A McDojang Question

[Slydermv]

I've been surveying these boards for a while now and I've come to the conclusion for the past year and a half I've been training at a McDojang. Well at least I think it is. The tell tale signs of young and crappy black belts, and belt a month promotions are all there. For the most part our sparring is based on the sport side of the art and we do little in the form of work with the hands, joint locks... basically we practice kicking, have a demonstration team... etc.

 

Now... I have a question... is this really that bad of a thing for me? Should I run like the wind out of this place and head somewhere else?

 

I pose this question cause of this...

 

I started training when I was 23, just out of university, smoking a pack a day (which I now quit...woo hoo!) and in real bad shape. This is my first experiance in martial arts, and I'm loving it. I train a little more seriously then most I think... giving it my all in class, etc. and I'm in better shape then I have been for a long time.... I've never been more flexable, and I've got leg speed I've never though possible for me... (and I'm only a purple belt...) I've also notice that my master seems to have noticed this and dosen't seem to promote me as fast as the rest of the students in the class even though I'm at their same skill level if not better. (Then again... I could be delusional and really suck... heh). I don't know if this is a money suck, or he sees that fact that I'm in not hurry for the BB and am actually there to train.

 

There are a few pluses here, and the self defence portion... well I understand the fact that I'm not tossing kicks to the head in a real fight... and though my hand work prolly sucks, a few kicks to the knee of someone will prolly get me out of a bad situation quick. Course I tend to stay out of those types of situations.

 

Anyways... from my reasoning, this is a good place for me to start, while increasing my flexibilty and stamina, I'm learning a few some good techniques in the process (As a teacher my master is really good...trained in Korea... for those of us in the school who pay attention). I'm a little scared to go to a more traditional school from what I've read until I'm in a lot better condition.

 

I don't know.. am I deluding myself? Am I just justifiying staying... should I run like the wind?

 

Any advice would be great, especially from someone who might have trained in more traditional places as well as more mainstream ones... I'm kinda torn at the moment....

 

Thanks.

[karatekid1975]

Wait. You do WTF and there kid BB's? I thought the WTF had an age limit for that?

 

Anyways, I wouldn't necessarily "dub" your dojang a McDojang. You are in the typical sport WTF school. But that doesn't make it all bad. It sounds like you guys do train hard, and you are getting in good shape, so it isn't all that bad.

 

But the "belt test a month" thing, I have a question about. In my dojang we have tests every 6 weeks. BUT, we CAN NOT test every 6 weeks. Like me for example (when I was still a brown belt that is .... testing for red belts are different) I would take one test, skip one test, the take the following. That works out to be three months at one rank. That how our testing works. So here's my question, if I was at your school, would I be testing (getting a belt) every month? Or is it like my dojang, I have to skip a test?

 

Just wondering. Because if you were allowed to get a new belt every month, then yes, that sounds a little McDojang-ish.

[PrideampPoise]

KK has some good questsions.

 

Beyond that, I'd say that really it depends on what your goals are. If your goals are to (1) continue improving your conditioning and flexibility, and (2) get involved in the sport side of TKD, while learning a little true self defense along the way, then you probably are fine where you are.

 

Martial Arts do not HAVE to be all about street fighting, or even traditional forms and meditation. If the school is fulfilling your needs, you don't need to go in search of something else. Its no different than if you found a gym or a dance class you really like... there's no right or wrong. You just have to be careful not to delude yourself into thinking you are getting something that you are not.

 

On the other hand, if true self defense and "traditional" Martial Arts are more what you are interested in, then you might want to look around for another school. I wouldn't worry about not being in what you consider adequate condition to start at one of those schools. A good instructor does not expect you to be in great, or even good shape walking in off the street. They will only expect you to progress and work hard once you join.

 

If you do decide to look around, make sure you talk to the instructor before you sign up at a new school. Tell him what you are looking to accomplish, and also tell him about your concerns, and see if he gives you answers you are comfortable with.

