Why does everyplace have to devolve into a McDojo?

**PeedeeShaolin** · Posted On: 11/21/2004 12:40pm

"Hey! Nobody seems to want to buy my ROTTEN FRUIT so maybe I should package it ina SHINY NEW BAG! THAT'LL make them want o buy it!"

These guys never stop and think they actually have to WORK for a fucking living and actually form viable curriculum and maybe(gasp) take some classes on how to deal with children and how to teach better to that particular age group.

Instead they just teach **** and dress it up in ninja suits and have them break FAKE BOARDS.

Scumbags, every one of them, and its going to come back around and bite them in the ass when the public sees martial arts as a FUCKING JOKE instaed of a worthwhile study with all the benefits of sports plus self defense on top of it.

The public ALREADY laughs at martial artists because of this ****.

Wait until the bullshit REALLY gets saturated and REAL school owners start losing business because Sensei Shitheel has a fancy neon sign but cant teach worth a RATS ASS yet the kiddies LOOOOVE that sign and those colorful patches!

**NextGuard** · Posted On: 11/21/2004 1:08pm

Originally Posted by KungFuDoesWork

"And all of a sudden somebody says - "you know, the money is in teaching kids." That would solve our money problems...."

usually the kids class is at an earlier time. How else did he fill that time before?

That was the position I took.... but they are concerned it will change the whole feel of the school and turn them into a "business."

**SifuAbel** · Posted On: 11/21/2004 1:14pm

Well, then they should relocate to a cheap warehouse somewhere. Because without a diverse class schedule you won't be able to get enough of just one demographic to pay the rent on a prime location in town.

**SifuAbel** · Posted On: 11/21/2004 1:18pm

If you wade through P.D.'s color comentary he does make a good point. Teaching a kids class isn't bad as long there is a next level to attain. As long as you can go from an easy class to a serious one.

**Shuma-Gorath** · Posted On: 11/21/2004 1:31pm

Originally Posted by KungFuDoesWork

Thank you mary sunshine...............

So was your class canceled at the karate school? Was it going to happen after the kids party? If so, then I'd say lighten up. Why is it a bad thing that your teacher has tried to actually make a little cash? Has the quality of YOUR training diminished because there was a kids party? Remember, its not all about you. When its you having to pay the rent, you'll be singing a different tune.

Having trained at another school that not only hosted birthdays but had me on staff for them, I can say that yes, it will affect your training. It's almost invariably part of a scheme to turn the place from a dojo into a money mill. The school I'm reffering to was running these once every two weeks even before they moved to new, expensive facilities. Most places do it for profit, not to pay rent. Furthermore if you have to pay rent with that kind of **** I think someone needs to stop and wonder why they aren't breaking even selling their instruction.

Originally Posted by j416to

1) The gym that I go to, to maintain/improve their upscale image, they've decide to remove the heavy bags.

Is that Eclipse?

Originally Posted by PeedeeShaolin

Teaching little kids and having a fancy studio is NOT a McDojo regardless of what anyone says. I wrote a huge article on this WAAAAY back at www.mcdojo.com.

The term McDojo is, undoubtedly, NEGATIVE and theres nothing anyone here can show me thats negative about teaching kids or having a fancy studio or charging high prices. A McDojo is born when people USE fancy marketing and sales in order to get people to buy classes that arent worth a dirty nickel from a NYC subway station.

Promoting kids just to get them to sign up again or in order to "keep their interest"....THATS a MAJOR SIGN of a McDojo.

I could go on for hours about how many of those unmotivated kids my last school retained and promoted. The fancy studio and kids classes bit is true, but the place was clearly selling out so I left. Last I checked they have a new franchise school in Thornhill.

**tkdan28** · Posted On: 11/21/2004 3:35pm

Originally Posted by PeedeeShaolin

This is absolute ****. I cant believe that on this website we have people backing a school that teaches classes where the kids run around in fucking NINJA SUITS and play with make believe swords before breaking CARDBOARD while waiting for a guy to walk in a ENTERTAIN THEM.

Are you people SERIOUS?

It was a birthday party, not a class. As long as it doesn't conflict with the adult classes and the training doesn't suffer I see nothing wrong with it.

**Wounded Ronin** · Posted On: 11/21/2004 3:38pm

You know, once when I was in a bookstore I read through a book on how to run a martial arts school. The book was packed with business advice, how to manage your cashflow, how to maintain the necessary body of students, how you should write your contracts, a few legal details on keeping full time employees, and the kinds of negotiations you would need to do with whomever you're renting from.

One common theme in the book was about how to attract and retain students. It went into great length about advertising, image, and how every time someone is on the phone you need to try and get your hooks into them so that they actually pay a visit to the dojo. And once their in the dojo, chat them up and then spring your contract on them.

I think that running a business successfully is so difficult that the people who end up trying to live off of a martial arts dojo often end up being businessmen rather than real martial artists.

In my experience, usually the best instruction comes informally, outside of a dojo or gym, from someone who would be qualified enough to be an MA instructor but who is teaching you and maybe a few other dedicated peope informally because they love what they do.

As usual, capitalism destroys pure art forms, I guess.

**NextGuard** · Posted On: 11/21/2004 3:42pm

Originally Posted by KungFuDoesWork

Well, then they should relocate to a cheap warehouse somewhere. Because without a diverse class schedule you won't be able to get enough of just one demographic to pay the rent on a prime location in town.

That was my second suggestion but I think the senior students are going to subsidize the dojo so it can run at a loss in a good location

**SifuAbel** · Posted On: 11/21/2004 4:02pm

Everybody is looking for Mr. Myagi. The venreable old teacher thats the handyman by day. MA teacher, to just you, by night. He doesn't charge you. You learn on the beach next to his house. And he'll even give you one of his restored classic automobiles for free.

"I think that running a business successfully is so difficult that the people who end up trying to live off of a martial arts dojo often end up being businessmen rather than real martial artists."

They are not mutually exclusive.