how do i know that a school is a belt factory before i joined it?

Question

what if all schools in that city are like that? what can i do to make sure i earn skills rather than ranks
cause my current taekwondo place is moving people up too fast without making sure that we really get it

Answer 1

try to go to the tests and see what they are doing to pass people

Answer 2

Ask a place "how long till I get promoted" if they have a set answer, than it is probably a belt factory. High prices and hidden prices (i.e. promotion fees) are probably a good test as well. Also anyplace that costs you a hundred bucks or so for a uniform, might be a belt factory.

Check out competetion records, especially check the Sensei's. Ask if it is a Sport dojo or a recreational dojo. If they give you a giant *** book when you sign up (and that book also costs you) it might be a belt factory.

More than likely all schools in a city aren't like that, you can probably find at least one or two quality schools, even with staying in the same Martial Art. If you enjoy TKD, then stick with it, and find a place that suit you. Any place that has a kid under 18 with a black belt you might want to avoid as well.

If the instructor of the school is like a 7th or 8th degree black belt and is under 40, you might want to avoid that place as well. Additonally if he is a multiple degree black belt in more than one art and is under 40, you might want to be careful.

The main thing is the fees though, most belt factories have a ton of fees, have their own little school patches and all kinds of stuff you can buy straight from the dojo, T-shirts, Warm ups, etc.

Look for competetion trophies, older black belts, and a place that doesn't charge you an arm and leg. Most places that are good quality places aren't that interested in making money, they are interested in training fighters and teaching their art.

So watch for fees, places that charge an arm and a leg, and lots of marketing stuff. (If they have a commercial on T.V. avoid it).
Generally belt factories also favor kids, (where you can make the most money) that is an indication that is more or less easy to watch for.

Also there is a website that kind of moniters bs type martial art schools.

www.bullshido.net

Hope that helps

Answer 3

Not all taekwondo schools are like that, the one I went to left me at green belt for 1 year even though my skills were better then nearly half the students in the place and when I spared I spared with the blackbelts.

If a school is fixated on just getting your money promotions will be less and harder to get. Stay away from them kind of schools there the one's just out for a buck.

Answer 4

A real good indicator is "mass tests". This is where a certain day of the month is designated as test day. On that day many people are tested in unison. This is a belt factory.

If you are paying to take a belt test you are in a belt factory.
If you have black belts that are under 18 years old, you are in a belt factory.
If they know exactly how long it will take to get to a certain rank level, you are in a belt factory.
If they know exactly how much it cost to get to a certain rank, you are in a belt factory.
If the head teacher owns the school and makes a profit from it, you are in a belt factory.
If the teachers do not give you individual attention you are in a belt factory.
If you signed a contract, you are in a belt factory.
( I am starting to feel like Jeff Foxworthy here!)
For some reason TKD seems to have many Mc Dojang around the US. I will keep my thoughts to myself on TKD. Get out of that school, I have a feeling you are wasting your money
If you have a general feeling that you are in a belt factory, than you may very well be in one. Go look around. I recommend a traditional Okinawan dojo if you can locate one. They seem to have a low frequency of belt factories.
Mostly you want to look for somewhere that does not charge for testing. I feel this is the biggest scam out there.

Answer 5

It is a misconception to think that ALL Taekwondo do jangs are belt factories. Most people are unaware of this, but there are two main associations that govern Taekwondo: WTF (world Taekwondo federation) and ITF(International Taekwondo Federation). WTF is unfortunately the largest one, and is responsible for many people's view of Taekwondo as a useless martial art. It is the body that governs Taekwondo olympic events, and it does not teach traditional Taekwondo. Traditional Taekwondo is taught by the ITF. While WTF focuses on full contact sparring, ITF focuses on all of the other aspects of the art as well. ITF students do not grade very quickly, (I was a white belt for 9 months before I did my first grading) unlike WTF students. Unfortunately, ITF do jangs are not that common, and if you can't find one near to you, I suggest you avoid Taekwondo entirely, along with Karate (which is also notorious for having belt factories- I've heard of kids and teenagers reaching black belt in two years!).

I suggest you take up a different martial art (if you can't find a good ITF school, that is) such as Tai Chi or Aikido, which take many years to achieve a basic level of proficiency in. Kung Fu would be a good choice, or Hapkido (another Korean martial art)

Hope this helps-Good luck!

Answer 6

Do what I did. Refuse to take the next test until you know you are ready. Rank doesn't mean anything, ability does. The first belts should go pretty fast but once you reach green (middle level) the belt testing should slow down alot. If it doesn't then just don't test.

Answer 7

Find a school that take part in full contact hardcore competition. No decent school would dare to tell you are the best if you can't do well in competition.

Oh and by the competition, I mean type where they try to knock someone out or sub them with lock or throw them hard! Not where they wear funky pads and slap eachother.

Answer 8

Taekwondo places are famous for doing this. The best choice is to change styles. It is useless anyways.

Answer 9

Dont do TKD!!!! I done that for awhile and kept getting disqualified for excessive contact. The belt in tkd is useless. Go for MMA. I love it!!! You get someone who has trained in MMA for as little as two years versus some 4th degree black belt in TKD who has been training the better part of their entire life and put them on the mat. Who do you think would get their *** kicked?

Answer 10

Try mixed martial arts like comat arts like kenpo jeet kune do ninjitsu