Signs that you are at a bad Gym

[Henry Huggins]

Some fat people are excellent at judo, boxing and wrestling.
And he may be just old and out of competition shape. That doesn't make him a bad trainer.
I'd be more worried if the coach looks like an Abercrombie scawny goblin than if he looks like Butterbean.


I'd say that the three main signs to know if you're at a McDojo are:
- More girls than guys
- The girls are good looking
- No traceable "training lineage" from the coaches.

made me lol but it's true

 

[Soul Rebel 2]

1) no fight team
2) no sparring
3) everybody spars like its a fight
4) A coach who only teaches one approach

On more subjective points:

Sometimes legit gyms have to have classes that cater towards regular folk in order to make ends meet, thats just business. I started off in such a gym and worked my way up to the fighters classes where the coaching was far more hands on.

Usually an instructor with fight experience is important but there are excellent coaches with little or no competitive experience such as Greg Jackson.

The inclusion of things like belts (outside of BJJ and Judo), shorts or t-shirts depending on rank but then again there are excellent gyms which implement those systems such as Jacksons, Chute Box and Siam no1.

 

[nomilkforsanta]

4) A coach who only teaches one approach

So you expect the BJJ head to also teach boxing? Or the Wrestler head to teach the Muay Thai class?

 

[apizur**]

A lot of out of shape women is a bad sign. Or a lot of any gender people that look like they're there predominantly for fitness. There should be people in the gym that intimidate you... especially the coaches, even if they're being nice. Training to the beat of music is a REALLY bad sign too. In fact, I don't even think you're in an MMA gym at that point. I think that's for Tae Bo.

 

[powerBJJ]

if the instructor makes you scream "KKKEEE YYAA" or anything weird after every punch your prob at a bad gym

 

[PointyShinyBurn]

So you expect the BJJ head to also teach boxing? Or the Wrestler head to teach the Muay Thai class?

I think he meant more that the wrestling coach shouldn't only teach sweep singles because that's what he's good at and the boxing coach shouldn't make everyone into an in-fighter just because his arms are short. They should have a broad enough base of fundamentals to teach you a different style than their own.

 

[fortheo]

i'll post my personal Mc Dojo list.


"McDojos usually have common themes, however, even good schools have a few of these.

1) enrollment fees
2) will not tell you how much the prices are unless you come in
3) have belts (exceptions are BJJ/Judo)
4) have testing fees
5) make you buy your own belt when you advance
6) do not allow you to wear thai shorts until you "earn them"
7) black belt clubs
8) have the words "self defense, college resume, discipline, fitness" on their windows
9) have no open gym time
10) wave-masters or any form of free standing heavy bags
12) puzzle mats (for grappling class)
13) pictures of bruce lee on the wall
14) most of the classes are for children
15) no sparring classes offered
16) requires a uniform (expect BJJ/Judo* for obvious reasons)
*requires you to wear their kimono only.
17) rank t-shirts
18) selling crappy equipment (century/everlast gloves/proforce/macho)
19) play traditional muay thai music or the mortal combat song during practice
20) instructors have never fought
21) instructors do not demonstrate technique
22) classes are center around cardio

Supplmental list by Bay Area
Any type of weapon disarment drills
After school programs
A van that picks up kids from school
Anti bully programs
Reatreats or karate camps
Woman defense systems against muggers.
The word "ninja" posted anywhere in the school
A cartoon of a dragon anywhere in the school
Bake sales to raise money"

I encounter that so often that it's not even funny.On their FB page, on their website, even on the phone they try to sell their gym and dodge my basic questions about the pricing.

 

[Soul Rebel 2]

I think he meant more that the wrestling coach shouldn't only teach sweep singles because that's what he's good at and the boxing coach shouldn't make everyone into an in-fighter just because his arms are short. They should have a broad enough base of fundamentals to teach you a different style than their own.

Exactly what I meant

 

[Phlog]

I might add that few of these rules are to be avoided in exception.

My club for instance has belts, uniform, license fee, mostly cardio and partnered drills, no fixed gym equipment and no open sparring. However we've won every full contact fight in the last two years and always take home golds at interclubs.

Why? Because the instruction is competent, the cardio prep is second to none, the students all help each other and do extra sparring/work outside, the lineage is boss and is tested in fire and we have some fucking tough bastard who train there.

There are few hard and fast rules but an intelligent and motivated instructor with knowledgable and hard as nails students goes along way.

 

[goldennboy]

made me lol but it's true

It's really not.

 

[NAKMUAY18]

It's really not.

Yeah it is, there's 50 Cyborgs for every Michia Tate!

 

[Phlog]

Yeah, attractive women aren't as used to putting the work in. Wink wink nudge nudge say no more a nod is as good as a wink to a blind bat etc.

 

[Phlog]

Just imaging 50 cyborgs..

 

[Jazzarella]

Yeah, attractive women aren't as used to putting the work in. Wink wink nudge nudge say no more a nod is as good as a wink to a blind bat etc.

haha i love the girls who come in to train (you know, twice a month) all done up in hair and make up with their pink ankle supports, pink hand wraps, shiny new pink boxing gloves, pink thai shorts, etc and then get all freaked out when I, female with no make up and hair in a messy mohawk from a day of work (... I might be a cyborg, but a fit one!!), overpower them during drills when I am going light and easy.

I'm cool with uniforms to a certain extent, such that we all have various tank tops with our team name on it (which we are proud of) and have to wear thai shorts to training.

signs of mcdojo:
-belt system in muay thai/boxing/mma
-no opportunity to actually hit your teammates (bags only)
-coach doesn't know how to train a member for a fight
-coaches don't teach you proper technique and just tell you to punch/kick things
-no one works up a sweat
-no structure to the class/training routine. each session should focus on different things, but the warm up/cool down/general flow should be consistent
-training only held 1-2 times a week
-coaches using everlast gloves
-coaches not encouraging you to take care of your body (injuries, diet, conditioning, stretching, etc)

 

[snoop dogg***]

If it loses senior students, if it loses fights, if the instructor wails on students, if the students don't want to fight, if there isn't insurance, if its a lot of hard contact. It's a less good gym. Use your common sense, go to many and pick the best.

All of this

 

[nomilkforsanta]

Did not know they handed people swords, bit strange. Change that to nunchucks then, or do they hand those out for wrestling??

Bowing once or twice in fine with, but some places are ridiculous. Entering the room, leaving the room, getting on the mats, getting off the mats, when you meet someone, when some leaves, start of a round, end of a round, if a round stops, when the coach speaks, when the coach stops speaking......
I'm surprised they find time to train in some places

Sounds like judo to me, or the judo I experienced.

Bow when you enter and exit the dojo, step on and off the mat, before and after randori, before and after partner drills, to the instructor before and after class.