Can I have the Black Belt combo.... with a side of fry's?

[Sensei Rick]

I went to lunch today with a fellow MA instructor. As many of you know, my long time instructor and best friend passed away in November. I had a patch made to commemorate him and was showing to my buddy while discussing it placement on our gi’s. A fellow diner asked us what the patch was for and I told him it was for my Gi.

He asked us our style and then it took an interesting turn. He said that he was studying with a great master, who never lost in a tourney. He himself was invited to spar in his organization well before his rank would normally let him. He started to use all too familiar terms as to the status of his rank, but I will just let you know, he will be testing for his shodan in January. He talked of his many accomplishments and bragged in a way that led me to believe he was the star of his school. I asked him a few clever questions about technique, ones that a TKD stylist would definitely know. ( one of my BB’s is in TKD) His answer told me that he didn’t understand my query, so demonstrated the kick. (after I watched this pre black belt demonstrate his kick) We were doing different kicks, but that may just be a choice of terminology… I’ll let it go. I was above all… respectful to my fellow lunch mate. I admired his enthusiasm and love of the art and encouraged him as though he was one of my own students.

Subtly, I inquired about his costs of training. He said it was a mere 4,200 bucks with many of the fee’s waived. Now keep in mind, he is too test in January. He then mentioned a few other Fee’s that were involved in his training. Just before we all parted company I asked,….. so how long have you been studying. His reply, he has almost completed 2 years. Not quite two years. In January it will be 2 years for sure…. That’s a quote.

I told him that I was now studying with sensei koyama (who has quite a reputation here in phoenix.) I joined his school as a white belt, and told him that I want to train like the rest of his students and learn his way. I joined January 8th. I train 3 days a week for an hour a day. ( aside from being a full time karate instructor myself.) I told my guest that I haven’t yet received my yellow belt. He was taken aback. He asked me about it and I explained. I am still waiting to be told that I’m ready to test. He is still going to test in January. I might be a yellow belt by then…. We’ll see.

I finally was able to see what a Mc Dojo did with my own eyes. I had been down on my self for having a bit of bad retention this summer. Not horrible, but off from last and previous years…. And I’ve been raking my brain about it. But I have a ton of students that have been with me for 2 years……most of them longer than that. It’s easy for me to keep a student that long, heck they aren’t even really understanding MA till then!?! If I gave all the students that have been with me 2 years a black belt, then heck…. They’d love me!!! I wonder if they’d give me 4,200 bucks too!!!!

I have heard that term bandied about on these forums and used it myself and I know what a Mc Dojo is. I just hadn’t had it slap me in the face like that before. I hadn’t met the hamburgler or Ronald. But here I was…. Having lunch with an actual Mc Dojo student. It was quite a pickle….He should of sent his order back…. Okay.. I’ll stop now, I’m getting’ punchy.

I also see a few people on here wonder if they are in a Mcdojo or not. I think if you have to ask yourself that, then you are. Cuz if you’re not in a mc Dojo, there is no question. Just some food for thought.

[marie curie]

Wow, what an experience.... also 4200!?

Note to self: Loose principals and respect for martial arts, open school, order lots of black belts..$$

[The BB of C]

I know that if I'm not in a McDojo, I'm in the closest darn thing you can get to a McDojo without it actually being a McDojo. Not that I like it though.

[lordtariel]

The Blackbelt Gnomes!

Step 1: Open Dojo

Step 2: ???

Step 3: Profit!

Sorry, bad South Park humor. It's really sad to see the students of these people. They honestly think they're doing good when they're really being taken advantage of.

[marie curie]

Haha, that was actually what I was thinking about for my post, but I couldn't remember how it went

[G95champ]

I have a lot of students drop off after their first or second belt. I don't want to say I give those ranks away but at the same time I don't really care if they are a white, oragne or gold belt lol.

However by the time they get 9 months into it or so they find the testing and training picks up a lot.

I had a student come to me a few months ago and said I've been this color belt for 7 months and this other person has already tested 2 times and almost caught me. They wanted to know why they had not been given premission to test yet.

My answer was because you are asking me that question.

I think people need to see success early on but by the tiem they get to say 7 Kyu nothing is free or simple.

