This seems to be taking a pot-shot at ATA, since they are notorious for them. The problem with contracts is, what if you don't like the school? What if, after you've joined and trained with folks you like, the management changes, and you don't like them? Good luck trying to wheedle out of the contract. I always recommend paying month-to-month. After a year or so, you should be able to determine if this is the right place.
The school I attend has a no-contract month-to-month arrangement. If I don't like them, I can walk away a free man, and no questions are asked. Guaranteed. I can continue this arragement after a year, or, I can convert to an annual contract. The difference is that I pay $20 less per month on the contract.
Requiring contracts isn't unusual or problematic. It's the fine print that can be troubling. If you join a school, particularly (but not limited to) a franchised one, be sure you can try-before-you-buy, by paying month-to-month without signing a single piece of paper, other than an injury waiver.
Having contracts alone does not mean the school is a McDojo. Having them might raise flags, but does not mean it's a McDojo. Think of it from the owner's perspective. A contract means predictable a income. This, in turn, means the bills and rent can be paid.
Contracts have nothing to do with quality of instruction, despite the fact that most people who smell a contract immediately label the place a MCDojo.
Should you be concerned? It all depends on the fine print. You need to consider what happens if you need to get out of the contract. Say you lose your job, or you become injured, or some life event prevents you from coming to class long term. Look for escape clauses:
Find out if you can break out of it, for example, by giving a few months notice.
If you pay month-to-month for 6 months or a year, and then convert to a contract to get the cheaper rates, then perhaps breaking the contract, but pay the difference. In other words, if your monthly rate is $120, but an annual contract is $1,200 ($100/mo), and you need to break the contract 3 months into the year. You've paid $300 at contract rate, but you would have paid $360 month-to-month, so offer to pay the $60 to walk away.
Find out if you can defer the contract. Say you are injured, and you are laid up in the hospital and rehab for 6 months. Offer to break the contract and continue where you left off when you are well.
Contracts shouldn't be evil. They basically should say, "you're paying $1,200 for annual membership, we'll allow you to pay in monthly installments". That's it. Perhaps, it will mention that you are responsible for uniform, test fees, and tournament fees. This is all reasonable and customary. But once anything about rank is mentioned, or your responsibilities to the school, then you need to really examine what you're being asked to do - these are the red flags to watch out for.
For heaven's sake, though... If you miss a payment, don't even think of coming to class, that's just rude.
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
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment