McDojos: how to recognize them and what to do

An answer to a subscriber's question in regard to the rampant trend that is the McDojo.
Shanghai based MMA Coach and Kunlun Fight Combat League ringside commentator Ramsey Dewey answers questions from the viewers.
Thanks to the channel sponsor, No-Gi BJJ Gear. Use my code RAMSEY10 for a 10% discount on everything at www.nogibjjgear.com/?ref=AyJ_...
This channel features original music by Ramsey Dewey
Follow me on Instagram at: / ramseydewey

[@lorenzoduron4848]

That's why I go to Dojo King their flame-broiled grappling techniques are way tastier than McDojo.

[@OmniscientWarrior]

Five Dojos is better, and they don't use chemicals to give that illusion that it was flame-broiled.

[@noelbodies8784]

I'm a Dojo Bell 🔔 fan personally. They've got hot techniques down and really know how to wrap up an opponent.

[@MrBizteck]

@@noelbodies8784 but after a Dojo Bell you always feel shame ......

[@NoviceDrummer1964]

Lorenzo Duron: LOL, good one.

[@brian_sipe]

I like Dojo Castle, but the lessons always seem so short. At least it leaves me wanting more, I suppose...

[@I_leave_mean_comments]

I went to a nice gym... didn't think it was a McDojo... but then, when the classes started, Ronald McDonald was teaching them. Like, literally. You know how hard it is to get a heel hook on a guy with feet that big? It was tough.

[@byronjuarez656]

I know your joking but Ronald would be easy to heel hook. That's why submission grapplers take off their wrestling shoes for competition.

[@TaijDevon]

It so depends what skills you want. If you want fast, there is a huge variety of Chinese martial arts that are very fast. It you want brutal, Japanese Karate or Muy Thai might be your gig. Okinawa is more mixed between skill and brutal. If you want to completely bewilder your opponent go Ba Gua or Xing Yi Quan. Whatever style speaks to you, that is your best fight.

[@matsuwd-emethdaath4002]

With Ronald McDonald feet n size I would just armbar it😋

[@Rex-golf_player810]

one of the biggest redflags are uh "pay this much and we'll promote you faster to black belt"

[@Vegasboy1038]

"Pay extra and we'll get you the premium package"

[@bvglee9731]

Instructors with ultra high and esoteric ranks; affiliation with shady or unknown federations (there seems to be Mac Federations also) and scores of suspicious championships from unheard of tournaments in foreign countries on unclear dates, are also red flags (with sirens and blinking lights)

[@quasar4601]

Anything with Karate, TKD, Kung Fu and often Krav is a MCDOJO and many MT gyms are MCDOJOS too.

[@bvglee9731]

David so... who's legit then?

[@Mike41919]

I trained at a place where each rank was a higher fee that had to be paid before you promoted. He regularly would go to certain students and say hey you did really well so if you are happy you get the rank you tested for. But since you did well if you give me XYZ amount more I will give you the next higher rank

[@VashWolfwood1]

"Hey, what kind of belt do you have?" "Canvas. You like? J.C. Penny $3.98. In Okinawa, belt mean no need rope to hold up pants. Daniel-san, karate here. [taps his head] Karate here. [taps his heart] Karate never here. [points to his belt] Understand?" -Pat Morita

[@SESSHOMARU3INUTAISHO]

extremely old school but it makes so much sense in today's day in age.

[@siddified]

VashWolfwood1 Miyagi quote! thumbs up!

[@xristosrizos8406]

Miyagi was absolutely right. Especially when he talked about being safe while walking on either side of the road, but you are going to be hit by cars of you stay in the middle: you either know how to fight or you don't. If you think you know, but you don't, then you are squeezed like grape.

[@siddified]

Xristos Rizos I miss Miyagi

[@xristosrizos8406]

@@siddified I miss him too man. Great mentor of our youth.

[@tunakann7629]

Step 1: destroy the master Step 2: assume ownership of his dojo Step 3: ? Step 4: profit

[@xshadowscreamx]

That's how it should be.

[@benkrapf]

Step 3 is where you realize that step 2 is actually "Getting arrested for assault"

[@jose.b9272]

Garou moment

[@dannythorne6507]

Are you allowed to do this for real if you move to a new area? And if you do. Do you have to wear a headband and a Gi like a Z warrior?

[@Tjomi]

if the insructor doesn't say "no homo" after a sparring session it's a mcdojo

[@unlucky3503]

@Oceanic Dangernoodle the fuck

[@MrTehNoms]

UCLA's BJJ team def don't use cups when they roll together... I'm gonna go out on a limb and thing that there are other schools that don't use em...

[@axslaps]

Hmm, never heard the "no homo" once at Fort Leonard Wood. And contray to MDong's comments, we never were issued a protective cup, only PPE we got was a mouth guard. And we did have penises rubbing along arms as we did practice arm-bars.

[@user-ks5ff]

If you swordfight with erect penises after the fight, it's a McDojo.

[@lemankurtz8950]

@@user-ks5ff .....eww.......

[@119winters5]

"How does a 5 year old have a black belt" hes been training in the womb

[@terhazza]

Yeah what's the problem? If it takes 5 years to achieve, the kid just starts when zero years old. Duh!

[@binaryglitch64]

Actually he's been training for 10 yrs... he started out as an egg training and waiting on his turn for ovulation. He's gonna be the most ninja ever!

[@brianbradley1345]

His mother has bruises on her stomach from his kickboxing sessions

[@obamabinladen7234]

Heard that some sperm cells start their training by beating up other sperm cells and then those sperm cells become super ninja babies

[@Kitties_are_pretty]

1:57 If you really cared about teaching your students how to win fights you'd tell them about pocket sand.

[@lordnarasimha2500]

Joshua Brooks you win the comments section

[@lilbeezyspc]

sha sha shaw

[@ParanormalEncyclopedia]

I think the "pull a gun" technique is much more effective in actual real world no rules fights. But yeah not a bad chioce.

[@benwinter2420]

Throwing stars man . . deadly weapon

[@johnfingkennedy1091]

Pocket sand

[@MrBreaknet]

When you said "I was charging... hmmm... 300 renminbis...". I was like: "Per hour? Seems a bit expensive for 2011, but fair enough." And then you continued: "Per month". My jaw literally fell to the ground. You truly deserve respect for it.

[@MrBreaknet]

Your video reminded me a lot of things about my personal experience as a tennis instructor. Glad to see that two people with very different backgrounds can make the same conclusions.

[@calebhu6383]

Even 300 usd per month seems pretty fair

[@GenshinIntervention]

@@calebhu6383 hell nah

[@JP-it4yt]

I know I'm late but I pay 42€ for my mma school here in Germany which is considered quite expensive if you compare it to other gyms in my town; and we get daily training (some also already made it to pro) so I don't get why it's so damn expensive in your countries

[@MiaogisTeas]

I charge ¥350 per hour. ¥250 if you bring a friend. I'm an expert and my time is worth that much. Classes are never more than 4 people. But I don't teach MMA haha… not sure why he'd charge so little, I'd expect that to be ¥3500 per month.

[@whosaidthat84]

I remember being a kid in the 90s and having friends who trained in karate. I remember them talking about getting their green belts and blue belts (or them knowing other kids who did) after just a few months. At the time I felt super intimidated but now I realize those poor kids got swindled.

[@wpbqbanito]

My 8-year-old son has been training BJJ for over a year. He is still a white belt but he doesn’t even complaint or whine about his next belt. He understands he needs to focus on his training, which he does very well, and the rest will come once he earns it. I also joined BJJ right after him and it gives him one more reason to stay motivated. I’ve learned a lot in the past year and still feel like I just started, lol.

[@RamseyDewey]

That’s awesome

[@jaydonkocaj6896]

Just seen this comment how's your son getting on🙏

[@isitchillyinahut5921]

W son

[@johncostello2948]

Fear does not exist in this McDojo! Pain does not exist in this McDojo! If your instructor begins class like this, it is a McDojo.

