RSSHow to Find a Five-Star Martial Arts School
Mar 13
“Guru, I have traveled many miles to request your instruction,” the seeker explained. “What are the secrets of enlightenment?”
The guru gazed kindly upon his visitor, and replied. “Meditate for forty years, and you will have your answer.”
The visitor was dejected. “Among all the great masters, you are considered the wisest,” he said. “I wish to learn of a shortcut.”
The guru smiled, and paused before answering: “That IS the shortcut!”
Everybody likes a good shortcut, and we at DojoScore are no exception. We can provide you with a list of all the best martial arts schools in your state, your city, or even your neighborhood, along with detailed profiles and reviews of each school. The one feature we do not provide, is a star rating system.
It was not an oversight. An objective ranking of martial arts schools, while superficially plausible and appealing, is impossible in practice. Students seek instruction in the martial arts for an remarkably diverse set of reasons, and the dojo that completely satisfies one person is, at the same time, completely inappropriate for another.
Some styles of martial arts are great for increasing health or physical fitness. Others can provide practical solutions for street self-defense. Still others offer opportunities for competition, or insights into a foreign culture. But no school, style, or instructor can excel in every area–especially when the very definition of “excellence” is a matter of dispute.
So what exactly would a five-star review signify? It would mean that the reviewer’s interests and values were well-aligned with those of the school–and nothing more. Contrariwise, a one-star review would indicate that the reviewer is not interested in what that school has to offer–and nothing more.
Does this tidbit of information help you, as a potential student? Probably not. It should be no surprise to you that, on other general-purpose review sites, you can find both one-star and five-star reviews given to a single dojo. And both reviews might be completely honest and well-founded, reflecting the diversity of the martial arts community.
You should also know that where online ranking systems exist, they are usually gamed and abused. In the past few years, countless business owners have been caught red-handed suppressing low ratings, or purchasing high ratings from shill reviewers. In some cases, the review sites themselves have been accused of blackmail and coercion!
For these and other reasons, DojoScore does not attempt to provide a one-size-fits-all school quality ranking. (Nor do we recommend you place your trust in such ratings provided elsewhere.)
Make no mistake: we do not contend that all martial arts schools are equal, or equally good. We created a review feature so that students like you can explain why they like or dislike a particular school, with as much detail as they care to provide. This specific information is far more helpful for everyone involved.
When you go looking for that five-star school nearby, please do consider the information and opinions expressed in our reviews. Then go and visit each school yourself, and form your own opinions. Share those with us too. Truthfully, there is no other shortcut.