it would be necessary to fight with an untrained fighter when that untrained fighter puts you in a position where you must fight to defend yourself.
C
chufeng
Guest
Actually, if you are trained properly, you won't find yourself in situations where "someone puts you in a situation..." You will see bad stuff unfolding and leave before you get involved.
The incidence of being a victim of random acts of violence is very small...and many times involves drive by shootings (can't defend against that)...most violent situations "evolve." If you are trained properly, you will leave before it evolves to a point where you are involved.
:asian:
chufeng
The incidence of being a victim of random acts of violence is very small...and many times involves drive by shootings (can't defend against that)...most violent situations "evolve." If you are trained properly, you will leave before it evolves to a point where you are involved.
:asian:
chufeng
D
Deathtrap101
Guest
Oh Chefung, don't tell me you beleive absolutely all fights are avoidable by yourself. If that were true, nobody would be doing martial arts for self-defence, we would be taking negotiation classes. I think all fights are avoidable, but your not always the one that can stop it(Unless ofcourse you completely avoid all contact with people who dont have a smile on their face,lol).
But, you did include the word 'most' and so im sure you know that situations can arise where you have to fight.
Just my cent and a half.
C
chufeng
Guest
DeathTrap
Of course there are times when training is necessary to defuse/snuff a situation...
But if you go through life with a chip on your shoulder, or with your chest puffed out, you will almost always find someone willing to knock it off, or sink it.
Most situations are avoidable...in Kent, Washington...the likelihood of needing martial arts as a real defense are slim, at best.
:asian:
chufeng
Of course there are times when training is necessary to defuse/snuff a situation...
But if you go through life with a chip on your shoulder, or with your chest puffed out, you will almost always find someone willing to knock it off, or sink it.
Most situations are avoidable...in Kent, Washington...the likelihood of needing martial arts as a real defense are slim, at best.
:asian:
chufeng
D
Deathtrap101
Guest
Too true, im in grade 10 right now and pretty much all through grade 9 and some of grade 10 ive bin bugged about my posture, apparently everyone thought i puffed out my chest. Nothing has ever bin criticle, few times it was remotely threatning, but you always know its there.
I wont deny i first got into martial arts to learn how to kick some ***, because thats what i wanted to do.
I was about to go on into some other things, but i think i went far enough off topic...
Violence isn't only reserved for largely populated or urban areas. There are plenty of bullies and *******s everywhere, I'm sure, even in Kent, Washington. And sometimes its just the matter of ending up in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Some violent situations evolve so slowly that you don't realize what's happening until its too late.
Its not just about proper training. Its about knowing how to read people, and that takes experience.
And some situations, either you can't get out of, or, a situation you don't want to get out of because the alternative to fighting is worse:
An example:
You're walking from your car into the local bar. You hear a woman scream from behind you, in the shadows on the far edge of the parking lot, in the opposite direction from the door of the bar. Being the good samaritan that you are, you realize that she needs help and run over to the source of the noise. A drunk guy is beating the **** out of his girlfriend. What do you do? Pull the guy away and potentially start a confrontation? or walk away and pretend you didn't see? or run inside and try to get a group together for back-up? you probably don't have that much time.
sure, you could avoid the situation and walk away, but could you live with yourself when you open the newspaper and discover that her body was found dumped two miles down the road?
"If its a matter of LIFE or DEATH, RIGHT or WRONG, then here are my weapons --karate, my empty hands." -Ed Parker
We always talk about martial arts being for SELF defense. We need to realize that there may be times when we need to use it to defend someone else who can't defend themselves. I think we have an obligation to interfere in a situation where someone is being assaulted or abused. maybe before we try to change the world, we ought to first change ourselves, then look to our own homes and neighborhoods. Its easy to feel sorry for the abused and oppressed women in afghanistan... and its also easy to forget about the ones living right next door. The world turns a blind eye too many times...maybe if we start policing ourselves a little more often, and speak up when things aren't right, maybe we wouldn't have so much darkness to worry about? of course, I could be wrong. but I could also be right.
