Possible McDojo? Need some help, here!

**Scrapper** · Posted On: 1/05/2005 3:42pm

http://www.bushidokan.net/

One of my Phys. Ed. students is attending class here. Does anyone know anything more than the website says about bushidokan? His mother knows less than zero about martial arts, and my explanations of "mcDojo" and "Bullshido" were met with blank stares. She is a good customer and her son is a good kid, so I would like to help them out.

They don't do yearly contracts, and they claim not to promote all that often. They seem like a mish mash of traditional Japanese styles, with a pseudo-traditional class structure. Other than that, I don't know.

Anyone train in this style or at the school in question?
Anyone familiar with intructors, methodology, etc?

Much obliged!

**Grant** · Posted On: 1/05/2005 3:51pm

Eat it grandpa!

Can you say left hook?

I think in order to diagnose it as a McDojo, you would need information about price but from what I have seen, it most certainly is not people learning how to fight.

**Scrapper** · Posted On: 1/05/2005 3:56pm

I plan togo watch a class this weekend....I'm not sure that his mother wants him to learn to fight. I suspect she just want's something with gis and yelling and formal discipline. I don't know what level of contact they allow or if there is any aliveness to their training methods, but the kid is 4.5 years old, so I don't think that muay thai or BJJ are going to be palatable to her....but I agree that there is little chance of him learning to fight here.

**Aesopian** · Posted On: 1/05/2005 4:00pm

BJJ is fine for kids so long as they can accept the fact they aren't going to look like Daniel LaRusso.

**Aesopian** · Posted On: 1/05/2005 4:06pm

Wasn't this particular knife defense being covered in one of the "worst techniques ever" threads?

**Peter H.** · Posted On: 1/05/2005 4:10pm

I'm fairly certain that is from the cover of Samurai 1 on VHS.

8th degree in Bushidokan Karate

The founder only ranked himself 8th degree in his own system.

Called "one of the most dangerous men in the world" by Bruce Lee, Jim Harrison needs no introduction to anyone who has had even a passing interest in the martial arts over the past four decades. Known for his notorious battles during the unforgettable "Blood-n-Guts" era of American karate, he has been called the closest thing to a modern samurai the 20th century can produce.
Jim Harrison was 3-time U.S. Karate Champion, 3-time All American Grand Champion, the undefeated U.S. light-heavyweight kickboxing champion, and coach to the undefeated 1974-76 U.S. Professional Team.

He has trained U.S. Army Special Forces and Rangers, Navy SEALs, Marine Recon and Delta Force, provided personal security for Chuck Norris, Linda (Mrs. Bruce) Lee and Prince Mikhail Matijasevic, was awarded a Ph.D in Research, Analysis and Instruction by Yudanshakai University, and was inducted into the International Karate Hall of Fame with Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee.

Time to start verifying some of this stuff:

Jim Harrison was a member of the AKBBA, http://www.akbba.com/hof/harrison.html, a sport karate group with the emphasis on full contact. But there was some BS happening in the 90's with the group with members handing each other promotions. I don't know if Harrison was a part of that.

I can't tell a lot from the stills, it looks like not that good karate mixed with less than passable aikido. Video would be better.

**Jekyll** · Posted On: 1/05/2005 4:12pm

Originally Posted by Scrapper

I plan togo watch a class this weekend....I'm not sure that his mother wants him to learn to fight. I suspect she just want's something with gis and yelling and formal discipline. I don't know what level of contact they allow or if there is any aliveness to their training methods, but the kid is 4.5 years old, so I don't think that muay thai or BJJ are going to be palatable to her....but I agree that there is little chance of him learning to fight here.

JUDO.

**BSDaemon** · Posted On: 1/05/2005 5:27pm

They have 73 black belts.......... I'm fricking scared!

**Reformed One** · Posted On: 1/05/2005 6:34pm

This guy is pretty legit. He's an old school guy that was around doing this thing before Lewis, Norris, Wall and others came on the scene. The problem is, like all the old school karate...much like that knife defense pic...it's pretty outdated.

**rainfall** · Posted On: 1/05/2005 6:48pm

Originally Posted by Scrapper

the kid is 4.5 years old, so I don't think that muay thai or BJJ are going to be palatable to her

If the kid is only 4.5 years old, it does not matter, no school can teach them martial arts. It is a baby sitting program where screaming is an institution.