AMP-RYU
Black Belt
For all those wondering what Mcdojo is check out this schools site. Look at their masters and black belt and look at their testing requirements! Its hilarious!!!!!!!!!
WorldTaekwondo.com:erg:
WorldTaekwondo.com:erg:
The definition of a McDojo!!
- Thread starter AMP-RYU
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TheEdge883
Green Belt
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Not really sure where your problem with this school comes from. The school looks like a typical TKD dojang. Mind clarifying your posting?
Tetsujin
Yellow Belt
that's...wow. was that the whole test? was that after they ran a marathon or something?
jf
Sylo
Purple Belt
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To me there are many things that can/cannot signify a mcdojo..
here are a few of those things...
1. extremely high prices
2. Package deals for families (not always)
3. extra curricular activites that have little to do with the art (foam weapons)
4. exhorbatant amount of belts, with strange non standard colors (camo, pink, etc.)
5. Testing fees for stripes and in between ranks
6. fees for everything, even things you wouldn't think about
7. Lax Instruction
here are a few of those things...
1. extremely high prices
2. Package deals for families (not always)
3. extra curricular activites that have little to do with the art (foam weapons)
4. exhorbatant amount of belts, with strange non standard colors (camo, pink, etc.)
5. Testing fees for stripes and in between ranks
6. fees for everything, even things you wouldn't think about
7. Lax Instruction
All I know is Mc Dojo's are making money off these people, while a real school stuggles to pay the bils.
Sylo
Purple Belt
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They don't know the difference. If its easy, it must be good right?
In some people minds it is, me make it smell like sweat and I am there. I can remember what a old workout plcae smelled like.
BrandonLucas
3rd Black Belt
- Joined
- Dec 31, 2007
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- 902
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You can still sweat at a McDojo/McDojang. The instruction may be lax, but it doesn't mean that people still don't get a good workout...but, by the same token, they may not be learning any or all of the art.
Prices for everything should be the biggest thing to watch out for...it's one thing to require that everyone own every piece of sparring equipment made...it's another to requre that everyone purchase it only through the dojo/dojang.
You shouldn't have to pay a testing fee when you're not testing for the next full rank...sure, you can test for stripes on your belt, and I understand their value....but it shouldn't cost anything to test for a couple of strips of electrical tape on the end of your belt.
The price that you pay per month shouldn't be more expensive than your average powerbill at home...if it costs more to train at a dojo than it does to have lights on at your house, then you should probably rethink your priorities...unless, of course, you have a small, energy effecient home...in which case, you suck for being able to save that much money.
Sometimes, family package deals are a good idea, sometimes they're not...I think the family package deals I would watch out for are the ones that have the entire family testing for ranks at the same time...look around and see how many families you see in the dojo/dojang that all have the same rank, especially the higher rank ones. You shouldn't see an entire family of redbelts...usually people take different lengths of time to earn higher ranks. Little Billy may take 6 months to go from Blue Belt to Red Belt, while it takes Daddy only 2 months.
Watch out for a large number of blackbelts...not that a single dojo/dojang can only have a certain number, but remember that a blackbelt should be the hardest belt to earn.
Also, watch out for wee little blackbelts...typically under 10 years old.
If you sit in and watch a class, pay close attention to the blackbelts in the class, if there are any. Blackbelts can be out of shape, but you should be able to tell why they earned their blackbelt initially. Unless there's something physically limiting the blackbelt that prohibits movement, their technique had better be lightyears beyond the whitebelts.
Count how many belts there are between white and blackbelt. More than 6? It's been done with an extra belt or 2 thrown in...but more than 8 belts...yeah, something's not right.
The typical progression of rank in TKD is white, yellow, green, blue, red, black. There are variations in there, especially when we're talking about different arts. But, when you start seeing camo, tie-dye, rainbow, or any other combination of colors, be wary.
The instructor had better be able to perform the techniques...note that I'm saying instructor here...not the person actually "running" the school...but the person on the matt that's giving the directions. If they can't kick and punch like the students can....then you may want to start walking away.
Credentials is another thing...many instructors have quite a few certificates and things hanging on the wall. Feel free to inspect any of them, and remember what the certs are for so that you can research them later...or, better yet, ask about them. And then research them. Just because an instructor has 17 plaques on the wall doesn't mean that he's any more qualified to instruct than any of the whitebelts in class.
So, yeah, that's my list that I usually keep in mind. I'm sure I'm missing some things in there.
Prices for everything should be the biggest thing to watch out for...it's one thing to require that everyone own every piece of sparring equipment made...it's another to requre that everyone purchase it only through the dojo/dojang.
You shouldn't have to pay a testing fee when you're not testing for the next full rank...sure, you can test for stripes on your belt, and I understand their value....but it shouldn't cost anything to test for a couple of strips of electrical tape on the end of your belt.
