Is this normal for a MT Gym

[DyslexicDave]

I just started training MT about at a gym in the San Fernando Valley. It's been about 3 weeks now and all that I've done is run laps around the block, skip rope, stand in front of a mirror and learn how to move in stance.

I have yet to learn any techniques let alone hit any pads, bags, or spar. I told the Kru (who is from Thailand) that I'm ready to kick some ass and learn some techniques and he promptly throws me out of the gym and tells me to come back the next day. The following day I show up and he gives me the same routine. Run outside, skip rope, and watch myself in front of a mirror. He barely even pays attention to me. I'm starting to get fed up, but I'm not sure if this is one of those Mr. Miyagi types of things where all of a sudden without thinking I'm kneeing somebody in the face.

Just wondering if this is normal and if I should just wait it out?

 

[freaky]

I just started training MT about at a gym in the San Fernando Valley. It's been about 3 weeks now and all that I've done is run laps around the block, skip rope, stand in front of a mirror and learn how to move in stance.

I have yet to learn any techniques let alone hit any pads, bags, or spar. I told the Kru (who is from Thailand) that I'm ready to kick some ass and learn some techniques and he promptly throws me out of the gym and tells me to come back the next day. The following day I show up and he gives me the same routine. Run outside, skip rope, and watch myself in front of a mirror. He barely even pays attention to me. I'm starting to get fed up, but I'm not sure if this is one of those Mr. Miyagi types of things where all of a sudden without thinking I'm kneeing somebody in the face.

Just wondering if this is normal and if I should just wait it out?

You gotta learn to crawl before you walk before you can run. Every gym is different. My gym trains similarly. We have different "levels" You start off basic then slowly move up.

I don't know what you mean by "stand in front of a mirror and learn how to move in stance" but maybe you're not moving at the proficiency the KRU wants. Maybe after you learn how to move in stance correctly, you will throw punches as you move, then kicks, then knees and elbows. Then pads. Then maybe finally spar?

Do you see other older students do anything else? If everyone is doing the same thing as you even after a year then maybe it's a scam and challenge him to a fight. Question his knowledge and skills.

If you see some godly pro fighters then you're lucky to have your own Mr. Miyagi. Take his training seriously and never question him again. Volunteer to clean his gym and wipe his ass cuz you're gonna be the next Muay Thai Kid.

Can you post the name of this gym or KRU? I'll help you do research.

 

[dat1978]

post the name of the school.

 

[MacDuffle]

The "move in stance" part is what makes me suspect that you aren't wasting your time there, or getting jerked around. Fitness and general composure/footwork are typical areas of focus in MT before techniques are applied.

If you want to know what's up with trainers, try engaging them with questions about the tasks they're assigning, but yeah for sure, asking them 'what comes next' can get you frowned on by multiple disciplines' trainers.

Update this thread as your training moves on, I'm all about it.

 

[Fire of Youth]

Moving in a good stance is critical to everything else that you will do. Learn it well and everything else will become easier.

 

[KBE6EKCTAH_CCP]

Sounds like a plot out of an 80's movie.

 

[j123]

It does sound out of the norm, but the methods the trainer has you on right now is good for your long term development.

 

[Reyesnuthugr]

You're in a fat camp. They do these (required) fitness classes for the beginners at some MT gyms.

You may want to switch gyms if you don't want to spend good dollars just getting fit, doing fitness stuff you could mostly do on your own.

It could be a scam or it could be a costly non-scam. Either way, it's probably not the style of learning YOU want. You came to learn to fight, not to get in shape like many complacent suburban hobbyists. The gym you go to is using the karate learning/tourist-camp philosophy, which takes a lot longer to learn (and $$)

Try another MT gym, and see what their method is before hand. Or if you want results quick, go to a legit (not yoga-mom oriented) boxing gym. They give you more freedom, quicker results, and it very likely costs less. Boxing class is where you learn to pre-emptively see and instinctively slip punches from cholos hanging out near your car.

 

[pakho]

It's been about 3 weeks now and all that I've done is run laps around the block, skip rope, stand in front of a mirror and learn how to move in stance.

Unless absolutely no striking techniques are being taught (I assume the trainer is at least teaching some basic punch/kick movements, even if just against the mirror as you mentioned?), if there is a strong emphasis on skipping rope and teaching movement, footwork and stance I would actually say it's a good gym. In many gyms they would rather let beginners do the exciting and stimulating stuff (e.g. hitting pads and bags) to keep new students coming back. In those gyms, students actually don't as well once they move on to sparring because they never learned how to move and defend themselves properly - they only learned how to attack.

I would say a normal beginners class should have some combination of stretching, conditioning/cardio, stance, and basic attack and defense techniques (normally these would be your 1-2 punches, teep and round ricks, elbows and knees and blocking). Depending on facilities and number of trainers they may or may not do pad work.

Separately, if you have the money the spend, I would say try to take a private class with the instructor - that would probably go to show you are dedicated to learning and they might be more willing to teach technique. And you can also tell if he knows what he is teaching. If it's a big group class you can't expect an instructor to give individual attention to each new joiner...

All the best with your training!

 

[ironwolf]

All of that stuf sounds normal but there should be several rounds of pads and heavy bag in there even for beginners.