[@jpsholland]

Fear does not exist in this dojo. Pain does exist, but not in this dojo. That will come after you receive the bill...... Then there also be fear... for the next bill...

[@vasilijenicic6806]

THIS EXACTLY. Had experience like this last week. Fact that he said that we should ignore pain was huge red flag. Then, I realized that coach was literally in worst shape than anyone training there. It was first free training, do glad I never came back there. Still can't convince a friend to find another MMA school though

[@Axzuin]

🤣🤣🤣

[@tyrvaldfenrischain7967]

Giving kids black belts is like giving everyone a participation ribbon at the end of the race. Doesn't matter if you're first or last, or if you cut across the football field instead of circling the track. Don't be a helicopter parent, don't bubble wrap your child, don't let your child have a bloated sense of self importance and skill that will get their ass kicked (maybe killed!) later in life.

[@jacobcoryell8258]

BINGO

[@TheMdub27]

The problem is people think a black belt is the best achievement

[@TheMdub27]

There's 10 degrees of black belt

[@Grodd70]

Totally agree. I think martial Arts training is great for kids BUT a child can't grasp the entire concepts of many arts

[@fileboy2002]

Tyrvald Fenrischain To be fair, the fact participation ribbons may be given out doesn’t mean competitors are not ranked. Even if everyone who participated is acknowledged in some way, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishers are always honored. The idea that participation awards negate competitive rankings is a myth.

[@chrism8699]

Best way to shut down mcdojo is to not train there...if they dont have students they won't stay open

[@jlogan2228]

Robert Meyers problem is most mcdojos make their money off mom's like Ramsey's talking about who just want essentially karate day care where the kid gets to brag about being a whatever belt

[@SenseiEli]

J Logan exactly!

[@jlogan2228]

@@SenseiEli yea plus the hard reality is unless you live in a densely populated area where you can have alot of people coming in interested in training ...you pretty much HAVE to have a mcdojo set up if you wanna keep the lights on. Dojos are like any other gym in that the adults are usually flakey but the kids will drain their parents wallets dry if they have a fun thing to do

[@TheQuarterbackX]

I have seen too many times the reason the school is a mac dojo was not because of what the teacher originally wanted to start with. But, because of the students really wanted the school to be a mac dojo and would do lots of things to pressure the teacher over time to do so. Such things, real situation, knock themselves out by turning into an already extended arm or leg. Then blame the teach, and/or crying about a law suit. Crying that they wanted more busy work rather then to actually have to do the harder techniques, and training. In school tournament, crying they did not get a trophy after paying the competition fee. Each one of these and more they cry, and threaten to quit the school and go to another. I have even seen and heard from students saying and even complaining when the teacher is teaching an simple but advanced aspect and technique of the style, " that is not how you do the style". Many students will even say they really dont care to learn the martial arts, how to fight, but there just for the fitness benifit. I would point out the better you learn these things to be a better fighter, the much better the fitness benifits will be. So, basically those students were just going through the motions, very poorly so. I have seen students do all these thing and heard teacher talking about many students doing this. Many teachers have stoped teaching and would not take students because of this. For the teachers who's schools are their sole source of income. Where like anyone else have Bill's to pay, family, house, lots of life expences, will bend and make it more and more a busness to make money with over it being a school that is designed to teach the actual art to get the actual combat skills. So, yep, many of the reasons schools teach like this is because of the students. Or, another side of the coin is the teacher came from such a school and really does not know the art as well. Si, they learned it watered down, and only know what they learned. So, they teach it watered down. All the while trying to teach their best. You know, like in public school and many college classes it is more about busy work over teaching true application and substance. Oh yes. Let's not forget most mac dojo sells not the art but the ideal and feeling that the student is a warrior. And, the teacher will never really teach anything of worth because someone may get hurt, cry, complain, and leave their school. It's only the very few who do it for the love of the art over finances. Many I have come across does not use the school as their primary and only source of income. They will many times have another job to support them and their family. And, the school is sharing something they love. With those, they may or may not charge anything. And usually the ones charging is charging the minimum. Maybe to afford an inexpensive place to teach, and help with being able to afford different equipment that will assist with the teaching. For the students who cant pay a month, or could not afford any classes, many of these teachers will just wave that expences. Agsin, love for the art over making lots and lots of money, profit. Sad but true. One big red flag to me of students from such schools is when I am talking to them to get a feel of their level of knowledge, and them asking me simular, they test will be a vocabulary test. Eight away Ibelieve if that is their go to when talking then that is really their go to rely on as well. They feel it is very important. I feel knowledge of vocabulary was never designed to help a fighter defend themselves, others, love ones in a real situation. I have seen mac dojos find ways to charge more through out, itemizing. If a belt test is coming up, charging for extra classes to help the student on the test. Tacking on extra fees for everything. In school tournament, charge for extra classes for those that feel it will help them do better in some way. Then charge everyone that goes to the tournament, students friends, family and such. Then to enter each tournament there will be a fee. So, the more activities in the tournament means more things you can charge for. There are also vendors for large tournaments. People who sell items that will be associated to the culture, martial arts, or anything Asian themed like. Then the can charge for the space of the venders use. Of the school may create their own take so sell such things. We also have the consession stand to sell drinks, food, snacks at an higher price than cost. Simply put the teacher is only limited by their imagination to just how many ways they can itemize and charge for different aspects.

[@alexkmoz]

Nah, what you do, is develop a level of proficiency. Then, visit that club and pretend that you're visiting from out of town, and let their regular guys continually get the W, then ask the head coach if he wants to train. If he refuses, then go back to the other guys, then turn up your game, and just GRIND them out. You don't need to hammer on the submissions, but take your time in the terrible positions, to make them suffer (dope-mount), grape-vines, sit on their chest while fishing for the armbar, just REALLY make their lives miserable. If they are a McDojo, chances are, their "gym enforcer", won't do shit. Either that, or the head-instructor might ask you to leave (at which point, unless he's injured, he's lost A LOT of face). But if you do it right, you'll have embarrassed the coach enough to cause damage to his reputation.

[@VincentLauria6]

I found a site online where they claimed that for $399, they would send you DVDs from white belt to Sandan. They said watch the video, send them back and they’d send a certificate & belt. They claimed that you only need to view the techniques in order to learn them. I couldn’t stop laughing.

[@siddified]

VincentLauria6 those techniques must be awesome

[@yagzyalcntas553]

name of the site?

[@sweynforkbeard8857]

Did it work?

[@derryk1]

I have seen these things back in the late 1980's and through the 1990's in the back of "Black Belt Mag" etc. The videos were on VHS though back then. Still it was all Bullshido. In order to learn practice for real and learn from a real and experienced instructor.

[@ContraereaSerba]

Lmao send them back

[@Gollywog]

When they give blackbelts to under 10s, then it's a McDojo. Most TKD schools operate like that

[@troybaker3556]

StiX not necessary. If there are excellent instructors, great training regiments, and good competitive practices.... Who really cares what they give the kids?

[@schwullhund]

Really? at all the taekwondo schools I've been to you had to be 18 to earn a full black belt

[@Rex-golf_player810]

i feel like a young black belt is possible, but if they are like 6-7 its unreal when you look at it mathematically

[@troybaker3556]

I do think the kukkiwon differentiates between adult black belts and child ones. Also, i look at black belts like diplomas from education. They tend to say a lot more about $ and time spent than competency. They have more use as a tool of motivation or marketing than that of denoting skill.

[@artyomarty391]

my judo school gives alot of black belts to kids too. But the school is totally legit. Its a general practice to give black belts to kids under 14 who can show all the moves and/or win championships and who have practiced for a certain period of time. Its not the school's fault, its the general practice to do this

[@themodernmusketeer877]

I’ve been taking classes in historical European sword fighting for about 7 months, and we usually do sparring once a month. Not only do the instructors spar with us, but new students are only allowed to spar with an instructor. The instructors are also happy to see a technique work against them, and they always give constructive feedback to help make us better fencers

[@TheRabbitpaws]

Signs of McDojos….. You see all these trophies in the windows, They have TON of different programs to get your money... A Black Belt Program, an Empowerment Program, a Leadership Program, a Junior Instructional Program, etc. Another sign of McDojo is when the Instructor looks like he used to flip burgers at a McDonald's

[@BenjaminGessel]

The overhanging pot belly...

