There's a McDojo at the rec center I workout at:P

[Carbon]

There is a recreation center I workout at, you know lifting weights and running on ocassion.

My mom goes up there with me, and she used to be in the M.A. and was a brown belt, for I think acouple years. I think she quit after her black belt test when she didn't pass or something?

She says she had to spar black belts to get her black belt, and that she got knocked out or something? I think she has a tendency to exaggerate but oh well.

Now back to the point, this instructor I've seen before and is so ridiculous. I am not sure if this is normal, but they have 6 black belt instructors for 1 class of yellow belts.

The instructor doesn't correct stances and his kicks and punches are ridiculous.

He also isn't wearing a proper gi, just looks like some really light gi pants and a t-shirt and his belt.

There is like 4 3rd dan black belts from what I can tell, and his kia is so freaking loud and drawn out its annoying.

Also his side-kicks he leans back really far and his knee points down, I heard him saying to never keep your hands infront of your face, because if you bring them up then your attacker will attack you in the body.

I am not sure , I just wanted to bring this up to see if anyone else has seen similar things going on, also my mom was getting sick just watching the guy.

I mean they didn't even do kata, it was more like a teach little kids how to throw a horrible jab and right cross at my hand, and boom they are promoted.

Quite sickening. This is just what I saw so if this is how your school goes lol sorry

 

[Turner]

A few thoughts;

Depending on how long the class has been held, having a group of black belts teaching just one class of yellow belts is unusual or its perfectly reasonable. Right now if you'd walk into my class you would see a black belt and a group of white belts. I just recently started training and I haven't promoted anyone yet <though some deserve their green>. Since my class is private right now and I don't expect to open it to the public for at least another two years or more and so by that time the group that are currently wearing white belts should be wearing brown belts when the 'real students' show up.

A lot of people say that the stances are the foundation of the art and I agree to a certain point, but I don't correct stances a lot because in the beginning <yellow belt just indicates 3 or 4 months of study> if you correct a student too much they will feel as if they can never learn how to do it right and quit. I was taught, but don't always follow, the concept that you shouldn't correct a beginner <under 6 mos> more than 3 times in class.

When it comes to punches and kicks I don't know what you were referring to, so I'll only comment that I've seen some black belts throw kicks that didn't look too pretty but they were extremely effective in combat.

In many schools the proper uniform is a lightweight pair of gi pants, a tee shirt and belt... especially in the summer months because it is similar to what is normally worn on the street in those months. I am sure that a majority of the members of this forum (McDojo and not) train on occassion in just a pair of gi pants and a tee shirt.

A person's Ki-ai is his own... It's his battle cry. Most external martial arts <those that punch and kick primarily> should have a Ki-ai that sounds like two gunshots in rapid succession, so close together that they sound as one. Those that practice internal martial arts will have a ki-ai that slowly builds to a loud noise. A short Ki-ai is used for strikes. A longer Ki-ai is used for blocks. The longest is used for throws and joint manipulation... All should be EXTREMELY loud. Louder is better.

To some arts the side kick does require that the knee point mostly down. Its almost a back kick but not quite. It can generate a great deal of power. I dunno what the deal is with the hands not in front of your face bit... I personally do a push block to protect my groin with my near hand and my far hand at my shoulder to check anything coming at my head or body.

There are plenty of arts that don't do kata... as you've probably seen in discussions on this forum. Kata is just one tool of many to gaining proficiency in the martial arts.

However, if you felt uncomfortable with the class and believe that you didn't see quality instruction; by all means, go find something else.

If your Mom is looking to get back into the martial arts and the two of you will be taking classes together check out the classes together. If you will be training alone and since she has experience in the martial arts, it might not be a good idea to check out the classes with her... I found that when my younger brother was interested in learning the martial arts and I went with him to check out the class he came away with more of a negative opinion of the class than he should of because of looking at my reaction to things. As an instructor, I picked up on mistakes in the students and in the upper ranks and discovered it was very hard to just stand there and watch without going out on the floor and correcting them. Since you know your family so well, you can subconsciously pick up cues about such things. So, if you will be training on your own, check out the classes on your own if possible so that you can formulate your opinion without those cues...

