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Hello fellow Kravists, I am a 6th year level 4 student, and I’ve trained at my studio since it opened.
During a mixed L3/L4 class, I felt nauseous & stepped off the mat to go to the bathroom. I didn’t throw-up, but went to the restroom & felt bad about leaving the between drill sets. I stepped back on the mat & put the Thai pads on though I wanted to make up for the 2-minute sparring drill I missed.
The instructor told me to go home since I stepped off the mat.
I asked if I could at least stay and join the L1/2 class that was following & he told me no.
I am about ready to quit, as I think this was extremely unprofessional. I was working to my ability & having thrown-up on the mat twice in the 5 years, I try to avoid cleaning-up my own vomit.
How was this supposed to make me train harder or work through a tough space?
Since his business has grown, he has become increasingly disinterested in engaging students.
I am extremely frustrated & don’t think this is the type of instruction Imi intended.
Thoughts?
Re: Kicked out of class – justified?
For whatever its worth, talk to him. He could have been simply looking out for your safety and best interests as you had been sick and you misinterpreted his good intentions OR well there is the other option. I cant imagine a higher level student after 6 years being treated with anything less than “part of the family.”
Re: Kicked out of class – justified?
quote esquire32:For whatever its worth, talk to him. He could have been simply looking out for your safety and best interests as you had been sick and you misinterpreted his good intentions OR well there is the other option. I cant imagine a higher level student after 6 years being treated with anything less than “part of the family.”I did talk to him afterward. He was angry that I was unable to complete the drill and said that as a level 4 student, I’ve had enough time to ‘strengthen up’. He said he would have ‘loved-it’ had I thrown-up rather than step-off the mat.
The week prior I hit traffic coming in to class & missed bow-in. He told me then make bow in or go home.
It’s funny because as one of his original student’s I remember when he really seemed interested in his students.
Now that his business has grown, he steps off the mat during drills to talk to people in the lobby for minutes on end, checks his phone for messages & texts while the students are training, and makes people feel dumb if they ask a question he feels they should know or that he already answered. Most students don’t ask questions anymore.
I’m questioning what I am really getting out of this anymore other than the physical conditioning and skills that come from open unstructured sparring.
Re: Kicked out of class – justified?
Is there another Krav schook in your area? If so, run don’t walk to it.
Unfortunately, my Krav Maga training is likely over due to a somewhat similar situation.For the many years I attended classes, our instructors would act ridiculously(in my opinion) for a month of two after the Israeli’s from the IKMF came to visit. They majority of students were grad students or middle aged guys like me who stumbled upon Krav Maga and fell in love with it as not only self defense but as a great way to keep in shape and also a great social atmosphere. We were all of a sudden expected to be Sayeret 13.
I returned from an injury and during my first couple of sparring classes I was paired with young guys who didn’t understand the concept of sparring. They were literally trying to hit and kick with force enough to injure. Also, all of a sudden, people who were training for MMA bouts were allowed into our sparring classes. Lastly, after years of attending, I felt like my business was no longer appreciated.
You may be a student, but don’t forget that you are first and foremost a customer. You are paying for classes.
I wish I had another option. IKMF is the only game in town for me.
Re: Kicked out of class – justified?
Hi Bear34, yes there is another studio in my vicinity. One of the original students went and started their own affiliate practice, then had a parting of ways with the owner of my studio, and broke off.
It is unfortunate, because our experiences do not give Krav a good name. I, like you have spend thousands of dollars, hours and blood and sweat to do ‘my’ best at Krav (I’m a 45 year old professional). It’s not right to be treated poorly and inconsiderately and it’s certainly not professional. How does being told to leave help me become a better Kravist?
It doesn’t, and it invalidates my efforts.
I’ve made the decision to try other options and will be cancelling my membership. I may transition to Muay Thai or BJJ.
Re: Kicked out of class – justified?
Try the other school, it probably broke off because he didn’t like how your present school was run. I just found out that KMW has some kind of presence in this area. Maybe I can get back into Krav. It’s been almost a year and I miss it terribly, just not enough to go back to where my business is taken for granted.
Re: Kicked out of class – justified?
That’s unfortunate. I don’t think I’ve ever encountered something like that. Don’t let it affect your passion for KM training. Especially if you have another option available. I’ve had similar issues happen to me. Either feeling sick and running to yack in the bathroom. Or sustaining a minor injury. In any case, the instructors are understanding.
I can see an instructor asking someone to leave if they have concern for the student’s safety, but it doesn’t sound like that’s the case.
Muay Thai and BJJ, as great as they are, won’t give you the same reality based training and if that’s your goal, continue your training at the other school.
Re: Kicked out of class – justified?
Hi djhartm,
I’m familiar with the experiences that you had described which are all from traditional martial arts schools. By you leaving the mat w/o permission from the instructor and you coming in late for a class, most likely in the instructor’s eyes, is a form of disrespect and also a perceived thought of him “losing face” in front of the rest of the students. That coupled that you are a senior student, just amplifies the negative thoughts (albeit falsehoods) in your instructor’s eyes.
In my opinion, if this is these are the only instances of such behavior from your instructor, I would just give him the benefit of the doubt and let it slide – taking in consideration of all the time you’ve invested in the school.
However, if this kind of behavior continues, then you have to ask yourself if it overshadows the benefits you’re currently gaining and/or have already gained at the school training wise. Bottom line, it’s a business. And if you’re not happy with the service, then you shouldn’t be paying for it regardless of any school or instructor loyalty.
Re: Kicked out of class – justified?
Thanks for the advice fellas.
I’m going to mull this over for a while & have a talk with someone else that left this school due to a row with the owner.
Re: Kicked out of class – justified?
Good luck, djhartm! Although I still consider myself a noob (L2 and 9 mos under my belt), I would be cancelling my membership too if I were treated so poorly.
Re: Kicked out of class – justified?
I think it’s absurd that you would be asked to leave a class because you cannot finish a conditioning drill, whether you were ill or just gassed from the drill.
I’ve trained with some excellent instructors and practitioners, and no one has ever said something as ridiculous as “I would’ve preferred you vomit”. Apparently he didn’t consider that others may vomit as well, that would’ve been nice for potential customers to see.:banghead:
One of Imi’s principle rules during training was “don’t get hurt” hence controlled sparring. Asking someone to work thru nausea seems a bit unreasonable.
Seems like your instructor has had too much of his own kool aid.
Traffic really sucks in Miami and I have to be somewhat flexible. Students usually apologize and ask permission to enter once I’ve started.
Hope it works out for you.
Re: Kicked out of class – justified?
I have been going to this Muay Thai gym for the last few years and I am quitting in the next 3-4 months. The head Kru hardly ever teaches anymore and his lessons plans are just hitting the heavy bag and Thai pads with sparring.
The other MT gyms are worse. So sometimes it is best to call it quits and move on.
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