[@lea-rw5cb]

Come to bullshido go kan ryu and become a instructor in a month for a one off payment, one on one tuition with our instructor whos just earned there black belt with no previous experience in 2 weeks, have fun play with toys and run around no payment for first lesson but a one off monthly payment of a hundred pounds there after and we promise to let the main instructor pop in once every four years at your dojo, we will even throw in a free colouring kit so you don't get bored waiting for the trainee instructor to get a high enough grade to teach above yellow belt, free parking at every dojo we are open 7 days a week 24 hrs aday but closed on Mondays and Sundays as we have to do canvasing to get more people interested so we make more money 😂😂😂😂. Yes I've been there done it with my kids who learnt nothing well say nothing to be fair they did do seminars with actual instructors once in a blue moon so kids did learn karate properly once a month lol

[@meticulousperversions9064]

Being a black belt that bought his rank instead of earning it is like having an unloaded gun.It's all intimidating until somebody calls you on it.

[@marcgrundfest1495]

If you think you are in a McDojo you probably are.. If you are not thinking... This is tricky.. It's going to take a lot of work.. You are in a McDojo.... If your instructor is more concerned with marketing than training.. If he or she is spending more time protecting your feelings, than helping you identify weak spots.. But most of all if all the buzz is about promotion and testing.. And you don't seem to mind... You are in a McDojo.. And you probably want to be there..

[@diegoreviewexpert2598]

Marc Grundfest i have done a research that there is not any belts in muaythai but rather a arm band you get when you are ready to fight etc I have only done muaythai for 3 months i wont talk high about myself but i am doing extremly good for a beginner /novice so good i have many good moments when sparring our champions when we only go 70-80% of course not full yet but i do better than i should be doing if that makes but i still dont understand how i could get promoted to a brown belt i had to pay 900 turkish lira(168 dollars) He explained it costs that much because it would take between 2-3 years to take all 9 exams i cant remember the right number but it should be 9 so a 100 lira for every exam now But i dont think much if it just i watch these videos and i agree with them and then i go the club and i see those signs and i dont feel so certain anymore but then again he has alot of Champions national Champions etc and Pro thai fighters i just feel it is very expensive like 2500 lira for three months private training almost 500 dollars i really enjoy the sport and all i want is to fight in the ring i truly feel this is natural for me and i love every bit of it and i learn extremly quick tho i just dont want to waste my youth at a place that is most likely a legit place but i dont man i am sorry for my english i dont want to Sound arrogant if i did sorry it was not my intention i am just not certain it would be nice if anybody could help or give their thoughts etc

[@siddified]

ak kartal you get belts in your muay thai school??? and you get promoted to brown belt in 3 months???? regardless of that school housing champions, I'd say that's a pretty good sign of a McDojo. the money thing too. yet, if you feel this school can make u a great fighter, better than any other school can, you might want to accept it. one thing to ask yourself on top of that, is whether you want to be a champion. training martial arts should mainly be about enjoying and improving yourself and feeling happy and comfortable with your school, the teacher and the other students . if not, you should leave. unless your priority is to become a champion and you feel that this school is the best one to get you there and all the other stuff doesn't matter to you.

[@yagzyalcntas553]

@@diegoreviewexpert2598 ak kartal eğer oranın iyi eğitim verdiğini düşünüyorsan başarılı olduğunu bildiğin başka bi okulun öğrencileri ile dövüş nispeten ciddi bi şekilde, 1-2 antremanına katıl hocam sizi deneyebilir miyim diye, oranın tecrübeli öğrencileri de seni rezil edemiyorsa (tecrübeli derken sen 3 aysan sallıyorum 1-1,5 maks 2 yıldır yapanları kastediyorum gerçi şuan 6 aylıksın 2-3 yıldır yapan birini dene) demek ki doğru yoldasın. Sadece kendi salonundaki ''pro'' larla iyi mücadele etmenden anlayamazsın. İstanbuldaysan senle ben dövüşürüm aslında ^^ 4 yıl önce başladım ama okuldan dolayı okul zamanı yapamıyorum yaklaşık 2 yıl yaptım toplamda ben de senin gibi çok hızlı ilerleyen biriyim birbirimizi test edebiliriz istanbuldaysan.

[@VashWolfwood1]

Think this would qualify as a Mcdojo: When I was a kid, in the 90's, my brother and I went to a studio located in a strip mall next to a Circuit City, called "Chuck Norris Karate Studio" ......and not once did I meet Chuck Norris (I think I was 8 or 9 at the time) but yeah, it was basic katas some runaround exercises, and the deadliest technique that was taught......THE FOOTSWEEP!!!!!! DUN DUN DUNNNNNN!!!!!!. but progression of belts wasn't price based, more of a time frame, rather than actual skill. Went from a white belt to.... purple? or was it orange?....whichever one was the higher, but yeah.......I had my ass MAJORLY handed to me in a very bad way in my first Bully fight (and till this day only, cause I moved and at the next school I did everything to be absolutely invisible to everyone and unintentionally became a master in Ninjitsu -not the fighting but the misdirection and escape without a trace portion). Also, I believe they either changed their name or shut down cause Chuck Norris put a cease and desist lawsuit on the various studio chains using his name.

[@mrmoth26]

Chuck Norris always wins. He won the trial not only against the McDojo but also against the Judges and the Lawyers easily.

[@whosaidthat84]

So they got the deadliest technique from Cobra Kai 😂 "Sweep the leg."

[@Manouthe1]

"Everybody was kung-fu hyping And it looked super exciting Yet its just theatrical timing With some acrobatic miming"

[@flashpointgodlevelbatman0688]

That’s amazing

[@lea-rw5cb]

But here it's EVERYONE WAS KUNG FOOOOOO TYPING lmao

[@josephcote8634]

When I studied Uechi Ryu karate as a kid, my dojo's solution to issuing children belts was to increase the number of belts they go through to get to black. White, yellow, purple, red, green, brown, and black for kids and adults had white green brown and black. Never got to red, because my mom was also taking classes and my dad didn't like that she could beat him up so he stopped paying altogether. Good times.

[@Thesavagesouls]

Your mother could beat up your dad ? What kind of a limp dick he was ?

[@Camille_Fox]

My coach had a karate kickboxing school (£65pm), where you would be promoted every ten weeks for a new rank for additional £30 each time. The test was a run around while he was gaping at the belt test applications stacked on his table, about 80 of them. Everyone passed ofcourse. There were as many belts as blitz could offer, and the skills would include a kickboxing form of 10 moves, which would repeat after 6 months and people would do the same one for their greenblue as for yellow for example. The karate bit was for the black belts only which would include a form of 25 moves or so. You were given 6 months to learn it although you could phisicaly know the form after 2 hours of deligent practise. People would still be crap at it. You would get motivational texts regularly to make sure you attend. And you would be used to give out leaflets. You would get a photo done with your star of the week dyplom in the actual frame with schools details on, and this would get posted on Facebook. You would be offered to help coach the children even you know no better than them. The kids trained with adults, including stinky old senile man with black feet. The equipment like gloves and stuff was club only for £85, not to mention the rest of the franchise. Coach would have his own venom branded stuff on the other hand. So you would be not allowed to spar unless you buy his stuff. Parents would shout at their kids after the class that the karate is not enough to discipline them, while actually the coach would not command respect along with his 15 year old instructor. Many more, but it's getting long now. Basically try and pay attention to where you're going before you pay too much money and it's too late.

[@martialartsofmedford6002]

"Martial arts is a pursuit of the truth. Sparring is a pursuit of the truth." Yes!!!!