[Slydermv]

Well.... so far I've done about the same... gotten a belt every three months or so. I've been at purple (5 out of 10 belts)... well this is my fourth month. My master has testing at the end of every month for people he selects to test. (i.e. you don't necessicarily get to test every other month... only when you're selected)

 

There are however people who test alot faster. I know of at least five or six people who started later then me... months later... and are now at the same or higher belt levels.... (One person is two belts higher for example... though she comes to over 5 classes a week usually... I do maybe 4).... hence the belt a month comment (it averages out pretty close to that... of course this gets my sensors up because... well as I see it... my forms, technique and overall attitude are better then these people... that and our school has been doing really well lately and it seems a bit of a belt factory.... people have actually turned down BB testing requests cause they thought it was too early)

 

But again I guess I dhould worry more about myself and less about other people... heh

 

As for the kid black belts.. there are allow to test at young ages yes... though they get a red strip at the end of there belt to signify they are still under age. (so yeah... we are WTF... my masters brother was a Canadian junior national coach for Olympic TKD one year.... and we are a clone of his school)

 

*nods at the comments from both people* Thanks for the feedback.... I plan to try other arts but figure I gotta start somewhere... but I don't wanna be in a place where I'm gonna have to unlearn everything I've learnt either This dosen't seem to be the case so far.

 

I really like the traditional side of the martial arts as well... but scheduals at this place are really flexable and I figure it's where I can get my best workout...

[tkdBill]

if you were allowed to get a new belt every month, then yes, that sounds a little McDojang-ish.

 

Of course that depends on how many different belts they have. If they have 27 different belt colors, then it would be less McDojang-ish than the school that has 8 belt colors but only lets you test every two months.

 

I'm a taupe belt and I'm testing for my fuchsia belt next week.

 

--

[ramymensa]

So far I see you like the place and the condition you have after the training. You could indeed stay there and continue your training, or move on if you are really sure they cannot provide the workout you need. A McDojang is bad if you take everything for granted and believe in 2 years time you can become the father of all martial arts living or dead. If you realise you true potential, feel challenged there and like the place, then stay

[taiji fajin]

If its giving you what you need, while at the same time not putting you at risk (either through direct injury or by giving you a false sense of what you can accomplish so later you become injured), by all means stay. If its not, leave. There are "real" martial arts in my town, and "McDojangs," and while I would choose the real ones, I know people who the McDojangs far better suit what they want out of a martial art. To them, there's no point in going to a real one over a McDojang.

[karatekid1975]

Slydermv, thanks. You answered my question. Now, to me anyways, it doesn't seem like you are in a McDojang at all.

There are however people who test alot faster. I know of at least five or six people who started later then me... months later... and are now at the same or higher belt levels.... (One person is two belts higher for example... though she comes to over 5 classes a week usually... I do maybe 4).... hence the belt a month comment (it averages out pretty close to that... of course this gets my sensors up because... well as I see it... my forms, technique and overall attitude are better then these people... that and our school has been doing really well lately and it seems a bit of a belt factory.... people have actually turned down BB testing requests cause they thought it was too early)

 

But again I guess I dhould worry more about myself and less about other people... heh

 

Did these other people have previous experience at MA (the ones who test faster)?

 

But I do see your point about your technique, attitude, ect are better than some. I'm kinda asking myself that too (for my dojang that is). BUT people are made different, and can't do certian things like we can. Some have physical "troubles" but yet, they work their tails off. They may have a physical problem that limits some techniques that you don't know about. People wonder why I'm a red belt and can't do more than 25 push-ups. They don't know I have CTS in my wrists.

 

Anyways, my point is, don't judge a book by its cover. Like you said, worry about you. Not them. Work on what you need to work on. It sounds like your dojang is ligit, so just train hard

[pegasi]

I'm one of those people with a disability, so I know how the "invisible" disability goes. I'll never really master some of the jump kicks, as I cannot take any impacts (landings) with my right knee. I'm bone on bone, and that HURTS to land on. I tried and paid in days of pain, which told me that it just wont take that kind of stress. So, when it comes to jump front kick, I can only do it left sided, and I think a flying sidekick is going to be way beyond me. I can't do pushups right either, I can't take the pressure on the knee, and I'm not strong enough for hands and toes pushups, so I have to do them on one knee, being very careful to not stress the good knee.

 

My instructor does a lot of self defense related training, as well as some competition style training, which I think is great. The breakaways, step sparring and things of that nature I can do. Just not the fancy demonstration stuff. My instructor also tells me that they will make allowances for things I cannot physically accomplish when it comes to testing, some schools won't.

[Slydermv]

Did these other people have previous experience at MA (the ones who test faster)?

 

No... not that I know of... but I have to agree... I should just worry about myself. I'd rather be an purple belt who can handle myself in comps at that level then a higher belt who isn't prepared.

 

I'm also starting to understand that there are some politics at my Dojang... and it is a business afterall...

 

But... I am getting what I want out of the school (a very good question to ask myself... thank you all!) so I guess it isn't all that bad. Plus... I think I'm gonna be involved in martial arts for many years to come now so I'm sure I'll get my share of some more traditional experiances in the future.

 

But man do I have a long way to go... heh heh heh.