How does one compete with a McDojo?

[Lupin1]

My instructor actually restructured our entire kids' program to "compete" with the local McDojo (I use compete loosely because we're a free program and they charge $120 a month, so we're not really competing with them for anything but respect). A lot of the kids were complaining that their friends were not only telling them they don't do "real" karate because they go to a free program, but were also giving them a hard time because the McDojo attendees would be black belts while our students at the same level or better might only be a blue belt. We were losing a lot of kids because of it and our students weren't being respected. So he kept the adult program the same but shifted the entire kids' curriculum to move them up the ranks faster and created a "junior black belt" with three degrees basically in the exact same place brown belt used to be (so they still have about 5 years of training before they get there), so a kid going through the three degrees of junior black belt would be doing the same stuff they previously would have done during the three degrees of brown belt and so by the time they got through all three degrees, they'd be at the same point to test for Shodan. The adult program stayed the same, so when I work out with the kids, despite the fact I'm wearing a green belt, I'm more on the level of the junior black belt as opposed to the kid green belts.

I find the discrepancy between the kid ranks and adult ranks a bit confusing and I don't like the idea of rank inflation for the purpose of appeasing children and shutting up bragging 12-year-old friends, but I have to say that after watching it for awhile, it works ok. I like the fact that the junior black belt coincides perfectly with the adult brown belt so that by the time they're ready to test for full black belt they haven't sacrificed anything and have the exact same training history. I even like that our one junior black belt is getting much more leadership experience than he would have gotten as a brown belt. It's good for him and the other kids. But in the end I think we're still going to be looked down upon for not being "real" karate despite our students getting higher quality instruction. That's life.

[bushido_man96]

I can see why your instructor did what he did. Kind of clever, too. Didn't change a thing, except some belt finagling.

At the same time, its too bad he decided he needed to do that because of the other dojo. As an instructor, I have never tried to convince anyone that they should come to our school as opposed to another. I'd kind of wonder about the other instructor if he is spouting that stuff to the other kids, or if its just the kids coming up with it on their own.

Just remember, talk is cheap.

[Lupin1]

I can see why your instructor did what he did. Kind of clever, too. Didn't change a thing, except some belt finagling.

Actually, come to think of it, he probably even made getting to Shodan for kids a little harder. He added another beginning kata to stretch out the colored belts and slow down progress a little bit. We do several easier non-Isshinryu kata before even getting to Seisan to develop skills first because, honestly, Seisan is pretty hard for a beginner. Our first one is kind of close Heian Shodan and the others develop skills and movements used in Seisan before they even get there. So now they're on their fourth belt before they even start Seisan and it's the fourth kata they learn. So they're getting more development there. And on top of that, they're getting the leadership experience of being a junior black belt, who helps lead classes and works with beginning students. So by adding junior black belt, he actually increased the requirements for Shodan while at the same time kids feel like they're progressing faster because they're going through the colored belts more quickly. Very smart.

And it is sad the other instructor feels the need to put our free program down. I can see him not wanting his students thinking "wow-- I can get better training for FREE over there instead of paying all this money here" and so he almost has to discredit us, but it's sad especially when our 2nd and 3rd grade students are getting put down by their peers for it. That's something kids get enough of.

[bushido_man96]

And it is sad the other instructor feels the need to put our free program down. I can see him not wanting his students thinking "wow-- I can get better training for FREE over there instead of paying all this money here" and so he almost has to discredit us, but it's sad especially when our 2nd and 3rd grade students are getting put down by their peers for it. That's something kids get enough of.

Yeah, that really is too bad. I'd almost be inclined go confront the guy about it, just ask him exactly what it is he tells his students about your school's program. I'd do it in a professional manner, after hours if at all possible, but I'd be interested in hearing what he would have to say.

