About the Matt Fiddes martial arts school?

[EternallyNapTrapped]

DS age 6 would really like to try some martial arts classes. A few of his friends go to the local Matt Fiddes class (a large chain / franchise of martial arts classes started by a chap called Matt Fiddes). His friends enjoy the classes, and the mums I've spoken to really rate them too.
My problem is that on his website, Fiddes talks about being "close personal friends" with Michael Jackson. And if you Google him, the search results contain so much drama about him defending MJ, saying that the child abuse claims are made up, etc. It makes me worried that he's got a blind spot with regard to child safeguarding.
AIBU to write off this whole well-reviewed, successful franchise that I think my child would enjoy, because I'm concerned the founder was friends with an alleged paedophile / is a poor judge of character when it comes to children's safeguarding?
(Edited for typo)

YANBU

Yeah, he was jacko's bodyguard so must have facilitatated his access to children or turned a blind eye to plenty of stuff. Either that or he embellished or exaggerated his association with Jackson which again shows lack of judgement or care for safeguarding.

I wouldn't trust him to run kiddies fitness classes.

If you want your DS to get serious training in Martial Arts don't go to a Matt Fiddes club, they are commonly known as Mc.Dojos and the instructors are generally very poor.
I don't know if he was actually MJ's bodyguard or just a brolly holder, I've seen him train live and it's laughingly bad, have a look on You Tube as he dances about and drops his bo staff to disco music and lights.
I had trained at one of the countries top clubs to a high level 20 years ago with genuine world class competitors but decided to take my DS to a Matt Fiddes club after extensive advertising in my area, I joined in and the black belts couldn't lay a glove on me. In fact my kicks made several of them including the instructor, can't call him Sensei, cry off and I hadn't done it for 20 years.
It's more keeping fit and happy clappy expensive belts which can be very dangerous if kids think they can defend themselves on the street with a two tier punch.The belts are also not recognised by other Taekwondo or Karate clubs.
Find a Shotokan Karate club or a UK registered Olympic Taekwondo club in your area,talk to the Sensei and they will usually offer a free lesson or two before you sign up, good luck.

@Elferbowton Oh, that's interesting. I didn't know they had such a poor reputation. I don't know if he needs "serious" martial arts training - like I say, he's 6 - but I suppose anything worth doing is worth doing properly!
The other school mums had said that their kids seemed more respectful and had better impulse control after doing the Matt Fiddes training for a few months. Do you think that would be a feature of any martial arts classes?
As you can tell, I don't know anything about them - don't know the difference between judo, karate, tae kwon do etc. DS just wants to learn some "cool moves" (I realise that's not primarily what martial arts are!) and I'd like to improve his confidence and self discipline.

Mine did it for a while- beware that every grading costs and there are lots of grading! Compared to other martial art schools/classes I’d avoid- it’s not worth the time or money!

My DS does Shotokan karate and adores it. He's 9 and started when he was 6 or maybe 7? He goes twice a week because he loves it so much.

He's got suspected ADHD but is really focused in karate class. He also takes the rules incredibly seriously (about it only being for self defense etc).

He does it in our local community centre with some fantastic Sensai. There are some karate clubs nearby who gave us a real hard sell and told us everything had to be branded etc. Where he goes is pay as you go £5 a class. You lay annual membership and pay for grading etc on top of that.

Shop around for a good club is my advice.

Discipline and (as a result) increased self confidence should be at the backbone of all martial arts practice and therefore all clubs 🙂

Wondering if we go to the same club!

I also haven't heard great things about Matt Fiddes. My friends daughter goes and enjoys it, but she has said it is expensive and she isn't sure whether grading is done properly or whether they just give them the next belt anyway.

My children go to a club similar to this poster I quoted. There are a range of classes at different times and you pay as you go, meaning if your child is ill or you are away one week you don't lose money. The classes are called open classes, meaning any belt can go. This is good as my children get to see other children and adults with higher belts and they also help support them all. They do run separate black and brown belt classes (but we are no where near that!). The only other cost than the weekly lesson is the uniform and the insurance. They also charge for grading. But with grading they do this several times a year and you get invited to attend. There is no guarantee of a pass, so if they don't think they are ready then they don't get asked. Or if they really struggle on the night and can't show they know it they also get told not that time (happened to another child).

I would hope that any martial arts club would install discipline into students when necessary, irrespective of age.
Obviously at 6 or 7 years old it has to be fun too and you may find that some competitive clubs do not take students at such an early age but I think most will do now to combat the threat of the Mc.Dojos like Matt Fiddes clubs who charge outrageous prices with all the branded gear and gradings every couple of months and yes, everybody passes.
A genuine Karate club will take time to teach discipline, confidence and ultimately ability to use what you are taught if necessary.
There are other styles as well as Shotokan, if you are lucky enough to be in the North then Shorai is very well respected. Good luck.

I know nothing about martial arts but Matt Fiddes is delusional who seems to believe his own publicity. He thinks he’s a celebrity in Swindon which is his hometown bit in reality people think he’s a bit of a fantasist who likes being in the local paper in a flash car

Following

I took my son to a Matt Fiddes class today as we've recently moved and my son had done two years of karate prior, and this was the closest to where we live and lots of his school friends attend. I came away feeling like it was incredibly unprofessional and that the instructors didn't really know what they were doing - SUCH a difference from the previous dojo we attended. They also pressured me to sign up there and then after the lesson to the point that I had to lie and say I didn't have my bank details on me! I also noticed they were calling up children in front of the class to invite them to become helpers for an 'additional cost'. Seemed very money grabbing to me and we won't be returning.

Hello RFinlay you have done the right thing in deciding not to go again. I have posted previously on this thread and don't want to appear repetitive but Matt Fiddes clubs are commonly known as Mc.Dojos meaning they are not very good and everybody gets a prize. It's very money orientated and in my opinion ,having experienced it, dangerous for anyone to believe that what they learn could be applied in a real life situation.
Look for a Shotokan Karate club in your area or if your lucky enough to live in the North a Shorai club both are hugely respected. Good luck.

I feel awful telling my son we won't be returning as he had a great time but I want him to come away with something learnt not just attend a fake karate/kids club and pay through the nose for it!! He attended Shorinryu Shorinkan Karate before which he really loved but they don't seem to have that where we are now! I've reached out to a Shotokan karate club and they seem much better and much more affordable, he has a taster session next week!