In a previous article, I delved into a comment from an individual asserting that their karate was “the strongest.” While the article may have been somewhat lengthy for some (a 2 1/2 minute read – for those who prefer an easier read, coloring books are an option), it generated comments stating that numerous fake karate practitioners exist within the martial arts.
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Individuals who join a martial arts school for the first time can’t be expected to know what to look for in an instructor. In my experience, new students look for something nearby to where they live. They probably have no idea about styles, masters or history. They just have their own reasons for trying a martial art.
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But imagine stepping into the dojo, eager to learn your martial art of choice, only to be presented by not what you think are knowledgeable instructors, but wannabe warriors, boasting fake black-belts, inflated egos and inflated bellies.
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You may have inadvertently entered The McDojo.
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McDojo instructors excel at telling tales of their mythical skills, they tout that they know how to fight hard, with black-belts in several disciplines…. yet with all of this, their movements are as graceful as a sack of potatoes.
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Their real motivation? Ego, greed, and a desire to be recognized by their peers..… by someone.
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They crave the admiration of wide-eyed students, who are hungry for a quick-fix, and the guarantee of a black-belt ‘in no time at all’.
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Unfortunately, those new students may not find out for a year or two.
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We live in a world obsessed with shortcuts, where the martial arts has become a trophy, not a skill. A McDojo, and their potato fueled instructors, exploit this, luring in those seeking instant gratification.
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They dangle promises of power, the ability to fight anyone, and to break boards with your bare hands – while genuine knowledge, a deep understanding of the art, and genuine self-improvement, wither in the shadows.
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The consequences are real. Students are robbed of time, money, and most importantly, genuine skills.
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How many times have you heard someone say; “oh yeah, I used to do martial arts”?
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Students become casualties in the McDojo’s instructors lies, chasing empty promises, while their potential remains untapped.
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The true danger of McDojos lies not just in the lack of real skills, but in the false confidence they instill. Students emerge with a inflated sense of their abilities, an overconfidence, a self-assurance that can go disastrously wrong in a real-life encounter.
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Their flawed training, and the bravado that accompanies it, becomes a liability, a recipe for injury or even worse, with the potential for serious harm.
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Let’s be clear; if its self-defense you’re after, it isn’t a game, it’s not sport. It’s an investment in your safety, and it deserves our utmost respect and attention.
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Imagine the chilling irony; you’re told you are training self-defense, but for that moment when you might need to fight back, your dojo has filled you with a hollow confidence. Your techniques, honed by sparring in the dojo, crumble under pressure. Worse, those faulty techniques drilled into you become liabilities, there’s no headgear now.
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It’s not just useless, it’s dangerous.
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This isn’t a scare tactic, it’s a sobering reality check. Training can be the difference between facing a threat confidently and becoming its victim. It’s a profound responsibility, one that shouldn’t be abused by McDojos instructors full of bravado (and not forgetting the potatoes), trading false promises for real skills.
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Choosing the right training, the right dojo, is critical, for your safety and for your peace of mind. Do not take that choice lightly.
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