Nov 30 2006
Fitness Centre Membership
I signed up this membership in Jul, wanted to do yoga and self defense. I give up now.
In the last 2+ months, due to pressure to balance work & family, I’ve been to the centre twice only. Before I got back to work, I was so gung-ho, went there 3 times a week.
I actually like the ‘Practical Self Defense’ class. I love the lessons so much, but I really cannot fit in the schedule. Furthermore, recent decision to change our daily schedule to allow children sleep ealier, is even making me almost impossible to attend the classes.
I’ve finally decided today, to cancel my 12-month membership. I called up the centre, they kept persuading me to stay on, wanted me to go in to discuss - as I demand a refund.
They have packages of: 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 12+1 months. I paid RM1,200 for 13 months. Now 4 months have gone. To be fair, I have to pay for the 6 months package, which is RM800. I am asking for refund of the balance of RM400. Even so, it is still depressing - paying RM800 for (effectively) 2 months benefits?! 
I really hope they’ll refund it, otherwise I am prepared to take it to the consumer forum. Let’s see how it goes this Saturday.
As for my self defense lessons, if I don’t practice it frequently, it won’t be useful - it should be practiced to form part of my reflects actions. Even when you use pepper spray, tear gas, or any other self defense or martial arts equipment, you need to practice otherwise may be too panic when under attack.
Maybe I should follow MIL, who practice her Taiji Sword every morning at home. She also failed to attend her classes in the evening, since taking care of my children.
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You knowingly entered into a 13 month contract. What makes you think you have a right to break that contract?
Consumer Affairs departments are designed to protect legitimate consumer rights, not support people who think they can simply change their mind and expect a refund for it.
Martial arts requires life-long commitment and the passion must out live your life. One must have abundance of patience. Sounds like I’m discouraging. But thsi is true fact.
Sadly, today’s self-defense has been a capitalization and transforms into business. Many fitness centers introduce all kind of self-defense classes, kick boxing, BJJ (Brazilian Jujitsu), practical self defense for women, and a lot more of creative names one can think of. Their target customers are women. They capitalize on women.
Do you still remember the woman got kidnapped from Bangsar Shopping Complex, raped and murdered sometimes ago? She was a TKD black belt! There are a lot of factors which I am not going to discuss in your blog.
Today, there are stun guns which can emit high voltage to temporarily paralyze a person. It is just a matter of time this gadgets go into the wrong hand and I will not surprise if the perpetrator uses it to victimize women. We have seen the use of Chloroform to knock women into unconsciousness. It is clean and no struggling.
If you want to learn self defense, I will suggest you to choose a proper martial art school, train your body and train your brain too.
You can read about karate at http://adrianhoe.com/adrianhoe/category/karate/
Good luck.
maverick: Thanks for dropping by. Ya, I know I stand at a poor chance due to the contract…
But then, I’ve read about these cases many times, like slimming or beauty centre, where consumer gets refund (after minusing all admin and parts utilized), after the consumer affairs dept interfere. I am hoping for something like this loh. I regret like hell already. 
Adrian: Hehe, I know you are a dedicated karate guy from your blog. Actually sometimes I also doubt about self defense - will someone thought he knows of self defense, ended up killed, just because he tries to defend himself? Will he survive, if he had not fight back? We know all this self defense thingy are usually bare-handed, trying to fight armed guys? I am quite doubtful, especially when these skills are not part of our reflects yet.
What a waste! I thought you are picking up already. But if really want to learn, just join you MIL.
Hi Suzette,
You are right. Self-defense doesn’t mean you can walk tall on the street looking for troubles. Yes, there are martial arts experts died of defending themselves. You see, one wrong concept people has is that you must fight when you get into troubles. Another wrong concept people has is that they become overconfident.
The martial arts is a healthy exercise plus techniques for self-defense. It is not an art to make people into a fighting machines. The good place to make a fighting machine is the streets and dark alleys. But many did not graduate!
The main idea in martial arts is to cultivate confidence and self-awareness of the environment surrounding you. Martial arts train you to become aware of danger and prevent it or walk away from it. When running away is impossible, for example, you can leave your children behind and run, you use what you have learnt and be prepared to give your life to protect your children. That’s bushido.
If you are alone, the best rule number 1 is run. rule number 2 refers to rule number 1!
If the robber wants money, give them.
The martial arts is just a physical and mental preparation for some life-threatening emergency which you are unable to run away from it.
Unless your training is military style, you train to kill, you will have more chances to survive. But again, nothing is faster than bullets. And nothing is stronger than a fearless perpetrator who is ready to die anytime.
So, in martial arts, train your body and train your brain.
Oh! BTW, Taichi is an internal system. It takes longer time to master. If you really want to take up martial arts, I would suggest to take up some external system before going to internal for a beginner. External system is easier to master. After you have mastered the external system, it will be easier to pick up internal system. Just my experience from learning and coaching. Karate has also both external and internal system depending on the styles.
Adrian: Karate sounds very difficult for me wor. Do you know of any good centres in KL, Kepong in particular? By Good, I mean those not too commercial, and is patient enough for idiots like me. I prefer weekend classes - otherwise I will end up not able to attend, like the gym.
Every martial arts are difficult at the beginning. If I tell you, “Hey, Suzette, my training can make you an effective fighter for self-defense in 1 week or 1 month”, please do not trust me. Martial arts need life-long commitment. In Chinese, there is a saying “一日不练， 一月空。一月不练， 一年空。“ martial arts (or I prefer, martial science) is to allow you to understand your body and mind so that you will be able to utilize your body effectively to achieve maximum effects with minimum effort.
You can go to Brickfields on Sunday morning. That’s Shito-ryu and it is internal system. Alternatively, there is a class at 1-utama every friday night 8-10pm. It is in the children play park besides Popular. The instructor at both place is Mr. Kong Tai Moon. I learned from him as well,
I am with Shorin-ryu Seibukan now. It’s a very effective traditional style which is an external system. It still preserve its traditional values for self-defense. This style is very good for fitness as well due to its training method. If you don’t mind the place being further and in a not-so-decent neighborhood, it is in Taman Sri Manja, PJS. The training is on Wednesday and Friday night 8-10pm. They don’t have a nice dojo like Kong. They train in a community hall and of course the fee is cheaper.
I am planning to open a class or two in KL. If there is any chance to open a class in Kepong preferably Friday or Sunday night, I will come.
wahh…i oso actually give up on my gym after sometime, seriously no time
[...] Ever since I started working, I have been unable to go to fitness centre. [...]