 

[Sinister]

If someone told me they were ready to "kick some ass" with little to no experience, unless they showed me they were being cheeky, I'd likely send them home, too. Hell I've had people who claimed TO have experience come out here, tell me they WERE going to kick some ass, only to end up quitting in less than 3 months. You sound impulsive, and impatient, perhaps he feels like he's the one being scammed.

Keep something in mind, not all of us instruct purely for money. Thus, we don't simply subscribe to the (fairly Western) notion that if you pay us, you get to behave however you like and you get instant access to all our knowledge. If you haven't already, I'd say show genuine enthusiasm even just for being welcome there in any way, and lose the "ass kicking" shtick. Show some actual character.

P.S. - My beginners aren't even allowed to throw a punch for around a month. They do monotonous footwork drills that seem like baby shit. But I recently had a guy quit once because "standing correctly" hurt him too much, and he'd become emotionally discouraged at any instance of him doing something wrong.

 

[nyguy1982]

I started training in MT around a year ago with no prior striking experience and for the first 3 months I was barred from taking regular classes. We did lots of shadowboxing, footwork and stance drills, lots of drills up against a wall with learning to pivot your standing leg on the kicks, thrust your hips forward on the teeps and knees, putting your hips into punches. But we also did kick shield drills, striking each other on the gloves, learning to check low-kicks for at least 15 minutes each class. So that was my recent intro to MT.

It made me happy to focus on learning such rudimentary stuff, because I didn't feel rushed or overwhelmed when I started taking pads classes later. I'm taking intermediate level classes now and it's very apparent when someone hasn't spent enough time learning and internalizing the basics and are trying to rush the process. You see a big difference in the quality of how they move.

 

[Kanka]

If he focuses on teaching you the stance, footwork and being relaxed he's probably a good coach. These are essential

 

[Paradigm]

I just started training MT about at a gym in the San Fernando Valley. It's been about 3 weeks now and all that I've done is run laps around the block, skip rope, stand in front of a mirror and learn how to move in stance.

I have yet to learn any techniques let alone hit any pads, bags, or spar. I told the Kru (who is from Thailand) that I'm ready to kick some ass and learn some techniques and he promptly throws me out of the gym and tells me to come back the next day. The following day I show up and he gives me the same routine. Run outside, skip rope, and watch myself in front of a mirror. He barely even pays attention to me. I'm starting to get fed up, but I'm not sure if this is one of those Mr. Miyagi types of things where all of a sudden without thinking I'm kneeing somebody in the face.

Just wondering if this is normal and if I should just wait it out?

I'm curious as to what gym this was. Kru Puk was in Asia at that time, I believe. Santi was my first kru and I sparred the very first day, so I doubt it was his gym. Pongsan doesn't have you skip rope or run, unless you're in the fighter sessions. BM, Kronphet and Mr. Lightning are no longer in LA.

Never trained at Nokweed's gym, so that's my guess. So what gym was it? Did you ever go back?

If someone told me they were ready to "kick some ass" with little to no experience, unless they showed me they were being cheeky, I'd likely send them home, too. Hell I've had people who claimed TO have experience come out here, tell me they WERE going to kick some ass, only to end up quitting in less than 3 months. You sound impulsive, and impatient, perhaps he feels like he's the one being scammed.

Keep something in mind, not all of us instruct purely for money. Thus, we don't simply subscribe to the (fairly Western) notion that if you pay us, you get to behave however you like and you get instant access to all our knowledge. If you haven't already, I'd say show genuine enthusiasm even just for being welcome there in any way, and lose the "ass kicking" shtick. Show some actual character.

P.S. - My beginners aren't even allowed to throw a punch for around a month. They do monotonous footwork drills that seem like baby shit. But I recently had a guy quit once because "standing correctly" hurt him too much, and he'd become emotionally discouraged at any instance of him doing something wrong.

Evidently you run a fat camp (as per info from this thread).

 

[wilddeuces]

He doesn't want meat-heads that like the idea of muay thai coming along and polluting something he loves. If you are already getting fed up, you might want to quit. Combat sports aren't for everyone.

If you can't respect the process then what are you doing there?

 

[GoatyP]

Sounds like a good school. Not being sarcastic.

 

[n.diazismylife1999]

Sounds like Karate Kid "wax on, wax off" crap. I'd switch gyms, especially if the coach isn't even willing to discuss the time table (when you actually get to train MT). Stance and footwork can be worked on even if you (gasp) are allowed to hit some pads and taught basic techniques as well.

 

[ahheadlock]

I told the Kru (who is from Thailand) that I'm ready to kick some ass and learn some techniques and he promptly throws me out of the gym and tells me to come back the next day.

This made me lol.

own what he's got you doing and then he'll move you along, what you're learning is important.

 

[facePuncher7]

Combat sports are as mich about "kicking some ass" as hide and seek is about yelling "FOUND YOU!". What this teacher has you doing right now is way more important than what you want to do.

If you are serious about learning martial arts then you need to submit to his instruction and not question him. Drill, learn, listen, repeat. You will get moved up when he sees you are ready, not when you feel like you are ready, because at this point you have no idea what it takes and he does, thats why you are going to him for knowledge.

I trained a girl a couple of years ago with a similar attitude that said a similar thing to me.
This trainer has been very generous in instructing you to come back.

 

[biscuitsbrah]

Any update dyslexicdave? After re-reading your post it sounds like your school is very methodical about building great technique and fighters whether they want it or not.

I'd like to see what became of this, because my school is the exact opposite and it feels like a cardio kickboxing class