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Old 04-28-2006, 02:42 AM   #1
siwilson
Dojo: Kenshinkai Yoshinkan Aikido
Location: Portsmouth
Join Date: May 2002
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England
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Freaky! McDojo

I heard about this and wanted to share!

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

Thoughts please!


Osu!
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Old 04-28-2006, 02:51 AM   #2
DaveO
Dojo: Great Wave Aikido
Location: Alberta, Canada
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Re: McDojo

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.

Answers are only easy when they're incomplete.
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Old 04-28-2006, 03:14 AM   #3
Thalib
 
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Re: McDojo

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...

When I have to die by the sword, I will do so with honor.
--------
http://funkybuddha.multiply.com/
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Old 04-28-2006, 04:11 AM   #4
Richard Langridge
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Re: McDojo

Hehe, "camouflage belts", that's hilarious!
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Old 04-28-2006, 05:41 AM   #5
ze do telhado
Dojo: aikishurendojo
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Portugal
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Re: McDojo

What do they serve as BigMac??
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Old 04-28-2006, 06:15 AM   #6
Lyle Bogin
Dojo: Shin Budo Kai
Location: Manhattan
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Re: McDojo

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.
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Old 04-30-2006, 10:19 PM   #7
Shannon Frye
Dojo: Aikido Fellowship of VA / Chesapeake Va
Location: Virginia
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Re: McDojo

"Revenue Rainbow" - I gotta remember that one!!
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Old 05-01-2006, 04:49 PM   #8
Mark Freeman
Dojo: Dartington
Location: Devon
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Re: McDojo

Quote:
Lyle Bogin wrote:
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

Success is having what you want. Happiness is wanting what you have.
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Old 05-01-2006, 09:21 PM   #9
siwilson
Dojo: Kenshinkai Yoshinkan Aikido
Location: Portsmouth
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Re: McDojo

Quote:
Lyle Bogin wrote:
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.

Osu!
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Old 05-02-2006, 06:53 AM   #10
david evans
Dojo: Newcastle Iwama Aikido
Location: Newcastle
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Australia
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Re: McDojo

Quote:
Lyle Bogin wrote:
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.
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Old 05-03-2006, 07:44 PM   #11
emma.mason15
Dojo: Shima Arashi Dojo
Location: Dorset (my luvvers! ohhhh arrrrr) uk
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Re: McDojo

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

Dance your cares away .... worry for another day ... let the music play .... down in fraggle rock!

when bored ... do as I do. Poke a patient!
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Old 05-04-2006, 05:01 PM   #12
Lyle Bogin
Dojo: Shin Budo Kai
Location: Manhattan
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Re: McDojo

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.
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Old 05-05-2006, 09:12 AM   #13
Beard of Chuck Norris
Dojo: Aberdeen Aikido Yuishinkai
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Re: McDojo

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
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Old 05-09-2006, 04:42 PM   #14
emma.mason15
Dojo: Shima Arashi Dojo
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Re: McDojo

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

Dance your cares away .... worry for another day ... let the music play .... down in fraggle rock!

when bored ... do as I do. Poke a patient!
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Old 05-10-2006, 03:06 AM   #15
Richard Langridge
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Re: McDojo

Jo, you're so right! BOW TO YOUR SENSEI!!!
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Old 05-12-2006, 12:19 PM   #16
seba368
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Re: McDojo

I also found this link on McDojos:

http://mcdojo-faq.tripod.com/
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Old 05-12-2006, 12:36 PM   #17
Nick P.
 
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Dojo: Sukagawa Aikido Club of Montreal
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Re: McDojo

Quote:
Lyle Bogin wrote:
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....

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Old 05-12-2006, 02:26 PM   #18
kaishaku
Join Date: Oct 2004
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Re: McDojo

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....
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Old 05-12-2006, 02:45 PM   #19
Kevin Leavitt
 
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Re: McDojo

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.
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Old 05-12-2006, 08:49 PM   #20
Karen Wolek
Dojo: Kingston Aikido
Location: New York
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Re: McDojo

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.

Karen
"Try not. Do...or do not. There is no try." - Master Yoda
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Old 05-13-2006, 02:58 AM   #21
Richard Langridge
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Re: McDojo

Maybe the ad was really for a "punch bag"
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Old 05-13-2006, 03:23 AM   #22
mathewjgano
 
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Re: McDojo

Quote:
Kevin Leavitt wrote:
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

Gambarimashyo!
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Old 05-13-2006, 04:57 AM   #23
Jimmy L
Join Date: May 2006
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Scotland
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Re: McDojo

Quote:
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
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Old 05-14-2006, 04:54 AM   #24
Kevin Leavitt
 
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Re: McDojo

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?
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Old 05-15-2006, 07:08 AM   #25
Lyle Bogin
Dojo: Shin Budo Kai
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Re: McDojo

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...
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