To all of you still nof convinced: BrainGlutton’s sources cover a lot (and much more) of what I am saying.
Things may have changed, then. Back in the 80’s, when I was studying TKD at Cal State Hayward, it took about four years to get a black belt.
Does that mean that the black belts from there aren’t worth as much as a black belt today? Bear in mind that some of those older black belts may be the ones running the dojo’s you’re talking about.
OK can I just rant my karate rant here?
My friend’s son is enrolled in karate. It’s the biggest money suck I have ever seen and I’m kicking myself that I didn’t think of renting a space in a strip mall and opening up one of these places. They pay hundreds of dollars a month on this school. Hundreds a month for about 3 years now. He’s 13 and to his complete shock he was named a National Champion and is at an awards ceremony now in chicago.
Now. My problem? THE MONEY. Dear og. Uniforms, swords, lessons, private lessons- it never ends. Tournaments, blah blah. Last year he was in probably 4 tournaments- a few of them he placed first because there were only 2 kids in the whole division and he won. I mean really? And he’s a National Champion despite not ever having traveled to a tournament or even knowing he was in the running for such a thing. WTF? By coincidence, I’m sure, the school had a hotel/activity package already set for the eager parents and their kids. Um, how is this any different from being a run of the mill travel agent? I assume some sort of ceremony took place; probably yet another gaudy huge trophy that pretty much everyone gets like at the “tournaments”.
These schools are ridiculous with their fakey achievements and belts given out like its nothing. Kids teaching classes (teenagers, but don’t worry, they’re “black belts!”), money to the school for every single thing from uniforms to accessories to these ridiculous awards trips (which I’m sure charge for every little thing). And because little tommy keeps winning and winning, the parents keep paying and paying. I wouldn’t care except that it bothers me that she does without so that she can pay for this nonsense. It’s like the dance moms that think their special snowflake is going to be a ballerina and pay gazillions of dollars on classes, uniforms, “competitions”, etc.
I hates it all.
I feel your pain. It’s completely bringing down not only TaeKwonDo’s reputation, but also Karate. Karate is also one of those martial arts where McDojos are a huge problem. These two martial arts are known for them. And because of that TaeKwonDo/Karate isn’t even taken seriously anymore regardless of whether you train at a McDojo or not, because most schools are McDojos for these two arts. They think, “Oh, yeah right. He went to a McDojo.”
These McDojos really need to quit being such a money sucker at actually teach some real self-defense.
Shut up, you racist piece of shit.
D’you see many McDojos in third-world countries?
I take exception to this statement; the martial art that best lives up to its promises is the highly deadly art of Llap-Goch!
The OP was longer? I earned a Green Belt in KidLit just by reading the edited version.
But I do agree – a good friend owns a Non-Mc karate studio.
No, no, no! The only REAL martial art is Ti Kwan Leep!
Is “first world” racist now?
AFAIK on post history, AU is a teenager living in the Connecticut 'burbs, is of Indian descent, has aspirations of attending MIT, and has made a new hobby of starting inane pit threads.
If my post could be taken as racist in any way, I do sincerely apologize. That was not my intent.
Sounds like pretty much any competitive sport to me. Tell his parents to count their blessings, for things could be much worse. Their son could have become a serious competitive horseback rider. You don’t even want to know what it costs to ride in A-rated horse show equitation events. The horse alone will cost six figures.
I thought this subject seemed familiar.
Given the whiny nature of most of the OP’s problems, his ass must be chapped but good. I suggest airing it out once in a while and using some Desitin or Gold Bond powder. They work well and should clear things up nicely.
He’s a teenager. They’re allowed to be a bit whiny. At least this Pit thread does discuss a real (if minor) problem: schools which mislead their students.
Yes, it’s exactly the sort of long, whiny screed one might expect a teenager to write, or that any of us might write if we were trying to pass ourselves off as a teenager. And as he said, everything he wrote can be easily found elsewhere on the Internet.
So let’s cut the poor little guy a break; his brain and his SDMB personality aren’t fully developed yet.
(Don’t worry, Nonny, I’ve got your back!)
Sweep the leg. Do you have a problem with that?
Well, if nothing else, one of the most very basic things that any self-defense class teaches which is perhaps the most valuable thing in the world when it comes to being prepared in the real world is: To be mentally prepared to get hit and not simply start flinching, cringing and falling down in fear and retreat.
I remember being in the class practicing after my class was over and the instructor had two middle aged women in for a trial class. Just holding pads and trying to throw punches and kicks. Even holding a pad, they were both utterly terrified of the idea that a blow was coming their way, even a weak hardly-an-effort punch at a 5" pad from their friend. Flinching back, dropping the pads, retreating. It was all too much for them, their trial class ended after 15-20 minutes and they never came back.
I don’t know how this pit thread is inane. This is a serious problem that is ruining martial arts. It may be of little significance in the real world, but for martial arts it is a big problem, and it is only getting worse. How would you like it if you were getting seriously ripped off and not learning the real art? How would you like it if your child got his black belt after two years and thought he could defend himself on the street? It poses an unfair representation of one’s skill which can be potentially dangerous.
On top of that, the value of a black belt is not much more anymore. Now it is something anyone can get as long as they train in a McDojo.
Some may not care, but most, when they seek the truth, feel betrayed. It is not a good feeling when you find out.
So stop complaining about it and do what every other service/industry did when faced with similar circumstances, create a quality certificate from some governing body of professionals within the industry. Lawyers, doctors, accountants, even massage therapists have them. Then consumers will have a better shot at not getting hosed. Be aware though, the costs of belonging/receiving certification will be passed along to the consumer.
Perhaps it would help you to view it as, “The first test of your worthiness, Grasshopper”. You know kids go to lesser learning institutions all the time, even on line unis now. It doesn’t diminish your degree from Harvard (or, let’s say, MIT) in any way.
Are you angry over other people getting rooked? Or because it means your achievements seem insufficiently outstanding, when every one can get a shitty similar accomplishment? If it’s the latter, it’s your insecurities and immaturity that you are actually demonstrating!
(Oh, and full grown men, who’ve gone to proper dojo’s and taken years to obtain their black belts also sometimes get their asses kicked, so that argument seems especially weak tea to me.)
This is not a new problem. In the 1980s everyone knew certain schools, particularly within Tae Kwan Do, were not to be taken seriously, and that black belts mills were prevalent. My how things haven’t changed.
That doesn’t prevent anyone from finding a good dojo, a good discipline, and taking it seriously. That’s always an option. That everyone doesn’t take that option only means that people want to achieve something without such hard work, and with more fun. Breaking news.
You also can’t force people to be better. They just are. More breaking news.