My McDojo Rant!!!

[unknownstyle]

So walking to the store recently i have noticed in the window of my local Tkd McDojo a banner that says "Top 3 of 2014 Readers Choice". And i am bothered by it. just down the road i attend a traditional Japanese/Okinawan dojo that's home to four different styles taught by 3 different instructors-Iaido, Tomiki Aikido, Jodo and Uechi Ryu. now my peoblem is this traditional school that charges just enough to keep their doors open and the power on doesn't have one of these banners! Now i know awards like that mean nothing but its good recognition. the school awarfed this this has several blackbelts whom in my own opinion wouldn't pass for a green belt in a good school, practice light to contact sparring only, and when doing one steps wave their hands around their uke in no realistic fashion and are told they're learning something of value?! Why do the crap schools get the attention while schools whom teach the way it ahould be taught and not try to make a crazy profit not get recognition from the public? To me its outrageous and sad to see what the community believes is food martial arts. anyone else have any stories like this one to share?

[CredoTe]

Absolutely... In my area, the "karate" McDojos outnumber the "TKD" McDojos, and many of the "karate" McDojos teach the same or similar style as mine. This makes the situation even more frustrating, not to mention confusing for prospective students.

IMHO, it's utterly useless to directly take on any McDojo, as they will always have more money and political / community influence than you or I. The way forward, again IMHO, is by being as open and honest as we possibly can with our students regarding our MAs. This will lead to a stronger transmission of our MAs to our students.

What I mean by this is: a) concepts & techniques taught to students must make fighting sense and be skill level targeted; b) any knowledge, history, etc of our MAs that is given to students must be based on facts that can be verified, not just hearsay; c) if our own, personal knowledge and/or experience of our MAs do not provide a "fighting sense" explanation of a concept or technique, we must be able to say to our students "I don't know, but I'll find out" or "this is how Sensei has us do it, I don't know why, but I'll find out" - we must refrain from inventing an explanation on our own; and, d) likewise for any knowledge, history, lineage, etc of our MAs that we are unable to give an accurate answer to students - just say to them "I don't know, but I'll find out" - refrain from inventing an answer.

See, we have to realize that new students, especially those with no previous MA experience, will believe just about anything you tell them about our MAs, but only up to a point. If they're given a wishy-washy answer to something that doesn't make sense to them, we will start to lose them. They will only stick around for so long, then they're gone. If they're given a clear, sensible answer, that will solidify their learning and engender respect; "I don't know, but I'll find out" IS a clear, sensible answer for something which you are unable to give an accurate answer for.

To me, the biggest red flag about McDojo's or McDojo-minded instructors is that they act like they know everything and have an answer for any and all questions, MA related or not. Instructors are suppose to have a lot of knowledge, true, but what I'm referring to is, if an explanation is given for a concept or technique that doesn't make sense, that the instructor can only provide "my Sensei said so" or "I'm the Sensei, so it will work" type of answers when questioned about the sensibility of their explanation.

Aside from all that, there is a silver lining to being in close proximity to McDojos. The students who want instant gratification, usually without too much work, will gravitate to the McDojos, leaving for us more students whose interest is truly learning an art and fighting sense for personal defense.

[Patrick]

Hey unknownstyle,

Opinions will vary and beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I think it's important to accept that. Having managed this community for 13 years, I've seen plenty of martial artists who have trouble doing so, especially in relation to other schools. For example: if someone prefers another school, they lack experience and taste. Perhaps they just like that school better than yours. Or they like the people at that school better than you. It's a bitter thing to have to accept.

Your post here indicates that you are angry that this other school received recognition while yours (or another school) did not. Assuming this is a legitimate award, and not something made up, I would research how the top 3 schools are selected.

I would then channel this energy into attempting to get that school recognized. For example, if it is a readers choice award, that implies that there is a specific period where readers can write into whatever publication publishes the results to vote. Contact the publication and find out when that is.

Check with the rules of the competition, but there is a fair chance that they want organizations to encourage their customers to write in or vote. That would be your next step. When the time comes for the 2015 Readers Choice awards, be ready and with luck, maybe your school will be honored similarly. If it's not your school, then work with the owner of it.

When someone wins an award, if you ask most people, the majority will say that someone else should have won it. If you win, the same will be true of you.

Good luck.

Patrick

[DWx]

You can't doubt that the so called McDojos are often excellent businesses too. That's one of the things that differentiates them from "normal" dojos. They also tend to have excellent marketing strategies. They often go after these types of awards because it's a great thing to advertise to pull in more students. I don't think it's really fair to complain unless you also put yourself up for the award and entered the competition too. Sure they may not teach what you regard as good martial arts but as Patrick said, the school may be preferable to some people for other reasons. Maybe it has a great team and family atmosphere - a lot of them do. Maybe it's some other reason.

I totally agree with CredoTe's post. The only way forward if you want to compete with them, maintain standards and integrity and just stay focused on your own training and teaching.

Check with the rules of the competition, but there is a fair chance that they want organizations to encourage their customers to write in or vote. That would be your next step. When the time comes for the 2015 Readers Choice awards, be ready and with luck, maybe your school will be honored similarly. If it's not your school, then work with the owner of it.

