What’s a McDojo?

So, you’ve been watching some YouTube videos and they keep talking about McDojos. They talk about it like it’s some sort of villain of the martial arts community. So, that begs the question…

What’s a McDojo and why is it bad?

Simply put, a McDojo is bad because it’s simply a scam. They have that nickname because, much like a fast food restaurant, it gives lots of deals and lacks quality. In other words, they're focused so much more on money than they are in education. Sounds unethical? That's because it is. So, if you are interested in avoiding a McDojo, here is what a McDojo is typically thought of in the martial arts community!

This is kind of how I imagine it when I hear the term McDojo...

Schools that give out belts all the time

This one is quite irritating. This might sound a little bit snobbish, but belts are something that are marks of achievement and indicators of progress. They are supposed to be a milestone in a long journey, not a product to be bought in a shop. If a school is basically giving you a belt if you pay money without really testing your technique, then it’s probably not a very good school.

Schools that have some sort of “fast track”

This one is a dead giveaway away. If a martial arts school has some sort of overpriced fast track, then it’s probably not a very good school. Look at it this way. Does a good college have a fast track? Does your high school? Probably not. That’s because they’re focused on teaching, not making as much money as possible.

The black belts are VERY young.

Connected to the last one on the list, the average age of the black belts can be a good sign that the school is a McDojo. Like, we’re talking not even tall enough to ride all the rides in a theme park. A young black belt or two in a school probably means those students are very talented and passionate, but if you see a large number of black belts that aren’t even 10 years old, then it’s probably a McDojo.

Your main instructor is a master and somehow not an adult.

In my experience, in most schools it takes over 15 years to become a master. If you have a master who isn’t above the age of majority in most countries, that’s generally not a good sign. Becoming a master, especially a young master, takes a lot of work. Young instructors certainly exist (someone has got to start training to teach at some point, right?) but they aren’t usually leading the class.

Schools that don’t do any sparring… ever.

I’ve been in lots of schools that limit sparring to more advanced students. That makes sense. No one should be hurt because one student doesn’t have proper self-control. But if schools don’t ever do any sparring at all? That takes out a huge chunk of training. Probably a McDojo.

Conclusion

Look, at the end of the day, martial arts is a business. But, just like any other business there is a difference in quality among schools and some schools are simply better places to train than others.

Now that you’ve read up on what a McDojo is, what do you think? Have you ever had to deal with a McDojo? How did you handle it?

Disclaimer: This post is for informational and entertainment purposes only. All martial arts techniques and exercises should be supervised by a trained martial arts instructor in order to prevent injuries and to ensure the proper technique is utilized. The information on these pages and videos is meant only to reinforce and supplement the instruction given at your martial arts classes. To properly understand these techniques, you need to learn them from a martial arts instructor who can provide you with an in-depth explanation of the technique, help correct your mistakes, answer your questions and detail how the technique should be utilized. In addition, all references to "McDojos" are abstract, related to the general idea of a "McDojo", and not affiliated with any martial arts school or community at all. Any similarities are entirely coincidental. The idea of a "McDojo" is a meme, and not meant to harm anyone.