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Martial arts fascinate people worldwide with their history, philosophy, and effectiveness in self-defense and competitive fighting. However, alongside authentic and proven styles, there are also fake or ineffective systems that deceive students by promising unrealistic abilities and skills. Such frauds are called bullshido – a word formed by combining the English "bullshit" (nonsense) and the Japanese "bushido" (samurai code of honor).

Bullshido refers to martial arts and self-defense systems that are not practically effective but are presented as functional. They are characterized by pseudo-scientific methods, mystical theories about "inner energy" or "contactless combat," and often involve compliant students who "react" to their master's techniques. At its core, bullshido is a fraud – a false illusion of skills that would not work in a real conflict.

In the past, bullshido was limited to specific schools or individual instructors trying to convince their students of their own superiority. Today, however, thanks to the internet, it has spread into the online space, where we encounter fake masters, fraudulent self-defense courses, and carefully edited videos that create an illusion of invincibility. Many people seeking to learn how to fight fall victim to these online scammers without realizing that they are watching choreographed scenes rather than real combat techniques.

Bullshido in practice

Bullshido in the Online Space

Digital media, especially YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, have allowed bullshido to spread faster than ever before. The most common signs of online bullshido are videos in which self-proclaimed masters demonstrate extremely effective techniques that are never tested in real combat. Often, these involve "divine" abilities, such as knocking out an opponent with a single touch or even from a distance using "inner energy." In these demonstrations, students collapse to the ground after a light wave of the hand, creating the illusion of the master’s absolute superiority for the viewers.

Fake "master" from Vietnam (bullshido)

Many of these online masters also offer questionable self-defense courses, promising that students will learn to defend themselves against armed attackers or multiple opponents at once without actual physical training. These courses are often expensive and focus more on marketing than real skills. The problem is that people learning self-defense through these methods gain a false sense of security and may find themselves in deadly danger in a crisis situation.

Some famous actors who have trained for movie roles are often mistakenly considered real fighters. This leads to further myths about martial arts. Movies and choreographed scenes look impressive but do not reflect real combat. Fraudsters exploit this by mimicking cinematic action and presenting it as effective self-defense techniques.

Satire as a Tool Against Bullshido

As bullshido has spread, a response has emerged in the form of satirical videos mocking these fake masters. Channels like McDojoLife or the parody EnterTheDojoShow featuring Master Ken target absurd martial arts techniques and expose how ridiculous some of these practices are. In a humorous way, they highlight frauds in martial arts and help people distinguish between reality and illusion.

Master Ken - satire

Thanks to these satirical videos, many people have learned to recognize the typical signs of bullshido and have become more interested in genuinely effective martial arts, such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, kickboxing, boxing, or judo. Critical thinking and the ability to distinguish effective techniques from frauds have become key tools in the fight against online bullshido.

Conclusion

Bullshido in the online world is dangerous because it spreads misconceptions about martial arts and gives people a false sense of security. Social media and video platforms have allowed fraudsters to reach a wide audience and convince viewers of the effectiveness of their fictional techniques. Fortunately, skeptics and satirists expose these scams and help people better understand the reality of combat.

The best defense against online bullshido is critical thinking, verifying sources, and comparing techniques with real combat sports. If someone promises invincibility without hard training or claims they can disable an opponent using only the power of their mind, it is likely a scam. True martial arts require discipline, training, and constant testing of skills against resisting opponents.

For E-Bezpečí,
Kamil Kopecký,
Palacký University Olomouc
with AI assistance