McDojo -- how do you define it?

[granfire]

If the guy teaching the class looks like this

It's a McDojo

If the Senior students look like this

It's a McDojo

I can't compete with this gem then:

and I did not even mean the grammatical faux pas and the spelling mistake....

 

[Kong Soo Do]

I can't compete with this gem then:

But wait there's more, order now and you get a choice of the pocket fisherman, chia pet or the ginsu knives (separate shipping and handling charges apply). Call in the next 30 minutes and you'll get your BB increased to 2nd Dan for FREE!! Operators are standing by!!!

 

[granfire]

But wait there's more, order now and you get a choice of the pocket fisherman, chia pet or the ginsu knives (separate shipping and handling charges apply). Call in the next 30 minutes and you'll get your BB increased to 2nd Dan for FREE!! Operators are standing by!!!

hahahahahaha, had not even thought it that far through!

But he trusts you enough to complete the course!

 

[Kong Soo Do]

hahahahahaha, had not even thought it that far through!

But he trusts you enough to complete the course!

I saw that! Darn nice of him I must say....give him $1250 bucks and he'll send you your BB and his trust you'll watch the DVD's. Plus you get a T-shirt with the whole thing! I don't see how you can go wrong.

 

[granfire]

I saw that! Darn nice of him I must say....give him $1250 bucks and he'll send you your BB and his trust you'll watch the DVD's. Plus you get a T-shirt with the whole thing! I don't see how you can go wrong.

I just would like to know how big his tribe is...he seems to be still in business....

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Since this thread is starting to look like a middle schooler's facebook page, I will leave the discussion.

 

[granfire]

you are being silly.

You should know by now that the term alone cannot bring forth constructiveness.

It is mean to be a put down.
And heard plenty often from people who dislike any new kids on the playground.
meaning those who do not feel the need to train til blood flows every day, etc, can only devote an hour per day, can't be hurt too much, because there is a daily life to worry about, and stuff like jobs....

and anybody getting a higher belt while still young enough to enjoy it....

There has to be a happy medium between testing every 2 month so by the time you reach that coveted BB you are so tired and worn out you stop going, and drudging around for a decade. I am sorry, but it does not take that long to train basics.

 

[Makalakumu]

I guess I came from a Mcdojo ish background. It taught two martial arts both of which I now hold blackbelts in.I paid for my rank exams however I had to be able to pass the required techniques for each belt level. We tested every two months. Once again you had to know the techniques to be ready to test. I believe they had a Black Belt Program which I was not in. The original school I was in the owner focused on money but the other instructors picked up his slack. I made sure I was comfortable before even trying for my next rank. I would guess my trainig wasnt traditional so it would seem to some of you I suck at martial arts because I didnt go to a school that has been around for 200 years. Some people have a lot more money then I where they could travel to a Traditional school. Or lived in a town with one. Some dont have that luxury. I no longer have an instructor because I moved out of state. The closest school of any kind is 45 mins away and im not sure any of those would be traditiional enough for some people on here. i agree people should be able to acyually defend themselves if they practice a martial art. I also think McDojo dont care about the students as much. However some people dont have an option since most truly traditional schools dont have many branches to train in. Just a rant.

If you got something out of the training and you are happy, who cares what the haters think. Personally, I have no problem with Mcdojos. They bring people into the martial arts like crazy and you can always learn more later. I also like to see people go into business for themselves and make it. Believe me, we need more of that in this country.

 

[Earl Weiss104]

If you got something out of the training and you are happy, who cares what the haters think. Personally, I have no problem with Mcdojos. They bring people into the martial arts like crazy and you can always learn more later. I also like to see people go into business for themselves and make it. Believe me, we need more of that in this country.

I am pro business as well. Sadly there are those in business who sell little more than smoke and mirrors. Lots of the customers are happy as well until the spit hits the fan. Bernie Madoff had lots of happy customers for a long time. Unfortunately in the MA business some people are buying stuff that they think has value but has the potential for getting the hurt.

