Your ideal club

So...I've trained at quite a few clubs over the years.

But I've never found a club I was 100% happy with. Maybe the venue was poor, or the equipment lacking or maybe it was too focused on one thing and missed out some others.

Don't get me wrong...I've trained at some great clubs...but I could always find something lacking.



So what would your ideal club be like if you could make one?

Perhaps try and keep it in the realms of possibility?

So no "Bruce Lee/Helio Gracie/Mas Oyama would teach there" type things.



Type of venue, arts offered perhaps, atmosphere, ethos, level of equipment, training times, etc etc.

Maybe you already train at, or even run, your ideal club? If so, what's it like and what makes it ideal for you?



Here are some of my wish list items...



Properly matted. Gotta have mats so you can strike, grapple, throw etc, without having to get some extra mats out or plan it before hand. Some places we had to "signify" takedowns because we didn't have mats.



Dedicated space. I'd like a space specifically for martial arts. I wouldn't want to be training with the sound of some old biddy's playing badminton the next court over. A few places I've trained at we had to kick footballs back over because the next space had 5 a-side going on.



Adult and kids training separate. I love kids doing martial arts. But not when I'm trying to train too.



Plenty of pads and hanging bags. A good variety for different drills.



Japanese styling. I don't know what it is but I just love the look of shoji walls in nice understated colours. Somewhere you could meditate as well as train. It's brain washing perhaps but that look says "martial arts" to me that a more modern gym type place doesn't.



Everyone wearing tough gi's. Again, like matting, I want to be able to grab and throw and grapple without having to make sure people bring in the right clothing. Plus everyone looks nice and smart.



A progressive syllabus that starts very simple and easy but then builds over time so that anyone getting a black belt ends up being a tough fighter. Something well thought out and easy to follow that makes sense.



Late training times. Anything starting before 7 on a weekday is a no-go for me due to work.



Has a self defence element and under-pinning but didn't lose sight of the fact that most people will never need such skills and so training for fun and improvement (physical and mental) was the main priority. You'd still learn to jump spin back kick but you'd know when, where and why you were learning it.