[@IrishPotato86]

If i walk in and they have 5 year olds, i respectfully decline to train there. At a minimum, one should be 16 years of age before being permitted to attempt to test and train at a black belt level. There are some exceptions, but that is on an individual basis and depends on the maturity and dedication of the student. A young person does not fully understand that a black belt is not just a rank or the color of a piece of cloth you wear around your waste. It is a mindset, and a way of life.

[@runakovacs4759]

I would argue that younger than 10 can be acceptable if the teacher has standards. Can never start a sport too early, as long as it's done right.

[@gmork1090]

He just means black belts. If you have more than one black belt that's 16 or under, the schools mcdojo likelihood is at least 90 %.

[@runakovacs4759]

Ah, savvy. Yeah, expecting at least 1 year between belts would make unrealistic starting ages for people getting a black belt at 16 yo and under.

[@user-kn2qk8ly8c]

Dacino Hoihe i think he means that people under 16 shouldn’t be trained by a black belt... or that kids under 16 shouldn’t be allowed to adquiere black belts until they are over 16? Well, whatever of those 2 it is it sounds reasonable.

[@xCorvus7x]

@@user-kn2qk8ly8c While I agree with the latter, the former doesn't make sense at all to me. Do you really think a black belt training with children is a waist of time? Isn't it generally a sign of good teaching skills, that you are able to handle little children in a way that they actually learn something and start as soon as possible with the sport/art as Dacino Hoihe has stated?

[@commanderwilliamtriker7449]

Hey Ramsey, very happy to be part of youre channel, i want to make a statement, i previously wrote about my son's negative experience with a Jiujitsu practioner. I have practised Aikido for 8 years now and in have a story to tell. I know know that Aikido is the favorite target in the world of martial arts today, however, i have a different story to tell. Sometime ago i decided to take certain tecnique and apply them in a much aggresive and street ready way. i can say that i have had to spar in my son's dojo and do some heavy sparring with these seasoned Judo guys and i have been able to defend myself very well and i dont feel afraid, i trust my Aikido and i know it can work very well for me in the streets. My son and i have mats at home and face each other all the time and i have tried to absorb all these really good Judo techniques and i have held my own in this grappling world, i feel confident facing anyone regardless of what i am facing, Aikido techniques work depending how you apply them.

[@jhemlock7852]

Very important subject, great videos. I know you don't have time to go into detail on every point, but at 10:30 you touch on Iaido. Just to clarify this is the Japanese art of sword handling. Drawing, cutting and returning the sword not simply in the 'correct' way in keeping with tradition for the sake of it, but in the fastest way to strike immediately, footwork to position for a final cut if necessary, flick off your opponents blood, and return the sword when it is safe to do so in the safest way. Iaido also involves practical cutting practice, ' Tameshigiri' whereby the students cut through rolled up tatami or bamboo. This is no ornamental hobby, it is training the student to kill efficiently with the sword. I accept that under normal conditions we don't need to know how to cut someone in half with a Katana, but abnormal conditions are sometimes just around the corner.. I love Iaido, just want viewers to know it does have a practical application. Keep making these great videos!

[@robertsutherland6162]

Bullshido is a horrendous website. I joined, asked one question on someone they called out, and was immediately attacked by multiple members, accusing me of being a fake Hanshi, demanding diplomas, etc. They obviously have issues, and most don't have any real experience nor much history from what I could tell.

[@crevice5369]

no it isnt. i can see you want to cover it up tho

[@NShivadas2023]

I'm wondering if these guys know the difference between traditional martial arts and MMA. They are different. And most of the people at bullshido are full of their own stuff, having no experience whay so ever. I started when I was 12 and earned my Black Belt at 18 and have been "dojo hopping" ever since.

[@bobbyhill4118]

Robert Sutherland Everyone thinks they’re right these days. Can’t accept being wrong and change ones ways because that would be a stab to their ego. We have good shit such as phones, electricity and cars because of our ability to think in a group. Nobody can challenge or build off of another without being all stubborn. It’s stupid. You’ll see it on the internet a lot.

[@jpsholland]

Bullshido started out good, but they became what they were fighting against.

[@charlesserc7753]

Everything becomes what it is fighting against----

[@jimmyalderson1639]

I've told this story on another one of Ramsey's videos where he also mentioned the taekwondo story. I train judo and there was a person who came to a few sessons, about three or so. And once we sparred. I'm a green belt, and they asked how long i've been training for. I told them 'about four or five years i think now', and she went 'woah that's a long time!'. I went 'oh that's nothing, over there [a blue belt, one rank above green] he's been training for thirteen years' they were shocked. At the time i didn't realise why they were shocked, i thought it was because that's a long time to be dedicated to a martial art. What i hadn't told them was that the blue belt hadn't been taking judo seriously intil recently, and neither had i. But they said 'wow, it must take a long time to get your black belt' and i said 'yes' since that is how it should be. I didn't realise until later their choice of words 'given' and not 'earn', and they hasn't been to another session since that day. I can only hypothesise that they came from karate where, in my area, it's oferly commercialised and, i wouldn't say McDojo but, very lenient with how the belts are earned. So coming to a school where you spar and train and suffer and work hard for a ling time to get a new colour to put around your waist when you train was too much to handle.

[@richdome1]

Truth I owned a martial Arts school in NY 27 years. I',m retired from business ownership ,but still teach! In 27 years 5 students earned their Black belt 3 as teens 2 adults! We were a fighting school, the point tournament were a joke. The traditional schools disliked my students and I. I'm 61 and still spar and roll,but the clock is ticking!

[@Docinaplane]

Much respect for sticking to your beliefs!!

[@runakovacs4759]

My own instructor hated the official tournaments as well. He instead spoke with fellow instructors and had us spar with their students. He taught a variant of mantis kung fu, yet had us spar with boxers, kenpo-ers, judo-ers and kick boxers (they were the only groups within 10 km, I'm sure he'd have had us train with even more dudes).

[@williammiller2307]

My first long time school required 5 years fulltime minimum before even a chnce for a blackbelt.

[@siddified]

Oceanic Dangernoodle actually, humans do too

[@hemirigby-curtis1663]

BlackDiamond this is right. If you look at the back of your neck you can see your expiration date.

[@joshuanelsen8602]

45$ a month! You are generous!

[@oneshadowdragon]

My gym wants $150.00 a month :(

[@trevellwilson7769]

Dragon Shenron same I going to be practicing bjj

[@oneshadowdragon]

@@trevellwilson7769 I only practice muy Thai

[@brynjones3445]

@@trevellwilson7769 there is a Gracie jiu jitsu place near me that only charges $35 a month

[@Luke-kf2lq]

@@oneshadowdragon how much does yours charge a month?

[@KevlarrTheBarbarian]

It's a breath of fresh air to hear someone logically look at martial arts school corruption and evaluate it with a sane mind. I tried learning kung fu at a shaolin school just for exercise, and I was shocked to find how abusive and predatory it was to its members with money punishments and strange master worship cult behaviors. The teacher is supposed to help the students instead of conning them. Great video!

[@jlogan2228]

When they make you pay a year upfront that's a sign When they offer "packages" that includes belt tests and make you pay out the ass for belt tests that's a sign Basically when your progress is determined more on your bank account than your actual skill. My mom ran into this taking tkd classes a few years ago when they kept wanting to promote her and even she was like.....I'm not that good

[@favmt]

I'm a McDojo survivor😖 time to end #McDojos

[@ri9p3r89]

#McDojo we will get you through this buddy don't worry

[@calex6294]

Dude you're like a breath of fresh air, discussing everything I wondered about but could not find good information on.

[@katsunada]

Dang you got a voice that is really peaceful and easy to fall asleep to.

