Appalachian Karate Academy

Make sure that you do not sign the contract. If you do, then Larry Bullard can choose to teach or not teach anything he wants, and you will still have to pay.
My child did not improve her martial arts abilities, as sparring was not focused upon. Katas and up-​selling were. We originally signed a contract that was valid through the end of the year. Larry then up-​sold us to the «black belt club», amending the contract termination date. To join the «black belt club», according to Larry, you had to demonstrate martial arts abilities. It’s really just to extort $ 25 more a month.
At the time, it cost $ 40 every six weeks to attend the «graduation» to advance to the next belt.
Despite Larry telling me and my wife that should we ever become dissatisfied with the instruction we could simply submit a 30-​day notice to un-​enroll our child, we were locked into the contract until the end of the contracted period – three years. Our only recourse was to sign a settlement agreement for well over $ 1,000.
We decided to leave because the instruction was horrible. Most of the instructors were older and overweight. Sessions primarily consisted of rudimentary, repetitious group activities. Participants were not separated by level. To graduate to the next belt level, you only needed to attend the specified number of classes, and children needed to turn in sheets documenting that they performed parent-​specified tasks (such as, cleaning their rooms without being told to do so).
The instructors spent a large portion of each class talking about how great they were. If you aren’t well-​versed in science fiction, then don’t expect to get their jokes.
Following class, Larry would typically ask the children to perform marketing for him by going to school and talking about «the dojo» and/​or convincing school officials to let him present. You may have seen his advertisements on your child’s school’s binders.
If you are serious about you and/​or your child becoming proficient in a martial art, shop around. Go to several places and watch the instructors. Are they focusing on sparing? Is each participant getting attention, despite his or her age? Are there any children with black belts? – There shouldn’t be. Ask how often students spar and whether it’s full-​contact or slowed down.
During your search if you ever hear that the instructors have special training to enable students to advance quickly, then leave. If there is anything like a «black belt club», then leave. If you are pressured into signing a long contract, then leave.
Stay away from Appalachian Karate.