Check this school out, Tong Il Lo

**PHILBERT** · Posted On: 12/19/2003 4:17pm

http://www.tongillo.com/

Check them out, a school near me. I just find it kind of funny, the master is named Grandmaster McDonald.

joen00b · Posted On: 12/19/2003 4:32pm

It doesn't look ALL that bad. At least the lowest of his black Belt instructors (1st degree) has been studying for at leat 5.5 years, but the one thing that kind of sends a signal off is this:

William McDonald (Grandmaster & Founder)
With over 30 years of martial arts experience, Grandmaster McDonald (4x Martial Art Hall of Fame Inductee) has lead thousands of people, throughout his martial career, to a better lifestyle through the teaching of his philosophy and his methodology of the martial arts.

How do you get inducted 4 different times? Was it once for each art he has taken?

At least the Second Degree black belts have been training with him for 8+ years. Most McDojo's would have had these people at 6th Degree or teaching in their owns schools as 'grandmasters'.

**PHILBERT** · Posted On: 12/19/2003 4:35pm

Yeah, there is no one on there above 2nd degree either, gotta give credit for that. I am not so much dissing the school as Im just kind of chuckling at the name Grandmaster McDonald. :p

Though he never lists what martial arts hall of fame he is talking about. There are lots of them from Black Belt Magazines to Inside Kung Fu to even Martial Info. So just because it says 4x inductee does not mean much.

**Jamoke** · Posted On: 12/19/2003 6:29pm

"Though he never lists what martial arts hall of fame he is talking about. There are lots of them from Black Belt Magazines to Inside Kung Fu to even Martial Info. So just because it says 4x inductee does not mean much."

Why don't you walk in and ask them??

Seeing the school is near YOU, there should be NO excuse.

**poet** · Posted On: 12/19/2003 10:17pm

DRD could know about him.
I believe DRD studied in Texas for a long time?

**Rashomon** · Posted On: 12/19/2003 10:53pm

Props to the school for pulling in different styles, including MT and JJ. I'm not sure about the school, but at least this is a good start.

(Yeah, I know you were only joking about the name. :> )

**PHILBERT** · Posted On: 12/21/2003 5:37pm

Well it is not near me as in I just hop in my car and get there in 3 minutes. The school is around 30-40 miles from me.

**matzahbal** · Posted On: 12/21/2003 7:12pm

If you look at his pictures page it shows what organizations he was inducted into.

**The Wastrel** · Posted On: 12/21/2003 8:58pm

Tong Il Ro? What a stupid name. Let alone the fact that this is not technically "way", this is like naming your martial arts system "Glasnost" or "Perestroika"...*Shrug*...

**mstrwolfgang** · Posted On: 3/07/2006 12:31am

Hey was just in here and noticed the post about my own art, which being still a fairly new art I was surprised. I am actually listed on the TIL staff page if you'd like to look me up. I am now a 3rd degree black belt and have been training in TIL for about 11 years, since it was started as a youth anti-kidnapping program in 1994. I love what you guys have said about the whole "McDonald" thing! I keep telling him that because of his name we actually have the real "McDojo"! lmao.

Ah well. "Tong Il Lo" actually means "Path to Unity" in Korean. You'll find its also the name of a bridge that unites two areas in Korea.

If you're interested, you can always look me up on the staff page at our website and give me a ring. I try to answer every call I can and I'd be glad to answer your questions about our art as best I can. You should be able to find me on here from time to time. Just look me up! Ya'll take care.

P.S. If I see a 6 year old TKD student at a tournament, whose black belt says 4th degree Master on it.... should I be worried? o.O *sigh*

Jeremy Wolfgang
3rd Degree Black Belt
Tong Il Lo