here's a pic of the McDojo I learned in (since apparently I'm a McDojo)
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here's a pic of the McDojo I learned in (since apparently I'm a McDojo)
It seems like McDojo should be a complimentary term rather than have bad connotations.
Because, what was McDonalds famous for? Why was it and is it so popular? It focuses on the desires of the consumer, and how to provide that desire in a large scale.
Attention to speed and service and quality in their franchising.
So yes, I belong to a McDojo. Why? Because like at McDonalds, the dojo serves me. It serves my kids. It provides an environment to learn and practice martial arts that is fun, is clean, is pretty safe, provides a set way to gauge progress through the curriculum (belts), a set way to gauge progress in fighting (sparring and tournaments), it gives me a place where I can train with my kids (in fact my kids went to my first seminar which was a riot ... teaching kids, teens and soccer moms how to take each other down safely).
Basically I don't know why anybody's putting down McDojos. I admit I used to do it but really they are just giving people what they want. Not everybody wants to fight like a UFC fighter.
And in my estimation most so-called non-McDojo schools don't teach anything more or better. If you want to train to be a UFC fighter go to Team Quest or something like that.
DR-The smell of black bean and garlic must have driven you crazy! lol
I know it used to drive me nuts if i was hungry. :)
Would you say that Sport Karate = McDojo?Quote:
Originally Posted by neilhytholt
I say, maybe not.
We all know that Sport Karate is not the UFC or Pride. But it is a venue to test skills with a minimal amount of risk. Do those skills translate into effective self defense on the street? I would say, most times no. But in many cases a sport Karate school will offere defense classes that are effective in the real world. Also, any good martial art teaches awareness and being aware of your surroundings is your first, best defense.
So, while Sport Karate may not be the best thing for overall self defense in a real world situation, that doesn't make it a McDojo. As long as they're being honest in what they are teaching.
In fact, thinking about it more, if most all martial arts schools had the same curriculum, set, certified, just think about how easier it would be to move from one school to another?
I think they should have a McDojo franchise. Why not? As long as they include sparring in their curriculum, why the heck not?
They can have a chain of MMA schools for people interested in that, a chain of grappling schools for people interested in that.
Why not?
It would be so much simpler than everybody wants to be a Grandmaster of their own style.
Then what's a McDojo? Because if sport TKD and sport Karate aren't McDojos, then I don't know what isn't.Quote:
Originally Posted by Chief Fox
The only reason we're doing karate is because the TKD doesn't use any open hand gloves. Martial arts without takedowns IMHO is really stupid (just watch Final Fu to see some of that).
I think the money grubbing, sub par martial arts, black belt factory is the mcdojo.Quote:
Originally Posted by neilhytholt
I've attached a picture of my last sifu.
So from I gather, is the a MCDojo serves the public 5 million strong. LOL.
I take it that a commercial TCMA school that teaches MMA, Grappling, and also cardio kickboxing are considered McDojo's?
I'm so glad i teach at the park.:cool:
hsk
The school I'm at now is very commercial, but I don't think it has yet crossed the line into McDojo. The head instructor is still very interested in producing quality students.
The school will not think twice about postponing someones promotion. All the black belts there do very good traditional Kata and know the Bunkai. The black belt test is actually trying and not just Kata.
They don't have any full contact or serious application classes, but while those things have been around for a long time, they aren't exactly traditional. His teacher in Okinawa didn't teach that way. The demand for full contact fighting is relatively new, UFC, and not every serious MA desires to train that way. Many schools have to reintroduce these things because traditionally MA had other outlets for this kind of training, like real fighting.
The school, does not charge too much in my estimation. It does have most of the bells and whistles of a Mcdojo type school, like three different colored uniforms (white, black, red) and different programs like black belt club and masters club. They have an after school kids (day care program) and family classes.
Some times the Sensei does things business wise that I find distastefully, then he also does things that aren't about making money, but giving to the students, Masters, MA community.
They didn't necessarily do full contact sparring in Okinawa from what I was told (that was reserved for actual fighting), but the way the practiced and demonstrated the techniques was much harder than they do in most places today (once again, just from what I've been told).
Anyway, I'm a big fan of McDojos now. I think I'm going to train at my McDojo for another 3-5 years until my kids are a little older, and then open up a my own chain.
In fact, I've already got the business plan outline done and I've done some studies of costs vs. revenue. I figure if I can open 15 schools and then sell out I can retire in 5 years. (I'd say how I plan on accomplishing this but that's top secret). LOL
I'm not sure about the answer... Are we talking American football? FIFA? Ozzie rules?Quote:
Originally Posted by Dragon Warrior
And TBH I've never met an 18 yr-old ex-footballer.
... :rolleyes:
I did train against a 25 yr-old ex-(American) footballing weights-instructor marine once. Stand-up I would have died, so I took him down twice, let him take me down once, got and maintained superior position all three times (five minutes rounds sparring) and couldn't submit him. His bicep was literally thicker than my thigh however, and he was 6'6 and about 150 kgs of functional muscle, against my 6'1 and (then) 72 kgs of functional bone. For my first all-out MMA sparring session I think I deserve a medal! Unfortunately, he did finally (at the end of the third round) get me in a neck crank which put me out of training for two mths.
I learned a lot, like how not to pay any attention to people calling themselves Dragon Warrior. :D
My Sensei's son is a 17 yr old football player, benches nearly 300, and is a Nidan. :eek: I'm pretty sure I could take him. :p :rolleyes:
My point is that if an average athlete can beat up the head instructor at your school, maybe you shouldnt train there.
I know that a lot of people on this forum train hard and are tough.
But if 90% of schools out there are McDojos, then why shouldnt I assume that 90% of the people on this forum dont train at one of them.
And by the way, in my opinion, just because you have a "legit" lineage, your teacher is chinese, and you response to everything your sifu says is "YES SIFU," does not disqualify you from training at a McDojo.
And also, there are a lot of tough fighters that train and teach at schools like Tiger Shulmans and United Studios. (not saying I train at them)
I guess I just don't get your point.
At every school aren't there people with different physical strength levels, different commitment levels, etc.?
How does a traditional school that does very little sparring and mostly forms qualify as a non-McDojo? It would seem that a school that does a lot of tournament sparring is better than this.
Therefore, like I said, it seems like McDojo is a complimentary term rather than derogatory.
If anything now I'm tired of so-called 'traditional' martial arts.
Most So called "Traditional" martial arts are actually modern. The mostly forms platform is relatively new. In the old days it was lots of two man work, and drills. The forms were for teachers to help organise thier curriculem, and give them something to keep in shape with during thier solo times.