[@hakachukai]

I think that you've already done about as much as can be done. McDojo's will always exists because when you get right down to the bottom line truth of the matter, most people want McDojo's. Those of us who are not the majority and want to learn real skills and how to win fights do our research. We watch videos like this one ( thanks for the video BTW ). We check the forums. We visit different schools. We ask around. We test our skills against others to see if what we are learning really works. It takes time, thought, training and sacrifice. Most people don't want that. Most people want to throw some money at someone to magically turn their kid into a bad ass black belt in 6 months. Well... they will at least sell them the belt.

[@MorganTDaniels]

I think training with people from other schools as much as possible is a good thing. I think visiting other BJJ academies has benefited my training tremendously. This idea that a school would have an issue with this says a lot about the insecurity they have in their own training. BJJ is about family and everyone who trains in it are my brothers and sisters. We can all grow from one another.

[@harizotoh7]

This is why we should get away from belt ranking systems. They don't mean anything.

[@BenjaminGessel]

Precisely. Or just have colored ("pretty") belts for kids/teens ages 8-15 or so (white, pink, yellow, orange, magenta, purple, aqua), but actually teach kids/teens REAL martial arts... Esp. with the magenta/purple/aqua belts... Then as an older teen starting at 16/young adult, etc., just go green, blue (intermediate), brown, red (advanced) and black (skilled enough to help a sensei teach younger students as well as green, blue, brown belts, etc.). One year each for the older belt colors minimum. Then the dan ranks, etc. Black belts should MEAN something. Or nothing at all. It should be one way or the other... With no belts, it's all about knowing the general skill range for different students and teachers-beginner, elementary, intermediate, advanced, instructor, master and elite...

[@iiiiii8522]

@@BenjaminGessel I propose a numbered scale to one decimal place. Like the beep test.

[@BenjaminGessel]

@@iiiiii8522 Boy, that sounds fun... 😁👍

[@iiiiii8522]

@@BenjaminGessel Hah, so you lose a bit of flavour. You instead get a reliable metric and tangible measurement system.

[@BenjaminGessel]

@@iiiiii8522 Yyyyyep. Point taken. 😁 I'm sure there is some psychological reason why colored belts are still a good idea, but its 4 am at the present time, and I need to get back to bed. Kudos for your intellectual acumen and wit, however. 😁

[@tric5122]

My son first got into martial arts via a TKD dojo that was great for him. He was never tested until the instructor felt he was ready, and even at that he wasn't guarateed to pass. He sadly went out of business(he wasn't a great business man). We ended up at a mcdojo and it really upset me. I knew it was a rip to begin with, but we were in a pinch as they did after school care before classes, and did summer camps. 2nd one was what I called a belt factory. Every 2-3 mo's all the kids went through a belt test(30-40 kids all crammed into the class and being tested at the same time) by 2-3 instructors and all kids got a belt no matter what. My son didn't feel accomplished there and he didn't learn much either. The one we are at now, I struggle with. It feels like like something in between; no kid fails a test, but they are not going to be tested every few mo's and they basically pre test them at various points to make sure they know the test requirements, but the instructors are all blackbelts(different instructors on different days) and both my childeren have seen real growth.

[@gxtmfa]

5 years to get a black belt even when training multiple times a week at your TKD school? Sounds like a good school, despite all the grief TKD gets.

[@charlesserc7753]

This is one of the most honest things I have listened to in some time. U got a sub man. Much respect from me brother.

[@SVDassassin]

Some of my absolute favorite content to listen to at work. So glad I found your channel

[@johnthompson8580]

I hold a black belt in Shotokan karate, which we did real sparring, whenever I decide to train at a new school I train a lesson afterwards I ask the teacher politely to spar with me and throw everything i have at them. If they can keep up or beat me they gain a student. If not I thank them for the lesson and move on.

[@PaulGappyNorris]

John Thompson - you are not a Black Belt, you are a fool.

[@masterkni666]

@Bobby Tawil He asked to spar and yet throws everything he has at him. What an idiot.

[@jeffjohnson419]

That’s dumb

[@USAFORMERUSMC]

If he tries to get you to "sand his floor, wax his car, paint his fence", this is a McDojo.

[@MrParkerman6]

No! You just forgot to also paint the house! That is why you failed!

[@alanderson9711]

Like it was yesterday I can remember the words of our combat instructor as he demonstrated lethal, crippling strikes and combinations reminding everyone that these tactics were for life and death combat situations and using them in a-bar fight would land you in jail and court. Then he demonstrated some verbal judo moves that I took to heart and used the first time confronted where the tough guy ended up laughing. Your videos are so much fun, thanks for taking the time to share your skills and insights, that I had to share my Marine Corps story with you.

[@xyon9090]

*Informing yourself like you said* is also the best way that I can think of, OR IF NOT then those who can assess if a school is a McDojo should inform others who can't and those who can't assess should be open enough to be informed.

[@syteanric1868]

So glad i found your channel! Great content and keep going!

[@arrandavid]

When i was like 14 i went to a tai chi school and fell for their bs for years...never spared...thought i could fight till i spared at a kung fu school...the power these McDojos have on your mind is incredible...when you get in the ring you realise what a fantasy your combat skills were...reality is harsh lol...with wing chun i can probably knock someone untrained out maybe but a real fighter...no chance lol

[@SteveMe21685]

Arran Titchmarsh lol I had a similar journey. Tai chi and wing chun...always doing “lite sparring” with un-athletic or older students that had no interest in fighting.

[@toddfrancis8428]

Man, youre the best... ! Accessable and honest! Love your channel!

A black belt IS like a scout badge. Those badges should also be earned, not just given away. Can't handle a knife? No knife badge for you. They also have the same problem as black belts, where parents basically pay for the badges instead of the kids earning them.

[@dsadsa726]

This was such a huge problem for me when I wanted to switch from MMA to Chinese martial arts. All the "kung fu" schools are just pure cringe,filled with 50 year old balding guys trying to feel better about themselves,memorizing some old Chinese proverbs and "training" with whatever they can find (fans,sabers,poles,nunchaks) while doing no fighting at all. Then I found out about Sanda and oh boy,I hope it'll push out all the fake shit out. Fighting without a fight is just bullshit,sweat and bruises offer more gratification than any belts they struggle to tie under their beer guts.

[@xvariable7711]

If it's filled with old balding guys cringe wouldn't be the word, they might not be doing it to outright learn to fight, they may be doing it for the exercise or just as a hobby or stress relief, my boss is older, he does tai chi, he used to do kick boxing

[@Liquidcadmus]

Great video, all your points are very clear and true. But there is no way to shut down mcdojos. there should be some kind of legal regulation for that, like having a medical license, you should have a license to be a martial arts instructor, which brings forth a lot of complicated problems too. there's nothing to be done about it except that the real teachers focus and keep their students at the highest level so that they do not someday become mcblack belts.

[@justosoler8408]

I used to practice karate I would love lo practice martial arts again I'm 32 I just can't I suffer from acute kidney disease hope to get better and practice martial arts again I love your videos.

[@gmork1090]

Anbjørg Allum Wrong. Not everyone who can fight like Bruce Lee can teach, and not everyone who can teach like Bruce Lee can fight. A Mcdojo voluntarily tries to trick and con people out of money, which isn't the same as not being a world class dojo vs a school with a different skill level.

[@devilboyraden]

Liquidcadmus licenseing is government taking your right to do something and selling it back to you. Fuck that, let these Mcdojos stay but let's learn what they look like and how they act like so that we may avoid them and let others who are interested in going to a dojo know how to avoid them.

[@ImNotJoshPotter]

Liquidcadmus this reminds me of that scene in Ip man 2 where he wants to open up his own school, proves his skills to the teachers, then is denied because he can't pay the fee. Be very cautious when you talk about something requiring a license. In the UK you have to get a license to own a television. It's just my opinion but I usually lean towards keeping bureuocrats away from as many things as possible.

[@robocoastie]

No way. You’d be bowing down to socialism. Look at the organization standards. - BULLSHIDO is just an armchair artist who likes to bully and pretend they are the authority.

