Grey,
Up until I injured my shoulrder last February (rotator cup injury received from exercising - very slow to heal), I was a Myo Sim student (I plan on returning as soon as I heal).
Myo Sim teaches Kenjutsu (not sport Kendo:
http://www.fact-index.com/k/ke/kenjutsu.html) and Karate. If the people offering this course at your school is anything like the ones who teach it here, I highly recommend it. The best description I can give you about their Karate training is it is derived from Karate and Tae Kwon Do. The founder of Myo Sim is Korean, he learned his sword and open-handed skills from the Japanese prison guards during WWII when Korea was still a colony of japan.
He got disgusted with the sportarization (sp?) of TKD (while he still lived in Korea) and decided to take the best of both worlds and combine them into whatr seems to be a very effective system. When he moved (immigrated) to Northern Virginia, he started teaching both.
A friend of mine who is a martial arts student but is not a Myo Sim student, once told me that he once watched the founder of Myo Sim devastate another martial artist during a match by destroying his base (lower extremeties). He said that he would launch some very devastating attacks on his opponent's legs until any mobility or stability he had was gone. Then he would finish him off.
I took the Kenjutsu training primarily for the discipline and the exercise. But I am finding that a lot of the sword techniques I was learning (Iai's) can easily be used while using a cane, baton, or other hand-held weapons as well as some open-handed use. The philosophy of Myo Sim is not linked to money-making. The dojo I attend is in an exercise facility and the class is included for all members. Non-members are only charged $50 a month with training available up to 4 or 5 times a week.
From my experience, I do recommend giving Myo Sim a try. My instructors are great and they do not walk around with a chip on their shoulder nor do they beat up on their students for no reason. The whole system (both Kenjutsu and Karate) emhpasizes control. When we spar with shinais (bamboo swords) we usually do so without any armor or safety gear. Anyone who is trusted to spar is expected to maintain complete control over their sword all the way to impact. Tip control is greatly emphazised. There are only four levels in Kenjutsu: white (Student); green (Teacher); brown (Instructor) and black (Master). Students are not allowed to use real swords for their Katas or Iai's until they have reached the green belt level and only with the approval of the instructors.
The Karate students also use weapons to include dull knives and batons. They learn both armed and unarmed techniques. They also do grappling, disarming and throwing techniques. But other than that, I suggest you go to a class and watch.
Here is the Myo Sim website:
http://www.student.virginia.edu/~myosim/
I hope this helps you out some. Good luck!!
