Frequently Asked Questions.



Q. How much does it cost to train in Chayon Ryu


A. Cost for martial arts training should never be the ultimate, deciding factor on where you want to train in martial arts. However, to answer the question, our monthly fees are basically $35 per month. There are other costs involved such as sparring gear, uniforms, patches, clothing for general wear, but these are usually offered at steep discounts instead of retail, thereby saving money for our members.


Q. Why do you not accept children less than age nine?


A. Unlike most of the commercial schools that are all over Orlando, Central Florida Chayon Ryu does not focus on sport or tournament karate. Our techniques come from the Grandmasters before us and it does take sincere study to understand what is being offered to our practitioners.

The self defense we learn can hurt someone quite easily. Because of the seriousness of our program, we have found that children under the age of nine are more suited for the places that cater to children. Since we do not have an abundance of instructors, we cannot focus just on one child. Furthermore, most children want to play like the Ninja Turtles or other karate type action figures on TV. They are either more interested in this type of "play" or they are brought to the schools because their parents want them to train.

Either way, they are not there to really learn martial art. There is an old adage saying that you can bring a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink. The same adage applies to children. If they want to play, they will not learn the traditional martial arts. If they didn't want to come in the first place, they won't respond to the training. Since adults and children all train together, this type of behavior or distraction would detract from the training our adults get who are there because they want to learn the traditional martial arts.


Q. Virtually all martial art schools require a contract. Why don't you?


A. All of our instructors have a career that earns them money necessary for their daily needs. None of our instructors get paid for martial arts teaching. We teach because we love to.

Our school is at the East Orange Community Center. Part of our monthly dues goes to the Center so they may offer programs and help to those who are not as fortunate as we are. Since we don't have a large rent to worry about every month, we don't have to lock everyone in a financial contract to ensure that we have enough money each month to pay the bills.


Q. How long does it take to get to Black Belt?


A. This is probably one of the hardest questions to answer. There are many factors that determine when one will achieve the Black Belt status. Our curriculum specifies a minimum amount of time and classes to be attended before promotion to each rank. The minimum time from beginning to Black Belt is right at 4 years of continous practice. This does not mean you cannot miss a class or even take time off. We all have busy lives and sometimes you have to take some time away from martial arts. The key is consistent training so what you learn is kept fresh. Sometimes it will take a year or two longer, depending on how much time you take away from your training.


Q. Why does it take so long to get to Black Belt?


A. This is a typical question in the day of fast food, ATM's, electronic this and that...everyone wants something NOW! The Black Belt is like getting a college degree. It is earned through hard work and perserverance. Chayon Ryu is no different. The curriculum is full of challenges that require much training and hard work to acquire the martial art techniques. Much like a sprint runner keeps practicing to better their time, we continue to practice to better our technique, timing and focus. We consider 4 years to be a minimum to reach the Black Belt status. Anything less is only kidding yourself. Yes, there are places that offer the Black Belt for a year or less of training. Our thoughts on that are; if you want a Black Belt that fast, just go to the local martial arts supply store and buy one. It will be worth just about as much in martial arts value and you'll save lots of money! You cannot replace time and practice with a piece of cloth called a Black Belt. As stated in our home page, it is the training-not the uniform "or the Black Belt" that makes the martial artist.