McDojo

[Please visit our sponsor:]

[siwilson]

I heard about this and wanted to share!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDojo

Thoughts please!

:freaky:

[DaveO]

Well, it's a bit odd someone would feel the need to put it in Wikipaedia, but that'sa pretty good summation of a McDojo, I would think. :)

[Thalib]

Huahahaha...

This is good... Well, like Dave said... it's a pretty good summary. But, they left out the express service that these McDojos serve...

[Richard Langridge]

Hehe, "camouflage belts", that's hilarious!

[ze do telhado]

What do they serve as BigMac??

[Lyle Bogin]

Having seen "McDojo" trainees compete in semi-pro fights here in New York, I wouldn't be so quick to judge. Many of them could wipe the floor with the average guy from a "real" martial arts school.

[Shannon Frye]

"Revenue Rainbow" - I gotta remember that one!!

[Mark Freeman]

Having seen "McDojo" trainees compete in semi-pro fights here in New York, I wouldn't be so quick to judge. Many of them could wipe the floor with the average guy from a "real" martial arts school.

Now there's a challenge if ever I saw one :D

[siwilson]

Having seen "McDojo" trainees compete in semi-pro fights here in New York, I wouldn't be so quick to judge. Many of them could wipe the floor with the average guy from a "real" martial arts school.

By definition I would say that they are not "McDojo" trainees, as it says that standards are not a priority in a McDojo.

[david evans]

Having seen "McDojo" trainees compete in semi-pro fights here in New York, I wouldn't be so quick to judge. Many of them could wipe the floor with the average guy from a "real" martial arts school.

I agree with Lyle. From what I've seen, some of these guys are good, really good.

David.

[emma.mason15]

Ive never seen one! ... I WANNA SEE ONE!

[Lyle Bogin]

The ultimate McDojo everyone refers to around these parts is "Tiger Schulmann's Karate" (TSK).

I think what happens is that good martial artists want to work in the field, so they gravitate to places that can afford to pay them. With long contracts, standardized and simplified black belt systems, air conditioning, etc, these places make the money they need to hire people who may have spent years training under different conditions.

[Beard of Chuck Norris]

Rex-Quan-Do!

If you've not seen Napoleon Dynamite it's a bit lost!

You should watch it as a guide to being a good teacher ;)

[emma.mason15]

the best mcdojo we have around here teaches the "Blue Power Ranger" self defence course! ... its a comical topic across the the different martial arts schools!
as I always say "beware the school that offers free red nylon uniform or 1 months free training!" lmao

[Richard Langridge]

Jo, you're so right! BOW TO YOUR SENSEI!!!

[seba368]

I also found this link on McDojos:

http://mcdojo-faq.tripod.com/

[Nick P.]

The ultimate McDojo everyone refers to around these parts is "Tiger Schulmann's Karate" (TSK).
.

Is there not one right across the street from New York Aikikai? Man, I expected to see valet parking and a velvet rope with bouncers in front of that place....

[kaishaku]

I drove by a place that had a huge stencilled sign on its back wall, clearly visible through the glass windows,
"THIS IS A BLACK BELT SCHOOL"

I imagine one is required for entry then....

[Kevin Leavitt]

I have been meaning to buy one of those Rex Kwon Do t-shirts to wear around the dojo!

From what I have read in the various grappling mags, Tiger Schlumann is the real deal in that arena!

I have to get back to pimping my gi in a little while.

No seriously, you might want to be careful about the criteria you use to judge a McDojo. I have found that aikidoka are sometimes like a viscous pack of wolves. If you compete, wear patches on your gi, don't do the japanese thing and have a bunch of young guys rolling around...some of us might say...MCDOJO!

You might be suprised. I was.

Anyway, I pretty much agree with the definition in wikipedia. It is not so much the appearances of the dojo, but the intent and attitude that makes a McDojo and McDojo.

[Karen Wolek]

A karate school around here had a Help Wanted ad a year or two ago...for an instructor. No experience in martial arts necessary. I kid you not.

[Richard Langridge]

Maybe the ad was really for a "punch bag" ;)

[mathewjgano]

Anyway, I pretty much agree with the definition in wikipedia. It is not so much the appearances of the dojo, but the intent and attitude that makes a McDojo and McDojo.
I agree with this...I haven't read all the posts in this thread, but it seems ironic that anyone would denounce a dojo as something less than credible based upon appearances alone. I'd go so far as to say you can't have good students come from a "McDojo" because to me the term implies a lack of substance. How one wishes to train is entirely up to how that group or individual sees fit; any given form of traing is as valid as it is usefull.
Probably just repeating what's been said a dozen times, but there's my slug in the slots.
Take care,
Matt

[Jimmy L]

also found this link on McDojos:

http://mcdojo-faq.tripod.com/



Still it was scary that account of the guy who got beaten up because he thought he could defend himself :uch:

[Kevin Leavitt]

yea we are all victims of our own delusions! I know over the years I have fallen prey to this...over 10 years of training, and NOT at a McDojo, and was brought back to reality by a fellow budoka who showed me the error of my ways!

I hate it when a guy gets his ass kicked because he allowed himself to be a victim of somebody else that was running a 'McDojo". I tend to take the stance of "Cavet Emptor" though and place the burden of responsiblity on the student, not on the instructor.

I think though, that it is good to educate and enlighten where possible. However, when you do that, you have to be careful as it becomes easy to be judgemental...and who I am to judge what another is doing?

[Lyle Bogin]

There is a TSK near the aikikai in NY, but not across the street. It's a couple of blocks away.

It always looks new...

[NixNa]

LOL good article, wikipedia is getting awesomely informative. I'm lovin' it !

[DaveS]

I also found this link on McDojos:

http://mcdojo-faq.tripod.com/
That seems to conflate McDojos with the idea that if you're not in an illegal no holds barred (like actually no holds barred, none of this no-small-joint-manipulation, no-eye-gouging rubbish) fight club then you're not doing anything of value.

For instance, by their criteria, almost every aikido dojo is a McDojo, as is anywhere teaching boxing, kickboxing, judo, virtually all kung fu and karate. Teaching an art that doesn't address groundfighting does not a McDojo make...

[Mato-san]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LOL good article, wikipedia is getting awesomely informative. I'm lovin' it !
Good Call.

Are these gradings recognised? If so by who? And do they mean anything to the holder?

I have seen my dojo grade students that are not ready, those students were the ones that needed confidence or a solid personal status to help them within themselves, other serious aikidoka (and I use the term lightly) were held back in grading but not in service. My outlook. But I am happy to say that my dojo has no drive thru, and still "I`m lovin it'

[Kevin Leavitt]

yea that McDojo faq is not very well written. It even goes on to say that there are benefits to studying in a McDojo, the same ones most dojo's Mc or not advertise as being their primary benefit!

So what is his point? if you don't study what he believes in, you are in a McDojo.

I think if the primary goal is money and not teaching, knowledge, and growth...then it is a McDojo.

I don't think what is written here is very well written or entirely representative.