[@thomask365]

Best talks I have ever heard on the arts. Thanks.

[@eustaceking2164]

In my country (Netherlands) there is an official body for handing out black belts in Judo, karate and traditional jiu-jitsu. There is an official exam you have to take so there can’t be mcdojo’s

[@goblinsadhd431]

Eustace King in all of Netherlands I’m sure they can be found.

[@adrianmn]

"What is the best way to shut down a McDojo?" Bad Yelp reviews.

[@carllubrin8518]

Adrian Nguyen hawk might gang up on u no mercy lol

[@zekelerossignol7590]

I've got an unorthodox suggestion, which is that we revive unarmed HEMA styles (e.g. ringen, pankration and classical pugilism) as they are simpler, can be learned more quickly and perfectly sufficient for self defence. Part of the reason these mcdojos exist is because Asian martial arts take so long to learn and have other 'baggage' not had by western martial arts (bowing, belts, gis, mysticism), which means students dont stay for long and instructors subsequently take shortcuts in teaching their students so they'll stay on in order to make ends meet. I know there's some work being done on reconstructing unarmed HEMAs already, and by having historical sources explaining these techniques on Wiktenauer, people can easily tell if they're being taught BS. I also know that 'self defence' goes beyond just knowing a martial art (i.e. situational awareness, de-escalation techniques...), but only some clubs, like the SPEAR system, actually teach these.

[@billybadtoes]

Ive never met u in person but from the videos that ive watched u come across as a very honest person even if it might hurt some people's feelings and as bad as it may hurt,I'd much rather u tell me the truth about myself than just string me along with bullshit about how great i am and all that ur gonna teach me

[@tgdb4968]

You talk a lot of sense and you're interesting to listen to,great videos man,Subscribed

[@Scott_Terry]

I wish Ramsey would do an entire video on what to do if you want to train in martial arts but there's no gym or school nearby. I guess learning from youtube or from a book is kind of cliche' ...

[@RamseyDewey]

I’ve been in that situation a few times in my life. I’ll tell you what I did. Stay tuned.

[@Scott_Terry]

I'm just going to get a job in Shanghai and go to your gym. lol

[@Axzuin]

I actually started with reading martial arts books as a kid and testing it with friends "playing ninja ". Later on i got hands on practice in real fights and backyard wrestling, and trying out 2 schools.

[@TalentDanceTV14]

Thanks , for the response Ramsey great answer as usual :) I'm sharing this thanks for the advice and help

[@IceCold11235]

Talent Dance TV if you want to ask him questions, do you post on his channel on youtube, or does he have an email?

[@fancymcclean6210]

Mr. Dewey, I have just subscribed. I like your frank, truthful, and no-nonsense approach. I wish I had come across your channel years ago. With great respect. Flaxen Saxon.

[@patrickpancoast8321]

Thank you for this video. I am interested in learning MMA for self defense purposes. I only recently found out about these "Mcdojos" from another video, and have been teaching myself the warning signs of these places. Luckly, I have not engaged in a school as of yet to be taken advantage of. This video was very informative, and I feel prepared with the knowledge needed to conduct an interview with which ever school I look into to help me develop to a new level.

[@trowabarton4840]

I just discovered you recently.you got a new sub.Thank you for the videos Ramsey =)

[@AlexDuos]

My former regional association was gradually starting to focus on the money instead of the arts, and it all came to a head when we had some pre-teen shodans show up at a national seminar. I was frankly never more proud of my sensei than when he told us we would no longer be a part of any association that let McDojos in.

[@finnishfatman]

When I was a teenager and wanted to do some martial arts, there was this one "dojo" that was the biggest McDojo I've ever encountered. They were teaching Choy Li Fut there, which to a teenager sounded cool (little did I know back then...). I went to their first beginners class and it was filled with people... all kinds of people, which isn't bad of course, but the "dojo" was just this gymnastic room in some school that they had rented for their evening class. And we all stood there in rows and lines, while the instructor showed us some moves that we were supposed to mimic without explaining to us why we're doing that. All the while this other instructor was sneaking behind us, trying to look intimidating and "bad-ass" while punching and kicking the walls. And what exactly were they teaching there? At the very first class they showed all kinds of stupid roundhouse kicks and the "cool" stuff, because it was pretty clear they just wanted ignorant people to get hooked how awesomely cool their training was. But even to a teenager such as me it all seemed just completely stupid... where were the basics? Why were we doing the things they showed us and what was the purpose of this and that move?... did we even do any warm-ups before they expected us to deliver these Chuck Norris roundhouse kicks?! (btw, we didn't...) Needless to say it was a short experience for me. I had this feeling it was what you now call "bullshido" martial arts and the instructors were there just to take peoples money and show some clumsy kicks and stupid poses straight out of 80s and 90s kung fu movies. That was good experience tho, because I started to realize, as a 13 year old teen, that there are plenty of these McDojos around that I need to avoid. Other than just to support some physical training, like later I did with Wing Chun (which I decided to quit eventually, because of how the community at the training dojo was seeing their ... hobby).

[@BossLevelPro]

The Kung Fu gym I went to with my family was definitely not a McDojo, but it was also surely not a full combat school. The great thing was how transparent about their offering they were. I needed a disciplined routine of stretching, cardio, quiet, mindfulness, focus, and a break from everything else. And the basics of fighting and competition. They never oversold that and it's quite a beautiful thing. Thanks for the great vid.

[@marcgrundfest1495]

I think you are being to kind with respect to parents and the push to the black belt... It's no longer about the children.. It's about the parents.. And the children suffer horribly.. Once again this video will help people.. Esp those children once they grow up and realize what has been done to them..

[@Grasss]

exactly that - parents.

[@yggtheterribleone8077]

It's discusting

[@yggtheterribleone8077]

I was a scrawny scrapper in a trailer park. In middle school I beat the shit out of a karate black belt from a Mcdojo. Perhaps it's just a difference between experience and the fact that he had not dealt with real fighting? But then why was he a black belt.

[@gmork1090]

You can have a black belt from simply being awesome at kata. Kata and fighting aren't the same. You can still win tournaments and make lots of money jumping around on a mat in front of a panel punching and kicking and screaming. Those kinds of demonstration tournaments are everywhere.

[@theimpaler5034]

you don't even need to go to a mc dojo just go to a martial arts shop and by a black belt why bother wasting your time and money on classes because the results of your work will show

[@ThatJamesGuy88]

Just had this video suggested to me. Ramsey my dude, your narration skills and video quality has improved dramatically since you posted this video. Keep up the good work.

[@danielaragao9696]

Awesome man, thank you for the knowledge .

[@Otaku155]

Just to give you guys an idea here, I have been doing Iaido and Kendo for more than 20 years; my master had a grand total of THREE students, and NONE of us paid him any money. Our loyalty to him was by traditional oath alone, and we were never his meal ticket.

[@Thesavagesouls]

Yeah well you're lucky to have a person like your master. For the rest of the mortals out there, we're just lucky when there is a dojo in town.

[@Fighterbharat]

dude you broke a lot of dillusions of mine today. i think its official india does not have a legit dojo or fighting gym.

[@matthewearnesty7990]

i'm actually quite glad that my instructors, let us spar in the 1st day of training, and our kyokushin dojo is really active, you really have to put so many years to be black belt not by giving money but by lots and lots of years and hard work, because we don't pay our instructors, they just teaches us sincerely even though it's free, and we even do exercise and hiking in the mountains, going and fighting in the tournaments in other places, except this part in the tournaments, we have to pay our transportation of course, and the instructors are the one responsible for the tourna entry fee, so we do not have to pay for it . i think, i'm lucky enough to be thought in that school, and my instructors are still my friends until now. and they watched your videos too. as always Great Informative Content.

