Another ATA pot-shot. This complaint comes from martial arts purists who don't like the many colors of belts (or who don't like colors at all). They see this as another revenue generator for the school. The reality is that they are probably right.
However, in defense of such practices, it can be used to lead students to a longer journey to black belt, something I'm in favor of. The counter to this argument is, "why not keep students at a particular belt longer". My reply would be, "that's fine for adults. But that doesn't work for children. They need motivation." And the counter to this argument fizzles down to, "well, martial arts shouldn't be taught to children anyway". And my reply would be, "well, the world's best martial artists started when they were toddlers."
Ok... camo belts? Yeah, that's corny for sure. I prefer to see an adaptation of ITF or Karate where they use stripes for the half-way to the next rank.
So a child starts out at 5. Let's say at a minimum, we don't want that child to get to true black belt until 16. That's 11 years. Let's say this child tests once per year. We'd need 11 colors, yes? Enter the stripes. But wait... once a year? For children? They'll lose interest real fast.
So some schools have come up with a way to recycle colors. Children have white belts with a colored stripe, and test more often using the colored stripes. When they exhaust all of the white/color stripes, they enter the mainstream color scheme, starting with white or yellow where they are in the "adult" testing cycle. Our Aikido school tests students using color belts all the way to 6th kyu adult. So they are sort of a 7th kyu, with a number of belts leading up to 6th kyu, then test normally through the kyu cycle. They only test to 6th kyu when they reach 15, so our black belts are generally in their low 20's or more.
No matter how you look at it, one must balance the interests of children (who provide the lion's share of revenue for most schools), and for that school to maintain the integrity of the art, they need to test more often to keep interest high, while at the same time staving off black belt testing time.
The ATA as introduced another technique of using more belts, plus a "cool" color. What's better than camo or pink?
Yes, it's corny, but it has a valid purpose. Does this make it a McDojo? No, it doesn't. But it happens that McDojos that use this practice tend to do other things that make it a McDojo.
Is there anything wrong with a McDojo?
I hear the term all the time, a label given to a martial art school. According to an unsourced Wikipedia article, it is: "...a pejorative term used by some Western martial artists to describe a martial arts school where image or profit is of a higher importance than technical standards, and in the related use of martial arts franchising."
Yet, a simple perusal of the internet yields blog upon blog of folks further defining what is a McDojo. Typically, they relate to belt factories, contracts, payment structures, and even style.
Martial arts chains are often targets, like Tiger Schulman's and Eagle Martial Arts. Also, organizations (and schools that are part of the organization) are targets, notably American Taekwondo Association and World Taekwondo Federation. Also, schools that teach children are also targets. And schools that charge fees. And schools located in strip malls.
It seems like every school is a target. Indeed, that's becoming more and more common. But just because a school possesses one out of many poor or questionable qualities, it doesn't mean that it is a McDojo.
I prefer a more practical definition of McDojo. The prefix "Mc" suggests a connotation with McDonald's Restaurants. What is relevant is that McDonalds is a chain (it franchises), its goal is to hand out food as fast as possible, with special drivethrough lanes for even speedier service, to accomodate children (see Happy Meals), at a very cheap price ($1 burgers) although one notes that even in the midst of a huge sale, one still pays the same prices regardless (upsell one product, but make more expensive the other products - like sodas and fries).
Wow. We can probably relate to a few martial arts schools who possess qualities of a McDonald's Restaurant, yes? Like the drive through, the schools have clubs for those wanting their black belts. Like the restaurant franchise, some are chains. Like the restaurant's attention to children, the schools have Little Tigers, Little Ninjas, pee-wees, Tiny Dragons, etc. Like the cheap burger-but-pay-through-the-nose-soda-and-fries, schools have cheap monthly or introductory rates, but the equipment, tests, seminars, weapons, and tournaments are very expensive - or at least, they add up.
I think Wikipedia sums it up too much, and the definition seems too sanitized and abbreviated. Had the term "Westernized Dojo" been used instead of "McDojo", I think Wikipedia's definition may fit the bill. But that isn't a catchy name, and so I think "McDojo" (and related terms like "McDojoism") has sprung into everyday usage.
The problem is now everyone who has something negative to say about a school, labels every such school a McDojo. If the school is in a strip mall (aren't many McDonald's?), then it's a McDojo. If the instructor is just a kid with a black belt (haven't you met some newly promoted cocky Fries Manager kid on some power trip?) then it must be a McDojo. If it has birthday parties and kid programs (haven't you seen a climbing pen at most McDonald's?) then it must be a McDojo. If the school is handing out black belts based on tenure, rather than merit (haven't you ever heard the blase phrase, "Who's next...") then it must be a McDojo.
And all of this, as if McDonalds is the epitome of evil? What did McDonald's ever do to you? You WANT McDonalds. You NEED McDonalds. Ever been on a long drive with kids in the back? Fastest thing to shut them up is a quickie trip to McDonald's. Been late to work, and need a coffee? There's a drive-thru with 1 miles of your current location, guaranteed. Need to break a $20? Go buy yourself a $1 burger, get $19 in change.
Alright, let's leave McDonald's alone. And let's leave some of the evil martial arts schools alone, while we're at it. Or not. Should we be weary of McDojos?
Let's see what people are grousing about, and is it enough to make the school a McDojo. And even if it is, is it something to be avoided?
Note that many of the complaints are directed at an organization called "American Taekwondo Assocation", or ATA. The ATA is an organization who started their own flavor of Taekwondo. What they do is market their style, and schools buy a franchise from them. If a school likes their ideals, they buy the marketing stuff, and then uses it to recruit new students.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
The school is a McDojo if it has creation of extra belts (camo, pink, striped)
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