Just some things for you to think about, but again... always trust your intuition, most people are built with the ability to pick up on things though they often ignore them.

 

[Damian Mavis]

"I heard him saying to never keep your hands infront of your face, because if you bring them up then your attacker will attack you in the body. "

If this is true this is just about the funniest thing I've ever heard.....or maybe....maybe its genius!! Of course!! Why take a shot in the ribs when you can block with your face!! Oh my god why didnt I think of that?

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

 

[sweeper]

hmm.. maybe it's a competition school and the competitions they go to don't alow strikes to the head?

The side kick thing realy depends, I throw them with knee pointing down but I deffenatly do not lean back.

as far as the correcting thing, everyone does it diffrent. My instructor rarely corrects people unless they are totaly off, and if he corrects them once and they don't follow he lets 'em be. He basicly tries to get people how to fight first so technique isn't as important (actualy most of the correction I get is from other students).

As for the Ki-ais, well I don't do em so I wouldn't know, but from a strategic perspective the louder the better. If you are in competition and you are yelling alot it can 1: psyche you up and 2sych your opponant out. And in self deffence (if you are actualy deffending yourself as aposed to just getting in a fight) you want to draw as much attention to yourself as posibal. This will increase your chances of someone noticing and helping/getting help and it may also scare off the attacker (because that guy across the street ran off to call 911 not cause you yelled ;-))

 

[Carbon]

Hehe there was a white belt class before the yellow belt class and I think there was 4 black belt instructors.

Then standing outside the class I saw maybe a 7 year old? 2 degree brown belt teaching another student.

I don't know there was just to many black belts, then there was a blackbelt my age which looked around 16 that was teaching the class, so I think he was ranked higher than the other 2 older women black belts that were there.

I am not sure how long its supposed to take, but I would really like to get into a class but I would like to go alot of times a week.

This class is maybe an hour class, and it mainly consisted of 10 and under students.

 

[Seig]

Look at it this way, you'd probably be the tallest one there!
Seriously, if you are not comfortable for ANY reason, keep looking. I tell people that come into my dojo, "this is not for everyone, give it a try for a week and then let me know if you want to continue. If you do great, if not but you are still interested just not in this art, let me know what interests you and maybe I can make a recommendation."

 

[Klondike93]

A lot of people say that the stances are the foundation of the art and I agree to a certain point, but I don't correct stances a lot because in the beginning <yellow belt just indicates 3 or 4 months of study> if you correct a student too much they will feel as if they can never learn how to do it right and quit. I was taught, but don't always follow, the concept that you shouldn't correct a beginner <under 6 mos> more than 3 times in class.

I disagree with this. You have to correct them or they end up with bad habbits that are hard to get them out of. I see far too many intermediate belts that are allways off balance from bad stances. If the student can't handle being corrected they aren't going to stay very long anyways. They should be taught the correct way to do things from the start.


Carbon, you should watch more often so you'll see all the things that your NOT suposed to do.


:asian:

 

[Ty K. Doe]

by Klondike93
I disagree with this. You have to correct them or they end up with bad habbits that are hard to get them out of.

What would you do oo oo for a klondike bar? Sorry, couldn't help it. But I totally agree with you.:cheers:

 

[sweeper]

hmm.. This brings up a question. How many adults or near adults have trained in a class populated predominantly by childern?

It seems to me that I wouldn't want to be there just because of a kids mentality, I mean children aren't usualy as serious as adults and I sure as hell can't go full force on them or near full force (not that I think that's nessisary I just like to some times).

But anyway, I was wondering if anyone has trainedin a class like that and what it was like? do you think that children in the class slowed the class down?

 

[GouRonin]

I have an idea. Run into the room screaming and start punching and kicking people. Then while you are doing it yell things like, "Join me or die!!! YAHHHH!"

I know I'd be interested in what happened. Hell, you might just end up with your own school. Heh heh heh