High-Fives

What is with High-Fives during a traditional martial arts class?

Growing up in "old-school" martial arts, this irritates me immensely. Encouragement is something that is earned. It is earned through hard work and given out by higher ranks. When you get it, it REALLY feels good and you know you deserve it.

Most "McDojos" want to keep students because they are only dollar signs to the management and instructors. They just don't understand what REAL martial arts have always been about. They take in anyone who is willing to pay and feed these ignorant souls a bunch of watered-down BS and then make them feel good about it. High-fives are a regular part of these classes to make the students feel like they are doing well. It is only pulling the wool over innocent eyes. Then these students are hurried through the ranks to become instructors and perpetuate the ignorance.

I have trained with plenty of these McDojo types. The lack of real training is apparent once they get on floor and they see what someone looks like who has tempered and conditioned themselves with REAL training. They become embarassed. They make excuses. They sometimes don't even understand what is happening. They realize they have only a surface-level understanding of REAL fighting.

High-fives and similiar behaviors only encourage this low-level type of training.