What is Mcdojo?
1.
McDojos are schools that are run and owned for the purpose of making money. Typically you are able to get a black belt in less than 2-3 years, and you are usually guranteed success on the black belt test. These schools charge outrageous amounts of money, have extensive contracts, and are sometimes cult like.
"I had to pay $3000 a year by contract to go to this mcdojo, I could not pay by the month"
"That McDojo is stupid, you won't learn anything and your bank will hit the fan."
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2.
Martial arts club with no crediblity.
Black belt in 6 months? Mmmmm that smells Like a tasty McDojo
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3.
A martial arts school that is run for the purposes of making money without teaching true martial arts. The most common signs of a McDojo include a lack of sparring classes, no opportunities to compete in a tournament, outrageous fees, and a promise on having a black belt in 2-3 years. Earning the black belt in 2-3 years, depending on skill, is quite alright in many systems, as there are always highly talented pupils. However, the promise from first glance is a sure-sign.
Not all Taekwondo schools are McDojos, despite popular belief. Pre-School programs, American/Korean flags, mirrors, and the lack of an Asian instructor do not equal a McDojo. I study at a school that has all of these, and nobody would even dream of accusing my school of being a McDojo. The ignorant martial artists that like to blam Taekwondo because it is a newer style and because it's popular have no clue. There are Kung Fu schools that fingers should be pointed at. There's a perfect example in DengFeng, the Chinese Martial Arts City. The monks will sign any foreigner off as a master just so they can get a good laugh. Taekwondo is not a bullshido style. We taekwondo types are just scapegoats for the ignorant martial artists of other styles.
John's sensei left his teacher when he was only a blue belt in Kokyuroshin Karate because he thought he was good enough, even though his own personal skills lacked and thus caused John to get killed while trying to defend himself. John was the product of a poorly led McDojo.
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4.
American Taekwondo Association with its 800 locations in the U.S. is the king of all the McDojo's. 18-24 months to blackbelt with them is ridiculous, and after that amount of time, those blackbelts perform no better than a green or blue belt elsewhere. Also, they copyright all their forms and techniques, and should after blackbelt you quit them, you can't show what they taught you to anyone else, for fear of lawsuits, making your knowledge useless. Look in this dictionary under ATA for more info.
Bill Clark's Schools, Richard Reed's schools, Robert Allemier's Schools, the list is endless of ATA multi-millionaire McDojo owners who put money and contracts before creating quality 1R's.
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5.
Here are some more Mcdojo examples in addition to my list that was posted eariler.
1. The Black Belts haven't reached puberty yet and they can rent out the dojo for birthday parties.
2. Your instructor tries to flirt with your girlfriend when she attempts to visit you at the dojo.
3. Your instructor is having an affair with one of his students.
4. Your instructor gives a speech during class about how TKD is superior to all other martial arts.
5. Your instructor won't allow you to compete in a tournament because his techniques are too deadly and you'd actually kill or seriously injure anyone you competed against.
6. You attend a Chinese Kung Fu School that uses the Japanese Belt Ranking System.
7. You attend a Hapkido School, but all the grappling elements have been curiously eliminated from the training.
8. Your instructor places an embargo on his students equipment purchases. You will be repremanded for bringing in gear and Gi's purchases outside the Mcdojo.
9. While sparring your instructor complains that you're not being aggressive enough. Then, when you become more aggressive your instructor complains that your being too aggessive.
10. Your instructor names his style after himself. For example Joe Son Do, Dux Ryu, Rex Kwon Do.
Look at all these 7 year old Black Belts running around. This place is a Mcdojo.
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6.
A martial arts school that puts the profit motive as their highest priority. This inevitably leads to a watering-down/bastardization of the art which is the most common source of fresh (non asian-superstition derived) bullshido.
Most schools in the states are McDojos, though no school (or student of a school) will admit to being a McDojo. The exact qualifications to be a McDojo are thus highly contested. However, one thing is for certain: every Tae Kwon Do school is a McDojo (don't try to argue, you know it's true).
I learned TKD at a McDojo.
7.
A Martial Arts School that has one or more of the following characteristics.
1. Your instructor has a mullet.
2. Your instructor drives a thunderbird or a Camaro.
3. You can get a Black Belt in less than 2 years.
4. Your instructor is overweight.
5. Your instructor claims to have secret techniques that he can only reveal to you once you've received your black belt.
6. They claim to offer MMA training, but the instructor has never had a single professional fight.
7. You can earn a new colored belt every 1-3 months. Hence, the term "belt factory."
8. The students seem to be more interested in putting on a fashion show than learning martial arts.
9. Everyone seems to be obsessed with what current action movie stars are doing and when you mention a professional MMA fighters name they give you blank stares.
Johnny got his Black Belt in 1 year. I bet he attends a McDojo.
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