business, so he had about 3 dojos at one point and virtually left the location I belonged to without a legitimate instructor (shodans who practiced at that locations taught class, hell, I was 3 kyu at the time and sometimes I led class). This guy also "encouraged" people to pay in advance for 6 months and 1 year. Despite the fact that I still had credit for months more, I packed up and left and found a true teacher. It was somewhat stressful and frustrating situation though. I was lucky to have other dojos nearby.

Anyway, I have nothing against dojo/dojang making profit. If I have a great teacher, I'll do my best to see that the dojo profits. I also have nothing against paying in advance. In fact, I prefer it as it make me not have to worry about paying someone on a monthly basis. These aren't the issues in and of themselves. It's when these things are blatantly done at no regard for the students such as in my previous dojang and in your case that it becomes a problem.

I'm usually careful about blasting anyone, especially if I don't know them well. But I've looked at your dojang's website and it smells of my previous dojang (with possibly even lesser quality of kendo than my previous dojang). The floor at the dojang is that bouncy floor designed for TKD. It's clear that this guy is expanding onto kendo from his "formal" trade of TKD to make some additional bucks. And what better way to make a lot of profit than expensive bogu? Promotion test fees (every three months or so) and bogu are where the money's at. And despite claiming to be 4 dan, this guy looks like McDojo. I'm sorry.

Once again, nothing against buying stuff from the dojang/dojo. Nothing against anything as long as the teacher is good. Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of faith in your guy here, especially after seeing the website. Ask him where he got his kumdo dan. If it's not Korean Kumdo Association or All U.S. Kendo Federation or any federation recognized by the IKF, he should have no business teaching kumdo/kendo as this forum knows it.

Lastly, as many people say, you might want to just suck it up and put up with it as long as you can in the interest of at least establishing some basics in kendo (provided that it's legitimate kendo). In that case, you should still ask what quality bogu he would get for you (6mm, 5mm, 3mm, 2mm, etc.) and compare his price vs. the Internet retailer prices. At least that will give you an idea of how much profit he's making from you.

It's an unfortunate situation. I assure you that most kendo/kumdo instructors are not like this at all, but you seem to have somehow landed a real character here. I admit that I may be reacting a bit harshly to this guy as I have once belonged to a dojo not too unlike yours. Anyway, hope you can work this situation out.