MCDOJO Most common Style

[Beiner]

I dont think people in shaolin temples have grading systems. as when I was taking wushu, I was learning from some guy who lived in a shaolin temple from when he was very little till about 20. He's now 60 and says the belt system disrespects wushu because you should be there to learn, not to get belts. I dont nessicarially agree, but this guy is legit, he had monks ome and present him with persents adn everything when they were doing a tour of canada, His name is Mr.Tan. Search wushu under google and Im sure you can find his site somewhere.

[Beka]

The crazy cult dojo (which I am moving next door to, by the way) has two signs out in front, both egregious in size, that say: "KARATE" and "KUNG FU". According to their website, they teach bok-fu, which I believe I read as being a real style (as in, not just created for the use of this particular school). Someone from bullsh!do went and infiltrated the school, taking their introductory courses, and realizing that this place is capital C CRAZY CULT. But anyway. I see people dropping their kids off in expensive cars and thinking "man, you're paying all this money and your kids are still gonna get beat up".

[Budderfly]

Perhaps, any "kid" a "black belt"? As if a kid can handles that responsibility. Not to mention, pressurequote]

 

The kids in our school that get their black belt in the junior level average between 12 & 14. Just like anyone else, it take a minimum of 5 years to earn it.

 

They made a personal goal at an early age and met that. Don't you think that now that they applied themselves in something and did what they set out to do will prepare them for future goalsettings in life? I think it's great.

 

In school, tests and getting good grades will be reachable goals. They know what it takes (hard dedicated work) and how it feels to accomplish something.

 

At the Junior level they attend a different class than the adults. They understand that what they learn from White to Brown were fundamentals. The real training begins in Black Belt. I think that is very mature of them and I am proud of the people they have become. I've seen a lot of bratty spoiled kids that seek the easy way out of things. And if they contuinue this, they will not be as successful as the ones that know what perseverence means.

[karatekid1975]

Would it be heretical of me too say that McDojo's are becoming the most common style of Martial Art?

 

I kinda agree. Specially in my area. The most common style for McDojos here is TKD. There is only one good TKD school here, and I'm a student there .... shameless plug hehehehehe

 

All joking aside, I was at one school that the black belts thought they were the (insert ego here). But they weren't. Most of our green belts can whoop on them in sparring.

 

But there is McDojos for every style. I seen most of them in my search for a school here 3 years ago. This is McDojo capital of NY (didn't matter what style I looked into) LOL.

[47MartialMan]

Perhaps, any "kid" a "black belt"? As if a kid can handles that responsibility. Not to mention, pressurequote]

 

The kids in our school that get their black belt in the junior level average between 12 & 14. Just like anyone else, it take a minimum of 5 years to earn it.

 

They made a personal goal at an early age and met that. Don't you think that now that they applied themselves in something and did what they set out to do will prepare them for future goalsettings in life? I think it's great.

 

In school, tests and getting good grades will be reachable goals. They know what it takes (hard dedicated work) and how it feels to accomplish something.

 

At the Junior level they attend a different class than the adults. They understand that what they learn from White to Brown were fundamentals. The real training begins in Black Belt. I think that is very mature of them and I am proud of the people they have become. I've seen a lot of bratty spoiled kids that seek the easy way out of things. And if they contuinue this, they will not be as successful as the ones that know what perseverence means.

 

Yeah, and what happens to their confidence when they get beat by a non-martial artist? They earned a black belt and understand the responsibilties of it? So, the black belt in that school is only destined by years practcing required information, but ney that they are not able to back it up or understand it? Then why, if they need a reward for their effort, it be the same color or profound idea as adults?

[aefibird]

TKD is the most common McDojo style in my are of the country, closely followed by Kickboxing, "Kickboxing Karate" and various Kung Fu styles.

 

There's even a club in my area that teaches "Kickboxing Kung Fu" and claims that their goal is for everyone to reach blackbelt. That particular school once graded a student from beginner status up to black belt in about 6 months.

 

Unfortunately, the McDojo's are becoming more and more common and the respectable martial arts clubs are being driven 'underground'.

[Budderfly]

Yeah, and what happens to their confidence when they get beat by a non-martial artist? They earned a black belt and understand the responsibilties of it? So, the black belt in that school is only destined by years practcing required information, but ney that they are not able to back it up or understand it? Then why, if they need a reward for their effort, it be the same color or profound idea as adults?

 

I don't know how to answer your question the way you want to hear it. The kids in our school are very mature and even though I am confident they could handle themselves and not "freeze up", they still know that it is better to avoid situations instead of getting in them. They understand that fighting is a last resort. And if they did get in a fight, they're not going to beat their attacker senseless, they are going to stun them and run away. This is the best thing anyone could ask for.

 

What are the kids like in your dojang/dojo? You seem pretty solid on your thoughts.

[mattys]

Back on the topic of testing fees... all I have to say is wow. I would consider any dojo which had a fee to test a McDojo. My school has no fee for testing, and the tuition is $25 per month for the older students who were at the school when it first started (somewhere around $60/month for the rest).

[47MartialMan]

The kids in our school are very mature and even though I am confident they could handle themselves and not "freeze up", they still know that it is better to avoid situations instead of getting in them.

 

Not all true. Kids sway to peer pressure. Peer pressure is a terrible thing to fight. It will cause many problems. And woe, if any negative peers should discover that a kid has a black belt. Not only does the kid have to battle peers, he has to cope on why he has the black belt that cannot aid him and will not thorughly understand its concept.

 

They understand that fighting is a last resort. And if they did get in a fight, they're not going to beat their attacker senseless, they are going to stun them and run away. This is the best thing anyone could ask for.

 

No, because they will not succeed against peer pressure. They will not always win in a fight. Therefore, they will get confused on their rank which their abilities could not back up. Their minds are not mature enough to deal with such situations. Thus, it becomes a big responsibility. Heck, even some adults have a problem with this.

 

What are the kids like in your dojang/dojo? You seem pretty solid on your thoughts.

 

The problem is that outside thoughts and peers view the black belt rank as the ultimate symbol for martial art ability. They are going to "test" this ability. I have many situations that I can tell you. There are pyschological effects when awarding such a belt to young minds. Also, I have talked to many child pychologists on this matter. We have a "Junior Dojo Belt". It is grey and not black. My "kids" realize that the "black" is reserved for adults. They realize that the rank is "over-rated". In fact, my kids see "black belt kids" from other MA schools get harrassed from non-MA kids. So what good is their (black belt kids) accomplishments if they have to hide their black belt out of embarassment to not get "picked on"? The rank became so commercialized and "dangled" to mean excellence. How can a child understand its concept when they get beat in a fight? The rank is a "sell out" to keep a student interested.

[Jinxx0r]

In Soo Bahk Do the belt is Midnight Blue, not black. There is no such thing as a black belt. Black comes to signify that you've "finished" your training. This midnight blue belt is symbolic of your continual quest for perfection... you're not there but always trying to get there (even though you can never really reach perfection).

 

There is a young man in my dojang who is 14 and is a Cho Dan. I have no doubt in my mind that he could handle himself in any "adult" situation. In the dojang I train in, everything is earned... you don't "advance" to more difficult techniques until you show a true proficiency in your current technique. It takes a minimum of 42 months to even be considered for the Dan Shim Sa. I've seen students from many different do jangs and nothing leads me to believe that there is anything McDojo about Soo Bahk Do (yes, I know, other opinions may vary, but the US SBDMDK seems to be structured to stay away from this).

 

JMO.