I Got Butthurt by Ancient Taekwondo

Reviews, Videos, and Everything Else Trollshido
1

Hi fellas,

This my first post here and I have a dilemma. I’ve been practicing at a NY “underground” TKD organization for about eight years, and now I’m starting to suspect that I might have become stuck in a mcdojo. The dues seem like a very good deal per month at $125 for what I’m getting. And, they are very flexible if you are not in the best financial situation like I am now. They let me $25 per class, and if I don’t have the cash they give me time to get it.

For comparison, around 5 years ago club dues used to be $15 and test were $100-200 with BB test being $500, and even lower in the past I think.

After coming back from a long hiatus two years ago, things seem different. There are more child black belts, some as young as 10??? Also, I cannot go full out because I was told even at the beginning of my training that I “always respect upper belts,” which I do. The veterans do want me to attack them hard, and like it. but, the newer BB feel somehow “disrespected”???

It is a weird situation because among them they are a few of these veteran, muscular & burly guys who have been practicing for like 30 years and have no problem tapping me in the face, making a some contact with kicks and sweeping me to the ground hard. BTW, I LOVE IT.

Now I am being promoted to the rank of BB and my organization wants $1000 for it + I have to shell out another $450 to go and take it at karate camp. I don’t even think they will provide me with food. They have a way to make you feel bad for respectfully questioning things and there is an element of “group think.” Again, strangely the veterans come and go as they please and seen to be a little dissociated from the pack.

Then there is an element of a “core group” that handles all the money and arrangements for the headmaster. They are like the gate keepers with little transparency. The whole thing feels more like a business now then it ever was. I don’t even think they pay much.

I don’t know, may be I’m too much of an idealist.

This is what we practice.

  1. Ancient style of TKD (don’t want to specify)
  2. Forms (with extreme intensity)
  3. “Freestyle” (no contact with noted exceptions & with extreme intensity)
  4. One step (with extreme intensity)
  5. lots of bag work, although it is less now for some reason.

I always leave practice drained and many times bruised in my arms legs etc, sometimes lightly injured.

Sorry for the long post, I just want to be clear. This message board rocks! Latter.

2

I’m sure you can buy a TKD BB for cheaper than that.

3

You are probably in a Bullshido McDojo and should either leave immediately, or provide details so we can confirm that your school is a Bullshido McDojo, and then leave.

My apologies. This is how I can tell:

  1. Ancient style of TKD (don’t want to specify)
  2. Forms (with extreme intensity)
  3. “Freestyle” (no contact with noted exceptions & with extreme intensity)
  4. One step (with extreme intensity)
  5. lots of bag work, although it is less now for some reason.

Plus “group think,” the dollars, and the kiddie BBs.

4

$1,000.00 for a black belt test? WTF!? And I don’t mean Kuk ki won.

I thought $350.00 was steep for a kuksool BB.

Friend, get out.

5

Your school is such textbook McGarbage that I am tempted to shout “troll”. Assuming you are not I would recommend you not waste another minute and start searching with extreme intensity for another school.

6

What details would you like. Any help is appreciated. I want to seriously study the martial arts without the BS, even if I have to start all over again. Thanks.

7

What is availible in your area?

8

My last grading cost me a round of beers.

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“I would recommend you not waste another minute and start searching with extreme intensity for another school.”

Wow, I thought there was a no asshole rule on these boards, lol. But, I appreciate your honesty. No seriously I do.

The season I used the phrase “extreme intensity” was because I can’t really say that the school that I practice at is like the other mcdojos like “tiger shulman’s,” and that is the problem. But, I see now that my school it is probably a more sophisticated mcdojo operation.

10

What other schools are available near you? For instance, judo, MMA, boxing, SAMBO, BJJ, karate?

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With a McDojo, one way to make the clients feel like they are getting value for money is to make sure they are worked hard, this makes them feel they are doing ‘hard training’, but it’s not, it’s just hard work.

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See! That is what I think.

When I respectfully asked my instructor, who is under the “headmaster,” about the high cost, he got a little emotional and defensive. I showed a little more balls and told him that If I have to stay a brown belt indefinitely That would be fine with me. He said I was “being irrational,” and that “people spend money on useless material thinks, that people who don’t know the value of something,” blah, blah, blah. Also, this gem: that we don’t live in a “idealist world…” the sad part is that I think my instructor was more upset at me pulling back the curtain on his reality. He is one of these “group thinkers.”

On the other hand he does tell me things that have integrity, I can’t say it is all bad.

13

There are a few, but i haven’t looked into them yet. Right now I’m suspicious of all of them.

For a while now I’ve been thinking that the true spirit of the martial arts, at least in the states with exceptions, is mostly commercialized and dead.

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[quote=Biped19;2190598]There are a few, but i haven’t looked into them yet. Right now I’m suspicious of all of them.

For a while now I’ve been thinking that the true spirit of the martial arts, at least in the states with exceptions, is mostly commercialized and dead.[/quote]

Why are you suspicious of them?

I recommend trying class at a handful. Sampling and cross-training is a great way to dispel misconceptions.

As for commercialized and dead–I hope you’re not of the idealist mindset that believes that martial arts should all be free. That might be true when it’s your uncle, but martial arts is worth money. If someone gives it away for free, that’s a big favor, not the norm.

15

I have my organization website. I’m not sure If it is prudent to expose them. I’ve heard stories in the past. Wild ones, About how some were pushed out and physically threatened for going against the grain. there is definitely the feel like a cult.

16

LOL and you need to ask??? GTFO!

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[quote=1point2;2190600]Why are you suspicious of them?

I recommend trying class at a handful. Sampling and cross-training is a great way to dispel misconceptions.

As for commercialized and dead–I hope you’re not of the idealist mindset that believes that martial arts should all be free. That might be true when it’s your uncle, but martial arts is worth money. If someone gives it away for free, that’s a big favor, not the norm.[/quote]

Not all. there definitely should be a reasonable compensation. In fact as I stated $125 a month seems very reasonable considering the average gym membership is more. From experience I know I get a total workout at practice Vs. the gym.

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Hey, I can’t help it :slight_smile: when you commit yourself for so long to something it ain’t easy to leave.

19

been there too.

20

as i said, been there, the only way forward is onto something legit.