[@Taekwon-Brando]

Also, just wanted to say its funny how everyone at my BJJ school makes fun of the fact that I am a kukkiwon certified taekwondo black belt/national champion and then when we kickbox they ask (why are your kicks so fast) I just tell them our kickboxing coach is really good

[@deansander441]

I’ve been considering opening my own school for awhile now. I’m the opposite of these mcdojos guys, despite 20yrs in and training multiple styles and competing a bit when I was younger. I’ve been putting off opening a school because I want to make sure I can teach the best stuff possible, I feel like I can’t yet.

[@jahipalmer8782]

I recently learned that despite my belt, I don't meet the athleticism requirements for black belts at other schools. It has caused me to start training even harder (and dieting) to meet these requirements... kinda off subject, but I just wanted to point out how important the journey to "black belt" is. Even once you get there, you're not really there unless you keep training to get better.

[@jahipalmer8782]

A little bit more (during my second time watching the video), this time in regards to instructors sparring. At the TKD school I attend, when we spar (before Covid restrictions) our instructor would always count the number of sparring folks in the adult class and if it is odd he puts his gear on sooo quickly. We all know the class is gonna be super challenging becaus he likes to set the timer to longer rounds and wear us high ranks out one after the other. We always learn so much sparring with him and by the end of the night you have been made aware of at least one of your weaknesses.

[@donl3634]

Thanks for the video!

[@ZenDragonYoutubeChannel]

I agree very much with your points. Indeed martial arts is not always about fighting, but it's key to test yourself under pressure if you want to learn to use your techniques in a fight, be it in the cage, ring, or on the streets.

[@guitargeek57]

coach vs instructor An instructor will get on the mat with you and spar/grapple A coach will give you good partners that will challenge your skills and tell you how to get better. A lot of sports have coaches that can't do what their athletes can but they have the skills and knowledge to make their athletes better.

[@LinkageAX]

While not a proactive way of helping other people, a way to keep an eye out for yourself would to see if the dojo operates under a cult-like scheme. Certain priviliges open to only people of a certain ranking, and the only way to reach said ranking is by attending/paying x amount of dollars rather than demonstrating with skill and time. For example, I went to a "Ninjutsu" school with... interesting... accreditations. The instructor seemingly created an echo-chamber around themselves. This resulted in some kind of secret classes held at night on a day of the week that we later discovered was teaching Hollywood style Kung-fu. Due to the whole feeling of the dojo being off, I never really felt inclined to go there as I felt my time wasn't being well spent, but as the only school in the area that offered it, I figured I'd give it a few goes. After disappearing for about 6months, I returned only to find the whole culty aspect had increased and now instead of just needing to attend X classes to get graded, you needed to buy the DVD course for your belt, buy weapons made by the in-house carpenter, go to weekend long training trips deep-innawoods, do the grading ceremony (which was normal class fee+grading fee, even if you didn't make the cut (which meant you didn't buy the DVDs etc.)) etc. I used to joke about aiming to be the best white belt because I simply refused to buy their crappy merchandise and poorly recorded technique videos. I'm very much the type of person that believes in achievement based rankings, and it was very off-putting to see guys that made it to black-belt, guys that couldn't perform, try to teach techniques they couldn't do themselves. Granted, "Ninjutsu", isn't a spar heavy Martial Art, surely you should be able to demonstrate how to do one of the techniques they say should be effortless without excessively forcing it to work through size? (After finding a smaller class with an actual instructor from Bujinkan, I learned how to actually do these techniques and the difference was night and day, though I stopped training for mental health reasons) It's simply bizarre that guys that were simply given grades through attendance were allowed to teach guys that have to go through much more rigourous, and expensive, hoops to reach the same level. Of course, I'm not saying that a legit dojo can't have these things; but if they keep being introduced while you're attending and your instructor seems to just be in it for their own ego, then it may possibly also be a red-flag.

[@brucetsai7732]

you are literally the best fighter and best teacher in the world!

[@RamseyDewey]

I appreciate your vote of confidence Bruce!

[@davidnomad9750]

No matter what bro, I have your back. Love your content

[@johnsmith-oh9is]

I did bjj for 3 years. I stopped when I was a white belt with 3 stripes if I remember clearly. I stopped because all the traveling I had to do to get there and life got in the way. I don't believe I'm the best at it but I know a little bit. But if I went back I'd restart from white I wouldn't start back at white belt 3 stripes.

[@Orrator900]

In my old karate school, I was asked to become an instructor for the beginner’s class. I was only a 7th kyu yellow belt and had trained for nearly 2 years, which is not enough time to get proficient in any martial art. I figured that if the school was willing to let someone as inexperienced as me teach complete beginners, my time would be better served elsewhere. I started doing Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai and have never looked back. Regardless of what style you practice, be honest about whether you’re actually accomplishing your goals :)

[@athousandlives7231]

Patrick Richard BJJ or traditional Jiu-Jitsu?

[@Orrator900]

@@athousandlives7231 BJJ :)

[@athousandlives7231]

Patrick Richard I‘m in TJJ, but I feel like you might still be the right person to ask about this. I‘m happy with TJJ, but it having a wide variety of techniques to choose from (locks, grappling, kicks, strikes etc.), means you can‘t focus on everything every training. I really do enjoy strikes and kicks, so I thought I‘d maybe pick up another martial art, that focuses just/mainly on that. So as somebody who does two very different MA styles, with very different rule sets, would you say two are doable and mesh well together, or would you say looking back you‘d maybe should have stuck with just one?

[@Orrator900]

@@athousandlives7231 Thanks for the question. I appreciate it! I’ve had similar observations on TJJ as you do; “student of all, master of none”. That’s not to say that you can’t be proficient in the techniques you previously mentioned. Personally, I think that depends on what you’re able to do without it conflicting with your life - and what you enjoy doing. If you have the time to do both, you could do so. In my case, it’s perfectly doable to practice two martial arts that do not share the same rules, etc. However, if you’re unable to do both, I’d pick the one you like the most. Life is too short to do what you dislike. A sure way of knowing whether something is right is if YOU try it out. Experiencing something firsthand will beat any advice I can give :) I hope I was able to help. Otherwise, you’re more than welcome to hit me up :D

[@athousandlives7231]

Patrick Richard Sorry for the late-ish reply. Time and wanting to do it, are both there I would say. I had the chance to do Kickboxing for a short term and it was definitely fun. Good to hear people are out there doing more than one style long-term, which gives me hope I can do it too 😂 The course I was in, did Muay Thai and Kickboxing in the same gym, we just split up after warm ups. I thougt of switching to MT maybe, since it looks a lot like Kickboxing but you are allowed to still strike with your knee, which I‘d probably benefit from since I‘m not too heavy and knee kicks can be quite effective. Does that description sound about right to you? 🙈

[@grayalun]

Love this channel great content.

[@ReasonableRadio]

Good advice. Trying multiple gyms is usually best. Even if it's different martial arts: I tried out a good local BJJ school, boxing club and taekwondo school before I settled into my muay thai school and I'm so glad I ended up in the right place. All these schools had some serious qualifications but that doesn't mean it's the one for you

[@fedepede04]

i send my boy to Karate (shinkyokushin) 5 years ago, today he is 11 years and have the Yellow belt with a snipe. reason why i chose shinkyokushin was to avoid the MC jojo, i think all kyokushin/shinkyokushin school in Denmark are members of Danish Karate Union, there is a member of the WKO so there is pretty good guarantee that it not a MC Jojo, the first club he was a member of, send people to Japan if the had to graduating beyond 3 dan (i think it was). but the really cool thing with shinkyokushin / kyokushin is if you travel to an other town or country, you can just bring you Karate pas and GI and train with them for free :) so if you chose shinkyokushin / kyokushin, just be sure that they are a member of WKO, and i think you be all right :)

[@MARCONIPUMA]

Artem lobav's English has really improved

[@RobotsPajamas]

I've gone to a karate school that isn't super tough fighting school but it avoids a lot of the mcdojo traps: They often get to the real reason behind moves in kata. The instructors are high level black belts, and there are no small kids that have black belts, you compete against other schools and they even bring in teachers from other schools to show you new stuff. But occasionally... you see a black belt that makes you wonder a bit how they got that belt. I started doing Judo recently and the instructors there are really old. But the one will still do randori occasionally. He can barely walk, but it's inspiring to see him doing mat work.