[sensei8]

My instructor actually restructured our entire kids' program to "compete" with the local McDojo (I use compete loosely because we're a free program and they charge $120 a month, so we're not really competing with them for anything but respect). A lot of the kids were complaining that their friends were not only telling them they don't do "real" karate because they go to a free program, but were also giving them a hard time because the McDojo attendees would be black belts while our students at the same level or better might only be a blue belt. We were losing a lot of kids because of it and our students weren't being respected. So he kept the adult program the same but shifted the entire kids' curriculum to move them up the ranks faster and created a "junior black belt" with three degrees basically in the exact same place brown belt used to be (so they still have about 5 years of training before they get there), so a kid going through the three degrees of junior black belt would be doing the same stuff they previously would have done during the three degrees of brown belt and so by the time they got through all three degrees, they'd be at the same point to test for Shodan. The adult program stayed the same, so when I work out with the kids, despite the fact I'm wearing a green belt, I'm more on the level of the junior black belt as opposed to the kid green belts.

I find the discrepancy between the kid ranks and adult ranks a bit confusing and I don't like the idea of rank inflation for the purpose of appeasing children and shutting up bragging 12-year-old friends, but I have to say that after watching it for awhile, it works ok. I like the fact that the junior black belt coincides perfectly with the adult brown belt so that by the time they're ready to test for full black belt they haven't sacrificed anything and have the exact same training history. I even like that our one junior black belt is getting much more leadership experience than he would have gotten as a brown belt. It's good for him and the other kids. But in the end I think we're still going to be looked down upon for not being "real" karate despite our students getting higher quality instruction. That's life.

Ohh, I like it...ohh, I like it...ohh, I like it...I LIKE IT A LOT!! Solid post!!

[Dobbersky]

My junior program fits perfectly into the last Brown belts too.

From Junior 2nd Dan the syllabus perfectly prepares then for their next grade which would be adult 1st dan

[ossemon]

I don't think I've ever seen a shodan grading for a junior in my style in Norway. Don't know if there has ever been one either...

[sensei8]

My junior program fits perfectly into the last Brown belts too.

From Junior 2nd Dan the syllabus perfectly prepares then for their next grade which would be adult 1st dan

That's quite unique imho. Shindokan has JBB, but no ranking within the JBB. Can only rank as an adult.

[TreeKicker]

You could McDojo yourself up.

People get mad about McDojos because they have crossed a wire in their brains that think clean gyms + modern salesmanship = bad training.

You don't have to sacrifice the quality of your school. There is good evidence that drop out rates are the same between hard and easy activities because quitters gonna quit. He's doubled the number of belts and gives them out faster? So? Your belts don't mean jack stuff anyway.

Branding is a sacrament. Take out a small business loan. Use it to hire a marketing company. Get a real website and photos. Read a book on Search Engine Optimization. Clean your school up. Stop training people for free. If they aren't paying you, they are still probably paying for their smart phone and fast food. Let them get a land line and eat rice and beans if they want to train. I'm not joking.

If people are coming into your "hard core school" and not hacking it, that's because you as the teacher are not doing a good enough job teaching supplemental exercises to bring them up to speed. You are selling crap they can't use. They would stay if you would help them.

[sensei8]

You could McDojo yourself up.

People get mad about McDojos because they have crossed a wire in their brains that think clean gyms + modern salesmanship = bad training.

You don't have to sacrifice the quality of your school. There is good evidence that drop out rates are the same between hard and easy activities because quitters gonna quit. He's doubled the number of belts and gives them out faster? So? Your belts don't mean jack stuff anyway.

Branding is a sacrament. Take out a small business loan. Use it to hire a marketing company. Get a real website and photos. Read a book on Search Engine Optimization. Clean your school up. Stop training people for free. If they aren't paying you, they are still probably paying for their smart phone and fast food. Let them get a land line and eat rice and beans if they want to train. I'm not joking.

If people are coming into your "hard core school" and not hacking it, that's because you as the teacher are not doing a good enough job teaching supplemental exercises to bring them up to speed. You are selling crap they can't use. They would stay if you would help them.

First of all, I'd like to welcome you to KarateForums.

Secondly...Solid post!!