 

[Makalakumu]

I am pro business as well. Sadly there are those in business who sell little more than smoke and mirrors. Lots of the customers are happy as well until the spit hits the fan. Bernie Madoff had lots of happy customers for a long time. Unfortunately in the MA business some people are buying stuff that they think has value but has the potential for getting the hurt.

That's true, but it's never been easier to know what you are buying than it is now. Maybe in the past Mcdojos could obfuscate and dissemble, but now a little reseach goes a long way.

Btw - I think when it comes to kids, we want to be teaching them watered down martial arts. When they are older, they can handle more serious material if they wish. Ultimately, Mcdojos serve a niche in the market. I think traditional martial artists can capitalize on this by drawing off the more serious students.

 

[Jaeimseu]

Any school in the same market as mine that is more successful than me is a mcdojo.

 

[Rumy73]

If you got something out of the training and you are happy, who cares what the haters think. Personally, I have no problem with Mcdojos. They bring people into the martial arts like crazy and you can always learn more later. I also like to see people go into business for themselves and make it. Believe me, we need more of that in this country.

Different people want different things out of MA. Like the word "natural" martial arts does not have universal meaning. This is a source of confusion. I think especially beginners have a hard time discerning the limits and merits of a school -- all schools have them. However, part of a MA journey is to learn and explore. I suppose a man could date only one woman and be satisfied. Others, not so much.

 

[Rumy73]

Any school in the same market as mine that is more successful than me is a mcdojo.

저기에는 생각하기 정말 재미있죠. 유머 감각이 있습니다.

 

[andyjeffries]

If you got something out of the training and you are happy, who cares what the haters think. Personally, I have no problem with Mcdojos. They bring people into the martial arts like crazy and you can always learn more later.

I disagree with this. It's great to get more people in to martial arts, but teaching them low quality is not good. I've had students crossover from ITF styles and most of my time is spent changing them not just to Kukki-Taekwondo style, but correcting basic mistakes that they really should not be making at their grades.

One of my crossover students parents (recent crossover, a month or two) commented that after switching to my club she went back to her old club for a session, just to be sure that she definitely wanted to move rather than just be blinded by the excitement of something new. Her old instructor was doing pattern practice (hyung?) and asked her to do her pattern for her next belt. She reminded him that she hadn't been taught it yet and his response was "So, look it up on the internet and learn it".

Honestly, I could feel my blood boil when I heard that! The internet is a great tool, but it's not a substitute for decent martial arts instruction.

So anyway, I'd rather there were less people (at the moment) learning high quality MA, than churning out crap and either diluting the overall standard or giving more work for decent instructors in the future to make them "unlearn" what they'd learnt previously.

 

[Gnarlie]

Martial arts school with poor standards provide the rest of us with a backdrop against which we are able to shine.

When I go to test with a group of other people, I want it to be clear that my abilities are head and shoulders above theirs at that level.

That's true both inside and outside school, organisation and art.

Sounds a bit own trumpet, but what I mean is keeping a decent standard means this happens naturally as there's so much fluff out there.

Gnarlie

 

[Cyriacus]

Does this mean i can become a native warrior for the low low price of $2800?
Nah, im already a Viking. That cost me enough. But a Certified Native American Viking Warrior would be pretty cool...
​Disclaimer: I did not buy any Viking Courses. But it'd be humorous if i did.

 

[granfire]

but for that price he'd better throw in a jacket like his....

 

[Cyriacus]

but for that price he'd better throw in a jacket like his....

And a feather!

 

[Xue Sheng102]

Does this mean i can become a native warrior for the low low price of $2800?
Nah, im already a Viking. That cost me enough. But a Certified Native American Viking Warrior would be pretty cool...
​Disclaimer: I did not buy any Viking Courses. But it'd be humorous if i did.

The goa should be Certified Native American Viking Warrior Ninja Pirate

 

[Cyriacus]

The goa should be Certified Native American Viking Warrior Ninja Pirate

Rugby should be involved, being a full contact martial art and all, and i consider myself certified.
Given that these things are expensive, one might say that they are elite articles.

So, ELITE CERTIFIED NATIVE AMERICAN VIKING WARRIOR NINJA FULLBACK PIRATE!