D
Daniel
Guest
Back to the contracts question...
My first school was one that did yearly contracts at the min, sometimes longer. I didn't know any better at the time but when it was sold I was on the 11th month, they never sent me a bill or anything but 6 months later I got a call from a collection agency for the last months payment. Lets say I've not had the best experiences with long term contracts.
The place I'm at now does billing monthly but it is via electronic funds transfer. To stop the billing you have to give them a months notice, its not all that binding really but it has stopped a few people from quitting after not showing up for a few weeks.
My first school was one that did yearly contracts at the min, sometimes longer. I didn't know any better at the time but when it was sold I was on the 11th month, they never sent me a bill or anything but 6 months later I got a call from a collection agency for the last months payment. Lets say I've not had the best experiences with long term contracts.
The place I'm at now does billing monthly but it is via electronic funds transfer. To stop the billing you have to give them a months notice, its not all that binding really but it has stopped a few people from quitting after not showing up for a few weeks.
cali_tkdbruin
Master of Arts
Ya know, I sorta like this contentious Judo-kid youngster. He does have a way of opening up cans of worms and thowing fuel on the fire with his opinionated and misguided posts based on what I've read in the ensuing wave of responses. Nice job J-kid, you do know how to get the minions all riled up. I can just see the steam coming out of some the members' heads :flammad: after reading some Judo-kid wisdom. Makes for amusing reading... 
OP
OP
J-kid
Guest
You give me to much credit i fear i only tell you what you really need to hear. If not from me then from someone else.
Your safer off with me giving you the 411 on whats going on.
Also i live and kent and there are bullies and stuff walking around.
Its hard to say if one can avoid fights alot of times they happen over minor things and out of Respect.
Respect can be many things and comes in many forms.
A NOTE TO ALL
YOU CANT STOP THE TRUTH
the truth is out there
Your safer off with me giving you the 411 on whats going on.
Also i live and kent and there are bullies and stuff walking around.
Its hard to say if one can avoid fights alot of times they happen over minor things and out of Respect.
Respect can be many things and comes in many forms.
A NOTE TO ALL
YOU CANT STOP THE TRUTH
the truth is out there
K
Kiz Bell
Guest
I do a TMA and it's not a McDojo. I did have a funny experience with a real McDojo, though. I'd always wanted to do a style of Kung Fu to supplement my sword work, self defence and all that, y'know? I don't know a whole lot about the different sorts of Kung Fu out there, so I was just checking out a couple of different places.
One I turned up at was beautiful. They'd turned a scummy old warehouse in a bad area in a passable replica of a Chinese-style temple, with weapons and gods everywhere. They'd advertised a free first lesson so I made my appointment and went. The lessons apparently usually went for about two hours but the free introductory one was for only half an hour and not taken as part of a class. It was not given by the person who was to be my teacher but by a senior black belt instead.
Immediately upon it's finish I was whisked into an office and
asked "Do you want to sign the one year or two year contract?"
I asked if I could at least see a class first, or maybe pay class by class for the first week or so to see if I liked it. I was told No, because I might be a rival from another school trying to steal their techniques. Apparently they had this happen a lot. I must first sign either the one or two year contract to prove I would be loyal to their system. Also, a student must prove their dedication to their art, and this could be done (again) by signing the contract.
I was getting a bit suspicious now. I haven't been involved in the martial arts long, and had never heard of the "McDojo" thing then, but I do know a hard sell when I hear one. So I asked about the history of their style of Kung Fu.
"As a beginner that is not important. You should just concentrate on the techniques. Our Sifu is a truly amazing man. He is one of the highest ranked people in XXXX style Kung Fu in the world. Australia is very lucky to have someone as amazing as Sifu. By the way, if you're still not sure, we do have six month contracts, but they work out to be a lot more expensive in the long run. So how about it?"
Thinking I needed at least a little bit more info before I signed even a six month contract I asked "What's your Sifu's name?"
"Sifu" said the black belt.
"I thought that was a title" I said.
"It is" says the black belt.
