Bad Budo Checklist?

[Bob Hubbard]

Everyone has their ideas on what is 'good' and what is 'bad'.

What are the signs of 'bad' budo?

Please, keep this professional, generic and simple.

:asian:

 

[tshadowchaser]

-the full blown grandmaster with mastery in 5,6,7, or more systems at the grand old age of 25. Theaching his highly secreat most deadly of deadly arts over the internet or by mail.

 

[RyuShiKan]

Outside of the down right obviously criminal actions such as child molestation and rape…..both of which have been done by people mentioned in bad budo section on other boards I would say the following.

I am not pointing to any one specific person on this board but these are things I have seen over the years on many boards and websites.

Bogus claims to Rank:
People that claim extremely high rank (above 8th dan) in one art and or high rank in several arts. It’s odd since these are the first people to say rank means nothing to them and yet they claim the highest and often the most ranks.

Made up lineage or false connection to a certain style (which is also connected to bogus rank):
People that claim they rain in a style that a) exists but has no record of them or b) never existed in the first place.
I have no problem with folks that come right out and say “I made up this style from stuff I learned”…….it’s the folks that pronounce “I am connected to Master XXXXX” just because they had their picture taken with him once. I catch people on the Internet implying their style or dojo has a connection to my teacher after only attending a one day seminar. Their websites often purposely don’t indicate it was just a one day seminar but would lead people to believe they are actual full time students of his which is using his name or reputation to get students.

People that say “everyone has skeletons in their closet”.
Nope sorry that is just pure garbage. Martial Artist shouldn’t have “skeletons”.
People may have skeletons in their personal life like a nasty divorce or getting a DUI but there is no reason to have them in the MA.
People get ripped off by some instructor or organization, in which case it is nothing to be ashamed of, or they willingly knew that it was a dubious out fit and went in anyway.


More to come…………………..

 

[RyuShiKan]

Originally posted by tshadowchaser
-the full blown grandmaster with mastery in 5,6,7, or more systems at the grand old age of 25. Theaching his highly secreat most deadly of deadly arts over the internet or by mail.

I would say it is not restricted to someone 25 years old but anyone.
I can see a person reaching a high rank in 1 art say 8th or 9th dan after a lifetime of work but more than 2 or 3 different arts………no way . Not enough time in the day or days in a year to do something like that. Anyone that claims they have master level ranks in more than 2 arts is pretty much a liar or has gotten some rank that doesn’t mean squat.....and believe me there are people out there that will give it to you.

 

[MartialArtist]

Usually when a person claims a title such as PhD, Soke, etc. and claim that their system is superior to every other thing out there.

Capitalistic Goals - Charging $200K, long-term contracts where you sign your soul over, things of that nature.

Mr. PhD Soke Grandmaster Hall of Famer - Never fights, never has any record. Sometimes gives demonstrations to prove his "ability" or holds seminars where people with real talent give them a good name and do most the work.

 

[RyuShiKan]

Originally posted by MartialArtist
Usually when a person claims a title such as PhD, Soke, etc. and claim that their system is superior to every other thing out there.

The word Soke is a Japanese MA term and I find it odd that I can still count on one hand all the Soke I have heard of or seen in Japan and yet I could fill 80 Gig hard drive with all the names of the Soke I hear of in the west.

 

[chufeng]

To even master more than one form (REALLY master it) is a lifetime piece of work...since most systems are comprised of several forms HOW could anyone be a master of more than one art?

Yet I see schools in Puyallup, WA (yes, little ol' Puyallup) where people are masters of Judo, Aikido, TaeKwonDo, Hapkido, Kick-boxing, and any number of other arts...with claims of 27 years in the arts, Grand-national champion, and even been in a movie!!!

Pu-ul-le-e-ease...!!!!!

Certainly if one masters (REALLY masters a form) then other arts would be easier to relate to what you already know...but no one ver masters even a portion of their art...those who say they do are lying.

:asian:
chufeng

 

[J-kid]

There are some very good articals on this at Bullshido.com i can go get them later tonight or tommorrow and you can take what you like out of them.

 

[Randy Strausbaugh]

The alarm on my BS detector goes off when:

The school has dan-ranked students who are not old enough to tie their shoes, much less their belt.

The instructor, when asked about the style he teaches, says "I teach all of them".

The instructor pronounces sensei "sense-ai".

The instructor ignores his students while explaining to me his school's payment plan.

One of the students ties his belt in a Windsor knot (really happened).

The instructor teaches one knife defense technique (from the "Statue of Liberty" position) and then assures the student that he/she now "knows how to handle someone with a knife".

The instructor demonstrates the "unbendable arm" and then indicates that it is a sign of mastery.

The instructor talks about "driving the nose bone through the brain".

The instructor thinks "Bloodsport" is a true story.

The instructor stands by smiling as two of his students spar in the street (not on the sidewalk, in the street).

The instructor is promoted by someone totally outside their art (i.e., a Karate instructor promoting an Aikido instructor).

An instructor claiming that his top student could beat Bruce Lee if Lee were alive today.

And many, many more.:soapbox:

Trying to avoid life's potholes,
Randy Strausbaugh

 

[tonbo]

.....when I hear/read the words "most effective" or "deadliest" when connected with any art. Also, when there are incredible stories on a style's/school's webpage that talk about how some untrained person was able to beat a 30+ MA veteran in only *2 moves*, after having read/watched the style's materials.

Plenty of other things set off the BS detector, too.....such as:

1) An excessive emphasis on trophies and/or "competition wins"
2) Big 'ol flashy uniforms with plenty of eye-popping patches
3) "Masters" who are under the age of 40
4) Any style where you can earn your Black in a year
5) Any style that offers to teach you incredible secrets of long-dead masters
6) "Masters" (see #3 above) who have supposedly trained with the founders/elders of their art, but have no proof....
7) Any studio/school that offers more than five arts, and encourages students to train in all of them (at substantial cost, and, amazingly, the students rise to become high rank in all the styles very quickly)

..... and so on, and so on.

Thing is, there is *plenty* of bad budo out there. Just like bad movies. Hmmmm....maybe there is some connection.....:rofl:

Anyway.....

Peace--

 

[tshadowchaser]

The school who has instructor that makes passes at every young lady in class and promotes some "friendly ones" with out testing
them while others work their forms and fight endlessly to get the same rank.
The instructor that changes organization every other year to get promoted then changes all the forms in his school and tells his senior students they now do the forms incorrectly
This one is my personal gripe only: The school that refuses to take a student because he can't afford their fees
The school that suddenly teaches whatever is in vouge at the moment (sticks, kung fu, wusu, judo ) it dosen't matter what it is if it is on the cover of a mag. or was just shown in a film or TV he knows it and it was one of the things he was saveing till you where ready

 

[chufeng]

Excellent posts, dudes...:asian:
chufeng

 

[tonbo]

*Any* society, club, group, etc. that is owned, affiliated with, associated with, or otherwise claims to have contact with Ashida Kim?

Oh, hell.....I shouldn't have said that....now I won't be able to get rid of those pesky ninjas and their death threats again.

Sheeesh, it never ends.

Peace--