[mantis.style]

There are many forms of McDojo. Some Scam you for money. Some give bad teaching. The worst kind do both. The one over-riding thing is that somehow, they manage to brain-wash their students into thinking that their teacher is an amazing one of a kind super master.

[bushido_man96]

Wow, that would have been one heck of a lunch. It sounds to me like you handled with a lot of class, which may be something I am not capable of. It is good to see that after speaking with this individual that you felt much more confident about the training that you do, and the training that you offer your own students.

[masterintraining]

I went to lunch today with a fellow MA instructor. As many of you know, my long time instructor and best friend passed away in November. I had a patch made to commemorate him and was showing to my buddy while discussing it placement on our gi’s. A fellow diner asked us what the patch was for and I told him it was for my Gi.

He asked us our style and then it took an interesting turn. He said that he was studying with a great master, who never lost in a tourney. He himself was invited to spar in his organization well before his rank would normally let him. He started to use all too familiar terms as to the status of his rank, but I will just let you know, he will be testing for his shodan in January. He talked of his many accomplishments and bragged in a way that led me to believe he was the star of his school. I asked him a few clever questions about technique, ones that a TKD stylist would definitely know. ( one of my BB’s is in TKD) His answer told me that he didn’t understand my query, so demonstrated the kick. (after I watched this pre black belt demonstrate his kick) We were doing different kicks, but that may just be a choice of terminology… I’ll let it go. I was above all… respectful to my fellow lunch mate. I admired his enthusiasm and love of the art and encouraged him as though he was one of my own students.

Subtly, I inquired about his costs of training. He said it was a mere 4,200 bucks with many of the fee’s waived. Now keep in mind, he is too test in January. He then mentioned a few other Fee’s that were involved in his training. Just before we all parted company I asked,….. so how long have you been studying. His reply, he has almost completed 2 years. Not quite two years. In January it will be 2 years for sure…. That’s a quote.

I told him that I was now studying with sensei koyama (who has quite a reputation here in phoenix.) I joined his school as a white belt, and told him that I want to train like the rest of his students and learn his way. I joined January 8th. I train 3 days a week for an hour a day. ( aside from being a full time karate instructor myself.) I told my guest that I haven’t yet received my yellow belt. He was taken aback. He asked me about it and I explained. I am still waiting to be told that I’m ready to test. He is still going to test in January. I might be a yellow belt by then…. We’ll see.

I finally was able to see what a Mc Dojo did with my own eyes. I had been down on my self for having a bit of bad retention this summer. Not horrible, but off from last and previous years…. And I’ve been raking my brain about it. But I have a ton of students that have been with me for 2 years……most of them longer than that. It’s easy for me to keep a student that long, heck they aren’t even really understanding MA till then!?! If I gave all the students that have been with me 2 years a black belt, then heck…. They’d love me!!! I wonder if they’d give me 4,200 bucks too!!!!

I have heard that term bandied about on these forums and used it myself and I know what a Mc Dojo is. I just hadn’t had it slap me in the face like that before. I hadn’t met the hamburgler or Ronald. But here I was…. Having lunch with an actual Mc Dojo student. It was quite a pickle….He should of sent his order back…. Okay.. I’ll stop now, I’m getting’ punchy.

I also see a few people on here wonder if they are in a Mcdojo or not. I think if you have to ask yourself that, then you are. Cuz if you’re not in a mc Dojo, there is no question. Just some food for thought.

1.) 2 many puns lol.

i hav not met any1 like that yet but im sure now that i hav jus said that im going to very soon.

but i have determined this

student +good teacher = good student

bad teacher+student = bad student

good teacher + student + tournement = student doing very well in tournement

bad teacher + student + tournement = PAIN !!!!

good teacher + student + situation were u must defend urself = student defending themselves, defeating aggressor or escaping with life.

bad teacher+ student + situation were u must defend urself =

[gzk]

You know, it's funny, one of the fast food chains around here, Noodlebox, has a Black Belt Box. It's quite tasty. Maybe they should give away a belt with it

I'm very wary of anyone who says "You could have your black belt in 'x' years!" How about "You could have your black belt if and when you're good enough"? This is not elementary school, you do not get promoted on a schedule - actually, maybe academic schools should promote the way good martial arts schools do!