"So.... what's his name then?"
"Sifu" says the black belt sternly. "We show our respect to him by calling him Sifu and you'll be expected to as well. In the Martial Arts you must learn humility. Now... if you sign the six month contract you can have your first class tomorrow with Sifu himself if you'd like."
I'm sitting there thinking... what, his name's Sifu S. Sifu? And I have to sign a six month contract before I even get to meet him and find out what sort of Kung Fu I'll be doing? Yeah right! So I said politely, "Thank you, but I might think it over", left and never went back.
One I turned up at was beautiful. They'd turned a scummy old warehouse in a bad area in a passable replica of a Chinese-style temple, with weapons and gods everywhere. They'd advertised a free first lesson so I made my appointment and went. The lessons apparently usually went for about two hours but the free introductory one was for only half an hour and not taken as part of a class. It was not given by the person who was to be my teacher but by a senior black belt instead.
Immediately upon it's finish I was whisked into an office and
asked "Do you want to sign the one year or two year contract?"
I asked if I could at least see a class first, or maybe pay class by class for the first week or so to see if I liked it. I was told No, because I might be a rival from another school trying to steal their techniques. Apparently they had this happen a lot. I must first sign either the one or two year contract to prove I would be loyal to their system. Also, a student must prove their dedication to their art, and this could be done (again) by signing the contract.
I was getting a bit suspicious now. I haven't been involved in the martial arts long, and had never heard of the "McDojo" thing then, but I do know a hard sell when I hear one. So I asked about the history of their style of Kung Fu.
"As a beginner that is not important. You should just concentrate on the techniques. Our Sifu is a truly amazing man. He is one of the highest ranked people in XXXX style Kung Fu in the world. Australia is very lucky to have someone as amazing as Sifu. By the way, if you're still not sure, we do have six month contracts, but they work out to be a lot more expensive in the long run. So how about it?"
Thinking I needed at least a little bit more info before I signed even a six month contract I asked "What's your Sifu's name?"
"Sifu" said the black belt.
"I thought that was a title" I said.
"It is" says the black belt.
"So.... what's his name then?"
"Sifu" says the black belt sternly. "We show our respect to him by calling him Sifu and you'll be expected to as well. In the Martial Arts you must learn humility. Now... if you sign the six month contract you can have your first class tomorrow with Sifu himself if you'd like."
I'm sitting there thinking... what, his name's Sifu S. Sifu? And I have to sign a six month contract before I even get to meet him and find out what sort of Kung Fu I'll be doing? Yeah right! So I said politely, "Thank you, but I might think it over", left and never went back.
C
chufeng
Guest
Kiz,
Good choice...
What were they thinking???
I had a similar experience at a TKD Dojang...only I got to talk to the head instructor (Jung, something something)...
I told him I was just shopping for a school and wanted to see how his school compared to other local schools...
He offered me a "black-belt course of instruction" for $1200.00 (that should tell you how long ago it was) "...guarantee, two year black-belt." I asked him how he could guarantee it...I asked "What if I never show up for class?" He said, "Contract is contract...guarantee two year black belt." I told him I wasn't interested...He came back with, "You confidence bad...TaeKwonDo make confidence good...make you better in school...make you better get good job...TaeKwonDo make confidence good." I said I was pretty confident I didn't want anything to do with an instructor who didn't really care whether his students learned anything, or not...then I left, confidently.
:asian:
chufeng
Good choice...
What were they thinking???
I had a similar experience at a TKD Dojang...only I got to talk to the head instructor (Jung, something something)...
I told him I was just shopping for a school and wanted to see how his school compared to other local schools...
He offered me a "black-belt course of instruction" for $1200.00 (that should tell you how long ago it was) "...guarantee, two year black-belt." I asked him how he could guarantee it...I asked "What if I never show up for class?" He said, "Contract is contract...guarantee two year black belt." I told him I wasn't interested...He came back with, "You confidence bad...TaeKwonDo make confidence good...make you better in school...make you better get good job...TaeKwonDo make confidence good." I said I was pretty confident I didn't want anything to do with an instructor who didn't really care whether his students learned anything, or not...then I left, confidently.
