Asheboro Kenjutsu - McDojo?

**John Sutton** · Posted On: 7/21/2009 10:53am

Originally Posted by futabachan

From their website, the chief instructor is teaching a self-created style one hour per week, plus feedback on videos emailed from home. He doesn't hold any rank in any legitimate Japanese sword art, but has friends who studied ninjutsu, kendo, and iaido, who showed him some things. Part of the training requirements include captive equipment sales. He won't tell you how much it costs until you go in person for a sales pitch.

Draw your own conclusions.

(If you're looking for a legitimate JSA dojo, try the Kendo World forums or e-budo.com.)

Half my students hold black belts in other arts, yet they come to me for training. Maybe we shouldn't jump to conclusions.

**John Sutton** · Posted On: 7/21/2009 11:01am

Originally Posted by Big_Boss

I've had a similar experience with a group that claimed to be teaching Iaido. Turned out to be a large children's group of TKD students with foam swords, lumberjack matches, and a 12 year old daughter of the instructor teaching "the thing were you stab like its a pool stick..thingy". The same school was the like that claimed traditional teachings were a thing of the past etc etc. Its becoming a common theme.

Regarding OP's school, pure Bullshido. From the video, looks like he just had a buddy with iai or kendo experience show him a kata or two and then picked up a few books at B&N. Just my guess.

Edit: By the way, I was born in Asheboro. Small town really, easy mcdojo spot.

Then you're just as full of crap as I am! Nothing good in Asheboro? What's wrong with you, you pompous, arrogant NOBODYs. Heckle away FROM THE SIDELINES, armchair warriors. And don't lump me with TKD, a laughable martial art. And next time, notify me if you wish to slander me! Cowards behind computer screens, we hang on your every rude word.
john

**John Sutton** · Posted On: 7/21/2009 11:17am

Originally Posted by 1point2

It is possible that it is a McDojo.

It is certainly Bullshido.

A McDojo, like a McDonalds franchise? Isn't the problem that I am not a franchise and you are, with your purchased ranks?

**Lindz** · Posted On: 7/21/2009 11:44am

That's not what McDojo means http://www.bullshido.org/McDojo basically a dojo run to extract maximum profits without necesarrily teaching effective MA or adhering to standards. If I was you I'd worry more about being called bullshido http://www.bullshido.org/Bullshido

**1point2** · Posted On: 7/21/2009 11:50am

Originally Posted by John Sutton

A McDojo, like a McDonalds franchise? Isn't the problem that I am not a franchise and you are, with your purchased ranks?

You're confusing me with someone else. I have never purchased ranks in anything. I've paid for physical belts--five bucks, you know, like when you're given rank but the judo sensei wants you to buy the actual piece of cloth--but never paid a testing fee.

My nidan was from ~eight years of study at 1 karate dojo. My yonkyu is from six months of study at 1 judo dojo.

In short, shut the **** up you mis-targeting jackass.

**Yoj** · Posted On: 7/21/2009 11:53am

What an utter joke.

LARPing for profit.

**1point2** · Posted On: 7/21/2009 11:53am

Now that we've dealt with that...

John, what have you studied and what do you teach.

**mgb** · Posted On: 7/21/2009 11:59am

Welcome to Bullshido Mr. Sutton, it is always good to have both sides present for a discussion.
(assuming you are in fact Mr. Sutton - if you would like to confirm your identity with one of the staff or senior members then I believe one would be happy to give you a call or otherwise confirm. Please do not be offended - this is to protect you from potential impostors claiming to be you and misrepresenting your school and qualifications, something that happens frequently.)

Originally Posted by John Sutton

Then you're just as full of crap as I am! Nothing good in Asheboro? What's wrong with you, you pompous, arrogant NOBODYs. Heckle away FROM THE SIDELINES, armchair warriors. And don't lump me with TKD, a laughable martial art. And next time, notify me if you wish to slander me! Cowards behind computer screens, we hang on your every rude word.
john

Noone suggested there is nothing good in Asheboro, only that it is a smaller town without many options for Martial Arts training; at 24,000 residents I believe it is accurate to refer to it as a small town but that is of course relative.

Could you go into greater detail about your instructor, Eric Whittington, and his lineage in Tokugare Ryu?

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 7/21/2009 12:01pm

Originally Posted by John Sutton

Then you're just as full of crap as I am! Nothing good in Asheboro? What's wrong with you, you pompous, arrogant NOBODYs. Heckle away FROM THE SIDELINES, armchair warriors. And don't lump me with TKD, a laughable martial art. And next time, notify me if you wish to slander me! Cowards behind computer screens, we hang on your every rude word.
john

Irony.

Let me explain something you are missing. People with Black belts tend to be ignorant of other arts unless, they are historians or have cross trained.

If I study CMA, more than likely, I'm taking something new because, I don't know anything about my new art.

I swear Martial Arts is the only discipline where, people are expected to be knowledgeable about every other art in existence.

No one expects an Engineer to, be able to quote Shakespeare, Milton, or Douglass. No one expects a English Literature Professor to solve quadratic equations.

Yet, for some reason, a Black Belt in martial arts somehow equates knowledge in cross disciplines.

In other words:

Half my students hold black belts in other arts, yet they come to me for training. Maybe we shouldn't jump to conclusions.

This doesn't help the defense of your art.