McDojo A Hazard To Your Childs Health

Anyone who has been involved in some form of Martial Arts has probably stepped into a "McDojo" at some point. One of the first signs that you have stepped into a McDojo is when you look around and you see many children with black belts on.

You see not every dojo makes sure a child is really at the level that they should be before belting them up. Most of these McDojos are all about the money. Which means you're just buying your next belt. This becomes really apperent when you run across the McDojo students at tournaments, or the Mcdojo student is put into a real life situation where they need to defend themselves.

Most parents enroll their child in Martial Arts to make sure their child can defend themselves if a situation arises. This is where the McDojo becomes a hazard to their childs health.

As your child advances through the belt ranking system, they become confident in their ability to defend themselves. After all, their Sensei had told them they earned their next belt, if he or she has confidence in their abilties so should the child. What the child is not realizing is what goes on behind the scenes. At some Mcdojos before the child gets their next belt, their parents better get their checkbook ready.

I have run across Mcdojo students at tournaments, I have sparred against higher belts than myself. There are usually some really upset parents when that happens. Parents pay really good money for their childs training, and it is a big let down when they walk out there on the mat as a brown belt and lose to a child wearing a yellow belt.

My biggest concern comes when one of these children that wears a black belt in class runs into a situation on the school playground. An unearned black belt gives them a false sence of security. When you are at a black belt level you should be able to protect yourself, and majority of the time a McDojo child cannot. McDojos are going to cause a child to get seriously injured.

Before signing your child up here are some of the warning signs you are about to become a parent of a McDojo Child. According to Sci Fighting the four biggest warning signs are:

1. Constant and expensive testing fees to graduate to a new belt

2. Strong conformist mentality. Martial Arts practice and mastery works to destroy the ego. If your instructor exudes a strong ego-centrism and need for worship, you are not in the best school.

3. No application of technique. McDojo instructors will not be able to explain the application, mechanics, and meaning of their techniques beyond mindless repetition testing.

4. You are awarded a black belt in 1-2 years