Why in the world do people join?

This has confounded me for years too. Part of me can't understand why anyone would pay large amounts of money for junk that does not even come close to being realistic self-defense or martial arts. But the older I get the more gullible I think most people are. These schools succeed I believe because parents of children there tell their friends how great the schools is. Many times in different areas I've overheard parents that know nothing about martial arts telling their friends how great little Johnny's school is. Almost always they will also comment that Johnny is a black belt there. Then they will talk about how nice the instructors there are. Sorry, but nice instructors do no0t a good martial arts school make. The martial arts were never about multicolored uniforms, multiple patches, belt promotions, black belt clubs, leadership clubs, ...etc. To those that don't know what the martial arts really are all these things sound great./ I'm sure that they sound really good to parents. But the fact remains that all thing being said the martial arts there is terrible, kids are promoted to ridiculous ranks. They have bad skills and think that they can defend themselves. What is possibly worse is that the parents are totally oblivious. They proudly talk about their childs accomplishments and can't wait to recommend the school to other parents that are as ignorant about the subject as they are. In fact they don;t hesitate to p open the check book every time they are asked to. I'm sorry to go on like this but I've practiced and seen it all these last 42 years. Few things get me ticked off. But the ATA and martial arts schools like it make me want to go take a few of the instructors at these schools apart. While I believe that the martial arts should only be used as a last resort. There are no laws, associations, or other governing groups that regulate the martial arts businesses. In The Orient it was common is the 1960's and before for the martial arts community to police the martial arts community. By that I mean to say that the legitimate instructors would go to any dojo that they were not familiar with and check out the instructor and his credentials. If they were questionable they group would beat the living daylights out of the instructor and send him packing. One of my instructors that trained in Hawaii in the early days was called to join a group that visited a suspected bogus dojo. The instructor was beaten soundly. His door was boarded up, and the instructor was told not to return. I don't believe in vigilantes. But seeing the crap that is passed off for legitimate martial arts makes me wish that legally the legitimate schools could police the McDojo. I can say that if that was allowed, I would be visiting a number of dojo.

Just my opinion.

Here are a few possibilities...

1. It is just babysitting

2. It is just "an experience" for the kids (maybe the parents too)

3. Laziness (intelligence)- they don't check what is good or bad (probably carries over to other purchases and impulse spending)

4. Ignorance - they just simply cannot conceive of something more. They have never been exposed to that "more"

5. It falls in line with their preconceptions - thanks to movies, friends, etc.

6. Gullible - they believe what they are told, without any ability to think critically/logically.

7. Ostrich syndrome - they want to believe that this is enough. The reality is too scary.

8. Laziness (overall) - they don't want to put in the work that it honestly takes.

These are just a few summarized points. I have a bunch of others. In the end, it comes down to us serious martial artists to take away these excuses. For example...very few serious martial artists/schools put on interesting and truthful demonstrations. They might do one or the other, but rarely both. The fancy shmancy jumping spinning kicks of the McDojo will be more interesting to the general ignorant public. We need to do a little more in a number of areas.

I imagine most do not know about it. I know that taekwondo standards are normally lower, but I hadn't heard about ATA until this forum. Though as bad as this sounds kids don't stick with MA, I started karate when I was 8, nine years later I am the only kid who stuck with it. So some parents even if they have heard somethings but don't really know might sign up their kids thinking they will quit in a year. But you can get things out of mcdojos even. Most of them still stress respect, self discipline, courage, and other worthwhile things even if the instruction is shotty. I have been to a couple mcdojos and I see that to test they have to have their parents say they have been respectful at school and home, and they have to do chores etc parents like that sort of thing.

For example I wanted to do karate my parents signed me up they did not look into anything at all about the group it was at the health club and it was convienient they honnestly had no intention of me becoming good and sticking with it thye just saw it as an activity they couldn't care less about the instruction for the first couple of years they wouldn't even watch the class they would jsut go workout and leave me to it,

Summed up in one word Ignorance !

Most people don't research the martial arts and blindly accept what's on their door step.

Which in effect may turn out to be money/business orientated.

I know nothing of the ATA or TKD in general but believe most styles have both money/business approach to training regardless of ability of students, as its all about the money.

Anyone with any sense would do their research and insure that their son, daughter etc would be learning legitimate martial arts regardless of style to the view that it may help in self defence situations although that will be down to the individual students training and application should such a situation occur.

Best wishes :)***

I'm with Pugpaws2. I think we should go back to the days of the Martial Arts community policing itself. I frequent many Dojo in my area, and there are a few (surprisingly less than I thought) McDojo here. I'd love to have guys like you, and Pugpaws2 join me in closing these down. The worst thing ( I believe ) about a McDojo is that they are selling a false sense of security. Their students are not prepared to defend themselves should the need arise. This is unconscionable. It is the duty ( not just the job ) of an instructor to make certain that every student he/she agrees to teach is prepared for real combat situations.

It has been my observation that 'fast-food-martial art' has become popular in this world of instant gratification. Everyone wants a shortcut to greatness! So, in order to keep students (therefore money flowing) in their dojo/dojang more and more instructors begin to subscribe to this. As you know, no matter what you do, it takes decades to learn any martial art, and then you can learn for decades more, if you have it in you. If 'little Johnny' can get his black belt in a few days, why would the parent send him to somewhere that takes years? The belt has become the objective, rather than the skills. As pugpaws2 has stated, people are gullible, and don't know any better.

Also, I have felt like a babysitter at times by the way I have been treated by some parents, and they object to their children being subjected to even basic discipline. It is one of my peeves too, but I lack ability to correct it. I guess I should go with pugpaws2 and visit a few of them!

Because they don't know any better. Most parents have no idea what a McDojo is. Most of them aren't even concerned about their children learning how to defend themselves. It's something fun for them to do like soft ball teams. Some of them just want their kids to gain some discipline or confidence.

Dad's aren't involved enough with their kids. Mom's hear something like you have to bring your report card in to learn a new kata and they're all over it. Those schools are designed to contractually trap people into an endless cycle of increased spending. It's really unfortunate too. If kids would learn real martial arts and see the value in working really hard for a decent period of time to reap a reward, that would translate into so many other areas in their lives.

Probably the parents just want their children to find something to do instead of staying home all day. Some parents might not know the existence of McDojos, and believe or have faith that their children will benefit or develop from the extracurricular activity their parents signed them up...

Parents don't know what mcdojos are ;)

My sister's been training in ITF Taekwondo (not completely a mcdojo, but a lot of point sparring from what I can gather, and expensive gradings), and I've tried telling her I think it's ineffective (albeit in a very rude and mean way lol), but of course she doesn't believe me and I get in trouble if I bring it up now.

What you can do, eh?