When someone wins an award, if you ask most people, the majority will say that someone else should have won it. If you win, the same will be true of you.

As they say, got to be in it to win it. If you do want these kinds of recognition awards, make sure you're ready for next time.

[unknownstyle]

The award is based on reviews done for the local newspaper. usually i would let things like this go, but the instructors from what i have witnessed drill into their students that they are the only way and that they are better than others. when i spoke with the head instructor and told them of my background they all but flat out told me why what they do is better than what i do. they drill into the heads of their students that they are preparing then for the rigors of what combat is, when it actuality i believe they're giving them a false sense of security.

sure if someone wants to do martial arts for the workout and fitness that's great. but when they're not combat effective in their methods of training take the blackbelt away from it and make itan aerobics class. i hate being classed with these people whom also wear a blackbelt and everyone have the idea that a blackbelt is nothing more than a joke. real martial artists are laughed at and made into a joke because of. school such as this one.

i apologize if i got a bit passionate but like therest of you i have dedicated a great deal of my life to my study and hate seeing its image ruined by those who wish to commercialize and profit from it.

[sensei8]

Imho,

There's no use in getting angry with said McDojo's because they'll be here until a law is passed that will end things that make them McDojo's.

The banner in the window is just a marketing tool that will or will not attract perspective new students. Customers are dumber than a rock! They know what they want, and they know how to ask questions, and they know how to come to a decision. However, some will fall prey to that marketing tool; can't stop it's potential drawing power; that's why marketing tools are just that...tools to draw the customer through the front door.

Trial lessons can pour mud all over their first impressions. First impressions, aka, proof is on the floor, can either win students or lose students. Not all customers/students will see the red flags until it's too late, if they see them at all.

You've received some pretty good advice, imho, before my post here. Just relax, do your training and try to not let McDojo's and the like ruin your MA betterment.

Dai-Soke told us to..."Concentrate on YOUR training, and don't worry about things that you can't change!!" In that, I got this...Worry about yourself, and don't worry about everyone else!! I understand the frustration, believe me. I've no use for McDojo's and the like, but, the only thing I can do is worry about my students and my dojo.

So, I can rest my head without any worries when I go to bed, not quite so sure that McDojo owners can say the same thing.

Let them be what they are!! All I seem to do is just shake my head in disbelief and feel for McDojo students. Hopefully, one day, one a McDojo student will walk into my dojo or yours, and have a "Aha" moment, and breathe a sigh of relief, and hopefully they'll join your dojo or mine or someone else's solid school of the MA.

[Archimoto]

A lot of good posts here and I'd like to echo Patrick's advice.

Maintaining standards and integrity is one thing, and having a targeted plan for public relations is another. With a little research you might find that it's not so hard to get recognized in local publications.

If this helps increase your outreach thereby helping more people stay fit and learn self defense then it's not all bad...

[unknownstyle]

Yall are all very right. I've just been on a McDojo hate trip lately. it all started after looking into a Hapkido/Tang Soo Do school and one of the website and pamphlet both stated "training with us will make you fearless and you will be able to defeat any attacker". I know this for myself that after a decade of dedicated training i am not fearless and know that in a violent situation it is still possibly a 50/50 shot that i could walk away unharmed and hate seeing people that don't know any better being taken advantage of and their lives put in danger for believing things like this. i will try and put sone of yalls advice to use. it is easier to rest at night knowing the people i have taught were taught sonething substantial and that they have a shot if ever forced to use it. thanks for yalls input

[bushido_man96]

I do think Patrick and DWx are making very good points. What the McDojos have figured out is how to market. That's what the smaller dojos and dojangs need to figure out how to do. If they want the same recognition. There are always going to be the one's out there that market the "we make you deadly" facet; that will never go away.

The other tactic to take is to combat what those dojos advertise. But you can't do it by just calling them liars and such. You need to gather some facts, sort them out, and figure out how to use them to argue your points. That will give you more standing and credibility than otherwise pounding the table would.

I can understand where your frustration comes from. Look into the award; it might be worth it. Or, be thankful for what you learn and where you learn it, and that it perhaps isn't as saturated as a McDojo might be. When people argue with you, just smile inwardly, and let them think what they want.

[mal103]

Another view of the clowns and conmen is that they are turning some people against MA as they turn up, pay lots of money and several months later they feel they are no different to when they started. This is a bad thing as then the attitude shifts towards MA being useless.

On a positive note they will also attract in people that would maybe have never of dreamed of walking into a Dojo, how many parents have you seen start because their kid wanted to have a go, I have a few who are still training with me long after their kid went onto something else, they wouldn't have normally given it a go.

This leads to where real Dojo's will benefit as some of the new students will get to purple or brown belt and realise they aren't progressing to where they thought they should be, this will lead them to look over the fence and find a good Dojo.

The new club where I now train have had students from the local joke dojo and some have even said they were ashamed of their belt and that they really didn't know anything realistic.

Of course most Dojo's also need a steady turn over of wannabe's who will eventually give up because it's too much hard work, these help pay the rent but you will normally gain a real gem amongst these rocks...