The price that you pay per month shouldn't be more expensive than your average powerbill at home...if it costs more to train at a dojo than it does to have lights on at your house, then you should probably rethink your priorities...unless, of course, you have a small, energy effecient home...in which case, you suck for being able to save that much money.
Sometimes, family package deals are a good idea, sometimes they're not...I think the family package deals I would watch out for are the ones that have the entire family testing for ranks at the same time...look around and see how many families you see in the dojo/dojang that all have the same rank, especially the higher rank ones. You shouldn't see an entire family of redbelts...usually people take different lengths of time to earn higher ranks. Little Billy may take 6 months to go from Blue Belt to Red Belt, while it takes Daddy only 2 months.
Watch out for a large number of blackbelts...not that a single dojo/dojang can only have a certain number, but remember that a blackbelt should be the hardest belt to earn.
Also, watch out for wee little blackbelts...typically under 10 years old.
If you sit in and watch a class, pay close attention to the blackbelts in the class, if there are any. Blackbelts can be out of shape, but you should be able to tell why they earned their blackbelt initially. Unless there's something physically limiting the blackbelt that prohibits movement, their technique had better be lightyears beyond the whitebelts.
Count how many belts there are between white and blackbelt. More than 6? It's been done with an extra belt or 2 thrown in...but more than 8 belts...yeah, something's not right.
The typical progression of rank in TKD is white, yellow, green, blue, red, black. There are variations in there, especially when we're talking about different arts. But, when you start seeing camo, tie-dye, rainbow, or any other combination of colors, be wary.
The instructor had better be able to perform the techniques...note that I'm saying instructor here...not the person actually "running" the school...but the person on the matt that's giving the directions. If they can't kick and punch like the students can....then you may want to start walking away.
Credentials is another thing...many instructors have quite a few certificates and things hanging on the wall. Feel free to inspect any of them, and remember what the certs are for so that you can research them later...or, better yet, ask about them. And then research them. Just because an instructor has 17 plaques on the wall doesn't mean that he's any more qualified to instruct than any of the whitebelts in class.
So, yeah, that's my list that I usually keep in mind. I'm sure I'm missing some things in there.
That is just plain sad...
dancingalone
Grandmaster
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Self-delusion can be very powerful. If my technique looked like that I would be embarrassed to even wear a brown belt, much less a 3rd dan! His instructor did him no service at all, passing him through the ranks.
MasterWright
Purple Belt
Are they all like that?
Cirdan
Senior Master
:lfao: Thanks for the laugh, I needed that.
3rd black grading? That wouldn`t pass yellow in a serious school. Honorary pink maybe.
Manny
Senior Master
Manny
Senior Master
Back in my old days, we train in a small (but good) dojan with wood floor,where blisters in the feet were comon, the training was hard, we did knuckle pushups, the lockers ohh yes they smell like hell I mean sweat and hard work, sparring was full using only shin pads (not every one used at that time) and a chest protector, forget helmet and mouth protectors or forearm/elbow pads.
The technikes were ALL MARTIAL, with speed and grace, all the comends were in Korean languaje, we use a lot thew power shiled to develop strong acurated kicks, we practide punches.
I had twice exmans per year one every six months, I got my BB afther 4.5 years of good work, my second dan test will cost me:
-2 years of hard work.
- two injures on my feet.
- a lot of pain and sweat.
- a lot of care of my sambuning and classmates.
Afther seen this post I'm glad I work out in a a good dojan, with a good sambunim, maybe not as old fashioned as I like it, but not a McDojo.
Manny
The technikes were ALL MARTIAL, with speed and grace, all the comends were in Korean languaje, we use a lot thew power shiled to develop strong acurated kicks, we practide punches.
I had twice exmans per year one every six months, I got my BB afther 4.5 years of good work, my second dan test will cost me:
-2 years of hard work.
- two injures on my feet.
- a lot of pain and sweat.
- a lot of care of my sambuning and classmates.
Afther seen this post I'm glad I work out in a a good dojan, with a good sambunim, maybe not as old fashioned as I like it, but not a McDojo.
Manny
SA_BJJ
Blue Belt
Theres this crazy word I think of when I read your post...lawsuit. It happens and thats why the training has gotten a little "easier".
jim777
Master Black Belt
I wish I could laugh at that, but it's just too sad. To think of all the time wasted at that wretched excuse for a school...time that could have been so much better spent somewhere else. Those poor kids are being robbed, plain and simple.
i'll 'fess up to attending a mcdojo or two. quick promotions, lots of testing fees, questionable skills. it's a stepping stone, kind of like letting kids read goosebumps & comic books hoping that their taste & ability will mature. if that's all there is around, sometimes that's what you have to work with.
none of the skills looked half as bad as what was in that clip though. the technique always looked more or less correct even if nobody could figure out how to apply it.
jf
