MARTIAL ARTS LIFE SKILLS - EH??

**kiaiki** · Posted On: 10/07/2007 2:07pm

I think these guys patrol Bath (UK) and hand out cards offering MA to passers-by.

I asked one guy if they did Aikido. What was it? The kid in the TKD gear said: 'Yes, we do - it's weapons, nunchuks and things' and knew no more.

Now I'm a mite suspicious that they are playing the 'little dragons' card here.

The guy who fronts it seems plausible but young and naive, the street sales guys less so. At one point, I'm fairly sure, the instructor gave details of his own MA record. His age does not match the number of decades they claim to have helped people. Are his claims proveable? If not, maybe the local govt. Trading Standards office should jump on him.

Even if he was an Olympic champion, there is little detail of his teaching qualifications or skills, and no mention of fees.

As a qualified teacher and MA instructor I have concerns.

1. If they know so little about MA, should they be teaching it at all?

2. If they offer 'Life Skills' to get kids off the streets, why pretend it's MA?

3. They seem to want shedloads of cash - as soon as possible.

To me, it looks like a well meaning attempt to start a business by someone who is basically a student offering child care when barely an adult, and who has fallen into the trap of offering more than may be delivered.

Part of me admires his will to succeed, but most of me winces at the promises.

BUT IS IT A McDOJO?

Views please, as it seems to fit an awful lot of criteria.

They seem to be part of a larger setup, which is why I reckon it merits a Bullshido thread, as these things grow unless challenged.

Here's the website offering MA as weight loss!:

http://www.malsa.co.uk/adult/index.html

And here's the one offering 'The 5 Secrets to Better Behaved Children' Oh, and beat bullies, increase popularity etc etc - sounds like a 1950's advert for bodybuilding!!:

http://www.malsa.co.uk/child/index.html

**EternalRage** · Posted On: 10/07/2007 3:59pm

There's nothing about the system itself on any of the pages, and any mention of martial arts is accompanied by some fitness garble. No emphasis on fighting, then it's not martial arts.

Then again, they aren't telling you that they're going to make you an MMA superstar or badass street thug, just that you can use MA for fitness. The only problem I have with that is they shouldn't call it martial arts, it's basically Tae Bo.

**kwoww** · Posted On: 10/07/2007 5:13pm

Well it's still martial. It's based on fighting and sort of relates to it, but they don't appear to be making any claims about their students' fighting ability. I guess you could call it an honest McDojo, as in it fits the traditional description of one without intending to be one.

**Fantasy Warrior** · Posted On: 10/07/2007 10:28pm

Well it smells like crap and that gi the chap on the website is wearing is very painful to look at, but there's sod all substance about what they are teaching and what the combat-orientated benefits are claimed TO be. Given that 99.99% of martial arts make an implied or explicit claim to self-defence mastery, whether they teach good SD is clearly Bullshidoism factor.

Where can we get more background info on them?

BTW, personally I don't totally disagree with the gist of this article http://www.malsa.co.uk/adult/reports...ult/index.html but I do disagree with huge chunks of it and this leads me to believe that the org is at least partially bullshido.

**kiaiki** · Posted On: 10/08/2007 3:27am

Thanks. Yeah, the website used to have more info - I think the guy has a successful career in one MA or other - lots of trophies, and the statement was that if he can be that successful through self-discipline, he can teach your kids (and parents) to be the same - a highly dubious claim. The problem is, at a very young age, he is making claims of fitness ,weight loss, parenting skills (from a kid?) etc etc.

So the MA looks like a means to an end. Money?

Personally, I used to get fit and control weight etc. in order to do the MA. My experience is that it is mainly diet - you can put back all the calories you burn in any exercise session very easily - pizza and a few beers. And I didn't ask a young man about parenting my kids, either.

Like I say, I find this one hard to read. He's found a new angle to sell what he feels he knows, but I don't like the lack of information on him, the fees, etc. and the fact that you fill in a form for him to contact you, so he keeps total control over communication.

I've asked the local Trading Standards office to check him out. I'll let you know what I find.

If the guy is such a superb martial artist, somebody on this website should have heard of him? Anybody?

**ShrekBJJ** · Posted On: 10/08/2007 6:57am

http://www.malsa.co.uk/adult/reports...ult/index.html

That sends alarm bells ringing, especially number 6.

6. If they charge for your Martial Arts on a ‘Per Session’ basis you’re in the wrong school. This can mean only one of two things, firstly they aren’t intending on being around for long or secondly this is just a ‘hobby’ for them. Remember we are talking about introducing someone into your life that can potentially have a massive effect on your future. Don’t leave it to the amateurs – look for those who are professional, and charge a professional fee after all, we are talking about making an investment in your future.

Talking in the vague terms he does makes it very difficult to pin him down on anything and that's a major pain but he's definitely trying to hide something and deserves to be investigated in some way.

**ShrekBJJ** · Posted On: 10/08/2007 6:57am

Double Post.

Also he seems to be pushing ideas on exercise and weight loss to take a personal trainer/nutrionist angle. I expecrt he's using Martial Arts to try and cover the fact he has no qualifications in nutrition, sports science or the like.

Having a look around the site it's difficult to find a contact email to ask him any questions. Only the free lesson link.