Taking Away From The Arts

[Blade96]

10yo black belts, mcdojos, people running around with a resume that states they train in 10 different arts, with multiple 7th and 8th degree black belts.

Those are just a few of the 'pet peeves' that some people have with the martial arts today. My question is simple: In your opinion, do you feel that these things take anything away from the martial arts?

does mcdojo shotokan take anything away from real legit authentic shotokan? (as an example)

Nope.

Do you feel that these things make others, who may/may not train in those arts, view them in a bad way?

They can, yes.

 

[MJS]

does mcdojo shotokan take anything away from real legit authentic shotokan? (as an example)

Nope.

True, but like I said a few pages back, it may have an in-direct effect. I'll use TKD as an example. Many people feel that TKD is all about the sport aspect, that competing is all its really good for, etc. TKD students chime in and say that there is actually a combat side to it, that its not all about the sport. Yet its rare, if ever at all, that we see anything but sport.

I dont do TKD, so all I have to go on is what I hear from TKD people on here. I have to take their word that there actually is more than just the sport side.

My point is that if all people see is sport, thats the picture thats their going to have in their mind.

Of course, as I also said earlier, I'm in the group that really doesnt care what people think about Kenpo or Arnis. I know how I train, I know the people I train with and their backgrounds. If someone looks at Kenpoist A and assumes all Kenpo is like that, well, thats their loss I suppose.

 

[ralphmcpherson]

True, but like I said a few pages back, it may have an in-direct effect. I'll use TKD as an example. Many people feel that TKD is all about the sport aspect, that competing is all its really good for, etc. TKD students chime in and say that there is actually a combat side to it, that its not all about the sport. Yet its rare, if ever at all, that we see anything but sport.

I dont do TKD, so all I have to go on is what I hear from TKD people on here. I have to take their word that there actually is more than just the sport side.

My point is that if all people see is sport, thats the picture thats their going to have in their mind.

Of course, as I also said earlier, I'm in the group that really doesnt care what people think about Kenpo or Arnis. I know how I train, I know the people I train with and their backgrounds. If someone looks at Kenpoist A and assumes all Kenpo is like that, well, thats their loss I suppose.

just go check youtube, you will find a heap of footage of non sport tkd.

 

[ralphmcpherson]

No, if you work hard and spar. It does not take anything away from you. Most people don't know much about martial art.

I have to agree that most people dont know much about martial arts unless they do it themselves. All of my non-martial arts mates literally would not know the diffence between tkd, karate, kung fu, bjj or ninjitsu. Before I started martial arts I thought they were all just different names for the same thing. I chose tkd, yet had absolutely no idea it was a 'kicking art' and I had never heard of the term 'mcdojo', so to a large degree I think clubs that lack credibility only really affect the opinions of other martial artists. People new to the arts will generally end up training at the club that markets itself the best. Basically, 99% of all non-martial artists still think that a black belt in anything means you are invincible. Realistically, if 'the word on the street' affected a martial art then tkd would not be the most practced martial art on earth, which Im pretty sure it is. If people paid any attention to all the generalisations splattered all over the net regarding tkd then nobody would be training in it in my opinion.

 

[MJS]

just go check youtube, you will find a heap of footage of non sport tkd.

I typed in 'non sport TKD' into the search. The results I got really didn't impress me. Then again, I may need to type in something different.

 

[MJS]

I have to agree that most people dont know much about martial arts unless they do it themselves. All of my non-martial arts mates literally would not know the diffence between tkd, karate, kung fu, bjj or ninjitsu. Before I started martial arts I thought they were all just different names for the same thing. I chose tkd, yet had absolutely no idea it was a 'kicking art' and I had never heard of the term 'mcdojo', so to a large degree I think clubs that lack credibility only really affect the opinions of other martial artists. People new to the arts will generally end up training at the club that markets itself the best. Basically, 99% of all non-martial artists still think that a black belt in anything means you are invincible. Realistically, if 'the word on the street' affected a martial art then tkd would not be the most practced martial art on earth, which Im pretty sure it is. If people paid any attention to all the generalisations splattered all over the net regarding tkd then nobody would be training in it in my opinion.

So, going on this, it seems to me that if 99% have no clue, then they're not going to know the difference between quality or garbage. If 99% think that the BB means you're a Superman, then chances are, they'll go to the school that'll give them that BB as quick as possible, so they can be Supermen. LOL. What'll really be the eye opener, is when the people who go to the mcdojos, God forbid, have to use their MA skills to save their life, and they end up getting their *** kicked. I wonder if that'll be the wake up call, that the BB didn't turn them into Superman, and the fact that the owners of the mcdojos care more about the $$ than anything else.

 

[ralphmcpherson]

So, going on this, it seems to me that if 99% have no clue, then they're not going to know the difference between quality or garbage. If 99% think that the BB means you're a Superman, then chances are, they'll go to the school that'll give them that BB as quick as possible, so they can be Supermen. LOL. What'll really be the eye opener, is when the people who go to the mcdojos, God forbid, have to use their MA skills to save their life, and they end up getting their *** kicked. I wonder if that'll be the wake up call, that the BB didn't turn them into Superman, and the fact that the owners of the mcdojos care more about the $$ than anything else.

I totally agree with everything you said. The sad part is that the average joe on the street really knows nothing about martial arts so what you said is correct. I think the mcdojos prey on the fact that a lot of people will never get in a real fight so they'll never know they are being taught garbage. I havent been in a fight in over 20 years and its really not that hard at all to go through life without having to defend yourself and I think mcdojos know this. I have mates who are nearly 40 and have never been in a fight there whole lives. Dont get me wrong, I am very anti mcdojo but unfortunately the average guy on the street who doesnt do MA doesnt even know what a mcdojo is.