[@balduran]

Heyho Ramsey, I'm not sure if you read comments on older videos, but I wanted to tell you something. I'am training Battojutsu for seven years now (Brown belt, shortly before black belt) with 5 years of experience as a trainer. Actually we do a lot of kata, but I always paid attention at the "how to apply kata into combat" part. We do some kind of sparring on every training. If I teach someone a new kata, I always explain them what the kata is meant for and show them how to do that kata in combat. For me as a trainer (and two years as a dojo leader) it is self-evident for me to know that and to convey that knowledge as I teach the kata. And on top of that, I have found a pretty good way to even use sword katas in daily life (e.g. self-defence umbrella) which is highly appreciated by my students. I'am a bit dissapointed to hear, that there are so much trainers out there who teach katas and even don't know what they are meant for neither know how to even use them in combat. If you ever plan to visit germany, I would be glad to welcome you in our dojo. Greetings...

[@Militaizi]

I have used one decade of my life on training archery, including coaching, competing and refereeing in couple different clubs/cicles. The first archery club I was part of had couple clear indicators that it was realization of what you call "McDojo". I dunno are some of these relevant in MMA, but I guess they hold atleast partially true in most club activity contexts. So here is list of my 1. The board consisting of coaches and their close friends or family, not successful competitors, long line hobbyists or even parents of junior hobbyists. 2. The unwillingness to blend groups (I understand it in martial arts, etc. atleast for first couple months) to get better times for everyone. Ask are there any successful competitors or hobbyists in the club, if yes, why are they not active on the club. I would even go so far to ask for their phone number or email and ask them about training. During my years I have learned that most people that have the properties of being a competitive sportsman are usually very humble and trustworthy people and they have tons of knowledge. 3. Bad or unmet equipment compared to pricing. I understand that for basics/first couple months the equipment level does not matter that much. but if dojo does not have proper amount of equipment, protective gear, etc. it's a clear indicator that there is not that much emphasis on the training itself. Lets say there are lots of helmets for some sport, but not really any crotch protectors, it has most likely been like that for a long time and no-one cares about the equipment. And your money should go atleast partly to the equipment purchases that are made for the dojo. 4. No coaching plan and coaches taking too much responsibility for their act, most usually not trusting others to give training / classes / coaching ever. I know this sounds demanding, but everyone should form a schedule / plan of training with their coach after an year or so of training. It is coaches duty to ask and give insight to you about your plans on the art / act. 5. Emphasizing taking part on competitions on early stages of development and saying that it is the real way of learning. This is fine technique, but it should not be enforced on people that basically can not match their opponents. Mimicking is a way of learning, but the problem with it is that it uses a lot of time, and most of the time you are learning proper ways of training, not the technique itself. It is a perfect getaway for coaches to not learn / enforce proper principles, techniques and mindset in their trainees. 6. Using more time on people in sub-groups as they are statistically more likely to get medal, as there is less competition in their divisions.

[@ScorpWriter]

Thanks a lot for this contribution, Ram :) I just started my martial arts journey again, after 20+ years away from the mat. I got to the middle of the road to the black belt in a very tough, strict, traditional Karate dojo with probably one of the best Senseis anyone can ever have, when I was around 13...I learned a lot there, especially how to recognize one of these funny martial arts schools - all your points are spot on, mate, I saw none of the red flags there...I guess there's too many people trying to prove a point, as you say, hiding behind the keyboard, but also too many scammers that are a half arsed bad teacher at best...you have hit a nice target point there: When you are finding your way to begin a martial arts - or any other art - journey, it is good to educate yourself a bit, watch, compare and try to make the best of an educated decision. Much respect, Ram, keep up the great work, mate! David

[@NasinasTV]

I study traditional martial arts and my trainer explains the application while introducing new forms :)

[@MarioLamRedRebel]

Respect for the real deal 🤘🤘🤘 Greetings from the Netherlands.

[@dperry203]

I’m not a fan of dojo storming. On paper it sounds ok but some of the people doing it are not taking into account of all the factors. Fighting is mostly physical once you get to a specific level of skill. Rolling in to a BJJ school and challenging someone who is 20 years older who hasn’t been competing or Training for a fight while the person storming gyms most definitely has. The best way to handle McDojos is for each individual to be informed. With the internet you can learn about about the fight game. If you can’t spot a fake then a McDojo is the least of your concerns. I don’t think the students are being cheated if they haven’t gathered enough info on their just by being interested. There is a reason most students at these or TMA schools are nerds for the most part. Athletes and tough guys realize early that the set up wouldn’t help them in a fight. The ones who stay over time are the kids looking for self defense because they are weak and get picked on. They want false confidence which is why they choose the Art with no contact instead of boxing. So we have to be careful when “saving” some helpless students. Go to the gym, try it, test the instructor, make your opinion. But don’t try to bring them down unless you are 100% sure they are consciously scamming people. My BJJ school when I started was ran by two blue belts. They started it while in school and kept it going. They admitted they were probably purple belt level but they don’t have an affiliation and hadn’t been to a black belt who can promote them in 2 years. But it was great and very competitive. They are affiliated and have been black belts for many years and another dozen black belts have come out of the little school in a little town in the last 10 years. Produced pro fighters and a guy who made a good run in the UFC. Some instructors as they get older will roll less with new students and prefer to roll privately with the other high level guys. It prevents injuries from reckless noobs and it allows them to train with someone that can make them better. Age, fitness, health, size, etc all play a roll in the out come of any match. But doesn’t reflect their ability as a teacher. Sparring is super important and just instructions without sparring will not be as good. But that sparring can come from someone else it doesn’t have to the instructor. If there are many good guys to roll with. You will be fine. There are other aspects of instructing that are valuable even if you don’t roll. Some people are just great teaches. They explain it so you understand and have a charisma that makes you want to learn fro them and command a level of respect that you would walk through a wall if they asked you to. That is something that just any other black belt in class can’t offer. The biggest red flag for a mcdojo imo is using the term self defense or not training with a fight perspective. Self defense is something weak people look for. The types that would fight or look to get into fighting or prepared to fight. Don’t seek out self defense. The term alone implies weakness, being a victim, and being passive. Training to be the best fighter you can be allows you to use it defensive or offensive. A good offense is the best defense and there is no reason for a martial art to be training with a self defense mentality. This concept was created so fake martial art schools could kept from getting exposed. So they would tell students to never fight. Only use it for self defense. My instructor said he better not ever find out we are starting fights. But if someone starts it with you. Hand them their ass! Not wait until it’s life or death or this non sense that a true martial artist doesn’t have to fight. All plots to keep the school and art from being exposed. Student getting beat up because their art failed is bad for business. A lot goes into spotting a fake and with so many variables that can’t be known by an outsider. I think trying to expose them puts more honest people at risk than it exposes fakes. I don’t think anyone would deny you could learn from Helio Gracie when he was living at 90 years old. But to expect him to roll or be at the level of a 30 year old black belt is silly!

[@RamseyDewey]

Well said

[@Axzuin]

Agreed

[@kraigmaatman6829]

Every time I watch one of your videos I gain more insight, I wish could train under you instead of having to weed through mcdojos in Indiana. But I highly doubt I'll ever get the chance to vacation in china.

[@DarthRudious00]

I got my black belt from a taekwondo Mcdojo called Bally’s TMA. Long Contracts, everyone passes, 8-year-old black belts, hidden fees, etc; However, the Master was a Korean man in the US on a working Visa. The training was great. He sparred with us, gave us brutal workouts, he was VERY strict and ran practices well. The instruction was good, but the company ethics were certainly that of a Mcdojo.

[@garynaccarto8636]

Watching Ramsey Dewey talk about Mcdojos? "I'm Loving it"

[@CorporateComedy]

lol