Squawman Posted June 20, 2006 Posted June 20, 2006 We are having a little debate about being certified through a governing body and if it makes you a better black belt because of it.Our studio is mainly TKD through the WTF. We do the TaeGuek forms and so on. The debate is this: If we didn't certify our black belts through the WTF would that make them any less a black belt. I say no but some others say that if you can show that you are a certified balck belt then you have more credibility. Which I then reply that I've seen some "certified" black belts who couldn't punch their way out of a paper bag. I also asked my fellow instructor what she thought she was, a TKD instructor or a martial artisit. She said she was a TKD instructor (thus needing the certification) while I consider myself a martial artisit.
Shui Tora Posted June 20, 2006 Posted June 20, 2006 Well it depends...If you are going to be a qualified instructor, then you will going to be needing that piece of paper...However, I read somewhere that all Balck Belts must be registered? I dunno, it was somewhere though...Either way, it doesn't make you less than a Balck Belt... In my view, i think that having that piece of paper (even to not be an insturctor) would be good because then you belong to a larger community than just your Dojo... Credibility has nothing to do with it... To know the road ahead; ask those coming back... ~ Chinese Proverb" The ultimate aim of Karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants. " ~ Master Funakoshi
lordtariel Posted June 20, 2006 Posted June 20, 2006 Does not having a piece of paper make you any less of a martial artist? I'd say no. Does it mean more people will respect that rank. Unfortunately the answer is yes. We live in a world where anyone with any talent can call themself an expert and start teaching. A certificate may not guarantee a good instructor, but it's usually guarantees a certain level of competence(provided it's not forged) for prospective students. There's no place like 127.0.0.1
cathal Posted June 21, 2006 Posted June 21, 2006 Hm, in the sense that placebos can make you feel better then I suppose it could. .The best victory is when the opponent surrendersof its own accord before there are any actualhostilities...It is best to win without fighting.- Sun-tzu
mya Posted June 21, 2006 Posted June 21, 2006 Does a piece of black cloth makes you more skilled ?I personaly do not care about my gradings and belt colour.Sure black is flashy but not the end of all.Same goes for a piece of papper.Let me tell you a story.I knew a guy that framed his first belt certificate (yellow), and posted in a wall inside his room. And then was all proud when some service/repair men where inside his house and looked at the 9 kyu writen on it and looked at him in amazed.If you are/have this kind of person then it matter a lot. Else it does not.If anything being part of a larger organization is good, because they can force you to inprove your place. Have a curriculum, etc. But you pay with lack of flexibility. As in most things.
bat in a birdless village Posted June 21, 2006 Posted June 21, 2006 You would have to clear up your post some.Take my first degree black belt for example. I have a certificate from my instructor stating that he promoted me to first degree black belt, but we are not members of any organization. Years later, I opened a school and used the name of the style that I have a black belt in, but did not use any organizational references. I was a black belt on the belt's merit, not on the merit of being in a larger organization.Note: I got my 2nd degree black belt some years later and got it from someone not in an organization. Then, I joined an organization/association for the benefits of networking. That was a matter of convenience, but not of making my skills any better.bat Being a shodan is about learning what you DON'T know about what you know.
Brandon Fisher Posted June 21, 2006 Posted June 21, 2006 It does not make you better but it does provide creditbility. Brandon FisherSeijitsu Shin Do
bat in a birdless village Posted June 21, 2006 Posted June 21, 2006 It does not make you better but it does provide creditbility.Yes, it can provide credibility, but sadly there are many organizations that are nothing but certificate mills. You can go on eBay and type in "black belt certificate" and buy your black belt papers. Or you can join groups like the United States Martial Arts Association http://www.mararts.org/ and they will mail you whatever black belt level you say you are on very pretty certificates.I have noticed that with the recent popularity of the internet (over the past decade or so), the number of questionable associations has increased a hundred fold.Still, I do agree that having paper certification does provide credibility.bat Being a shodan is about learning what you DON'T know about what you know.
Brandon Fisher Posted June 21, 2006 Posted June 21, 2006 Bat,How true on the organizations. But credible organizations are ones you need to look for.I joined USMA but I am seeing things that are making me scratch my head. Now I had to provide a copy of my original rank certificate to get my rank certificate from them I believe but hey ya know. The thing that kinda bothered me is I got nominated for their hall of fame within a matter of 2 months of joining. I declined as I couldn't figure it out except for the money. I am sticking to PKC, PKA, and USKA for now. Brandon FisherSeijitsu Shin Do
bushido_man96 Posted June 21, 2006 Posted June 21, 2006 I think the answer to your question is in your own post. It is all about credibility. It is like going to college to get a degree. Or a mechanic. Your dad may be the best mechanic in the world, but he can't get a job in a garage without ASE certification (or something like that). The MA schools can still be opened without a certificate, but the fact that there are those out there that have them makes them look more qualified.It sucks, but it seems to be the way things are going. https://www.haysgym.comhttp://www.sunyis.com/https://www.aikidoofnorthwestkansas.com
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