:asian:
chufeng
M
MartialArtist
Guest
One thing is that there seems to be a problem when there are too few or too many students.
Too few students either means the teacher is bad, or the teacher is very good. The best private and public teachers I've had trained a small number of people. The reason is that the training was so hard that most people will drop out in the first week. Some dropped within the first 1 hour out of 4.
If there are too many, it can show that the teacher is friendly. But it could also mean the class is very easy and doesn't have a lot of hard training in it.
Too few students either means the teacher is bad, or the teacher is very good. The best private and public teachers I've had trained a small number of people. The reason is that the training was so hard that most people will drop out in the first week. Some dropped within the first 1 hour out of 4.
If there are too many, it can show that the teacher is friendly. But it could also mean the class is very easy and doesn't have a lot of hard training in it.
M
MartialArtist
Guest
LOL! You did the right thing. A lot of people would've taken the easy way out and just gotten the black belt so they can show it off and talk about it. But the problem is that black belts have no more real meaning nowadays. A white belt does however.
Reason for white. White symbolizes purity, quick instinct. When you learn how to fight, you actually will fight worse in the first few months because you have to think about what you're going to do. "Should I punch him? How should I block or dodge it?" Once you reach black, it symbolizes you are proficient in the art. However, you want the black belt to go back to white. With so much wear and use, the black belt becomes white. So again, symbolizing purity and instinct. But now, your instinct is more systematic and more technical as the techniques are burned into your CNS.
M
MartialArtist
Guest
So one thing that people should look for is how white the black belt is.
It's not always necessary for a good instructor to have a white belt, but it's a sign of experience. Like I said, it always isn't necessary and there are many factors. Like an instructor of a local school just got promoted to 6th dan, so of course it's going to be new. But his 5th one was gray. If all the belts are not worn out, that is a good indication on how fast he got promoted and the people overlooked his technique and abilities, etc. or whatever. That is just my opinion.
Again, a white black belt isn't necessary. There are many reasons that explain why the black belt isn't white. It just happens that one of the explanations is that he never really "used" it.
It's not always necessary for a good instructor to have a white belt, but it's a sign of experience. Like I said, it always isn't necessary and there are many factors. Like an instructor of a local school just got promoted to 6th dan, so of course it's going to be new. But his 5th one was gray. If all the belts are not worn out, that is a good indication on how fast he got promoted and the people overlooked his technique and abilities, etc. or whatever. That is just my opinion.
Again, a white black belt isn't necessary. There are many reasons that explain why the black belt isn't white. It just happens that one of the explanations is that he never really "used" it.
M
Master of Blades
Guest
I cant be bothered to take the test but I know my school isnt a McDojo because my father is the teacher and my mother learnt alongside him so I know heis the real deal. At first I didnt believe the storys and stuff but then I met the teacher and I realised otherwise. Im 100% sure it isnt. Case Closed.
OP
OP
J-kid
Guest
At least read it, Useful knowledge.
M
MartialArtist
Guest
Yes, but it's pretty obvious when one fakes it or not.
If the master has a whitened belt and just wants money, you can tell he's a fake. There are many ways to tell. However, it could be he's experienced in McDojo schools so hence, the white.
But just by talking to him, you can realize whether he's the real deal or a fake most of the time. If he says "my art = best", "sign $9000 annual contract", etc. - obvious
cali_tkdbruin
Master of Arts
Yes MAist, you're so right. If one has been doing the MAs for a while you'll know who's the real deal and who's a quack. Not that this really helps out a newbie.
Anyway, I believe that in order to determine who's for real has to do with just the manner in which a person comports themselves, the manner in which they speak about their art and more importantly in the way in which they teach and train their students. Also, it's about the manner in which they execute their techniques. If someone has been doing this martial arts experience for a while, and has the opportunity to observe a few of a supposed master's training sessions, one can usually tell if the master in question is the real deal or not - IMHO...
