A true black belt? or a fake?

[nijushi]

This story is true about a friend of mine.(he wants to remain anny.)

My friend was 13 years old when he got interested in martial arts. So he joins a karate dojo near his home. He enjoyed it for a while, and even got to orange belt. But soon he started to get bored by it. Not because of him losing interest in fighting but because he hated how his classes were. He said his classes were basically mostly katas and learning one or two new techniques a week. He really likes to spar but his class would only spar once every two weeks on fridays for 15 minutes near the end of class, and he only has class 3 days a week. So he didn't do much fighting really, just mostly katas which he found boring. I know some karate styles focus more on katas then fighting I think.

So eventually he quit the dojo. He would've joined another but that was the only one in his area. But he still loved martial arts. So later on that year he bought a new gi and a black belt and started training. He said it was hard since he had no instructor to guide and help him, but he didn't stop. He didn't use a particular style of karate, he just copied techniques he saw some from some other martial arts; Muay Thai, Baji Quan, Mantis Kung Fu, Taekwondo etc. So he eventually created his own style of karate. I think he named it "RyuukuNoKen".

About 3 years later after training alone he started to challenge some other martial artists around his area. They were all blackbelts (don't know what degrees) he won about almost all of his matches. He even challenged a dojo instructor and won.

But the thing is when he was asked what school he studied at he would say he taught himself. Pretty soon a lot of martial artists in the area and in comptetions thought he was a fake and didn't earn that black belt since he bought it and didn't earn it. But he would mostly respond that his skill was equal to a fighter who earned his black belt and a belt doesn't necessarily mean anything just your rank.

Now what I want to ask everyone is does he deserve to wear that belt or is he a fake since he didn't earn it from an instructor?

(BTW to this day he still trains and competes)

Meh, belts. I think it was really callous to "invent" his own style. It was ripping off other martial arts--and we've seen what has happened to the million styled karate--some styles just don't have the fundamentals that they used to have. Anyway, there is more to martial arts than being able to beat someone up. There needs to be ethical code to bar martial artists from attacking people, or being too easily overcome with emotion or bogus superficial ideals of what the RIGHT way is.

[NY_Karatedork]

Was there anyone to back up his claim of beating up these black belts and a instructor? I could see beating up a black belt if you fight dirty or with whatever you can get your hands on but a instructor? I seriously doubt that a instructor would cave in to a teens antics and fight him and since a lot of instructors have years and years of training I don't think that fight really happened. Maybe it did and I'm wrong but anyone can "create" their own style so I think this friend is a fake.

[NightOwl]

As long as it's not a 'friend of a friend'....

But hypothetically I could see how someone with raw talent and experience could easily take on a black belt. You have to keep in mind that many martial artists aren't in their best element when they are fighting...

[bushido_man96]

I would say that he should just call himself a fighter. Why does he feel the need to don rank upon himself? To verify what he has accomplished? There are plenty of fighters out there that don't feel a need to do this, and don't even worry about it...perhaps your friend should do the same.

[KarateEd]

I would say that he should just call himself a fighter. Why does he feel the need to don rank upon himself? To verify what he has accomplished? There are plenty of fighters out there that don't feel a need to do this, and don't even worry about it...perhaps your friend should do the same.

I agree with bushido_man here. This has been the biggest problem for me in this whole scenario. Why buy a black belt unless he wants to show it off to his friends, tell everyone he is a "black belt," or make himself feel good about his training.

Ed

[mmljpp]

i think he is just fine ranks mean nothing it is how hard you try but one question is he doing the techniques right

[bushido_man96]

i think he is just fine ranks mean nothing it is how hard you try but one question is he doing the techniques right

If rank means nothing, then why bother with giving yourself one?

[ModernKempo]

If a person can play Motzart on the piano, but received no formal instruction, does that make them any less a piano player? If I can go out an bat .350 in the major leagues, but never played ball in school, am I any less a ball player?

I could not agree more! I am a professional musician and have played all over the world. I have been playing since I was 8 (classical guitar) and was self taught until I entered University, and the only reason I entered University was to get more performance oportunities.

My point is Because I was self taught did not make my music or my interpretation less valid than someone who had a doctorate. I was blessed with the talent to be able to recognize how the body worked in order to create a technique in order to play the peice of music, or to achieve the desired goal.

In fact this is common place in music. some of our most revered guitarists were never formaly trained, such as Andres Segovia, julian bream, and in the more popular vein, Eric Clapton, Brian May, David Gilmore, I could go on and on.

If this guy was able to observe how the body moves in relation to certain stimuli, such as a punch or kick, or whatever, it is not difficult to make technique in order to deal with it. I will admit it is a harder path than getting information from someone who is already treaded those waters, but it does not destroy the validity of his style.

I say he deserves the black belt around his waistr and should wear it proudly.

[ModernKempo]

I would say that he should just call himself a fighter. Why does he feel the need to don rank upon himself? To verify what he has accomplished? There are plenty of fighters out there that don't feel a need to do this, and don't even worry about it...perhaps your friend should do the same.

I agree with bushido_man here. This has been the biggest problem for me in this whole scenario. Why buy a black belt unless he wants to show it off to his friends, tell everyone he is a "black belt," or make himself feel good about his training.

Ed

I would think he wears a black belt for the same reason anybody else does. If you earned it it's yours. A lot of people say rank doesn't matter, but I've never heard of any one refusing to take that black belt after the test, saying nah you keep it I really don't need it.

[bushido_man96]

I would think he wears a black belt for the same reason anybody else does. If you earned it it's yours. A lot of people say rank doesn't matter, but I've never heard of any one refusing to take that black belt after the test, saying nah you keep it I really don't need it.

I am not saying I don't agree with you. I do like my belts. I won't lie about it. However, if you take them away, it doesn't take away my knowledge. Neither does donning one give one knowledge. If a black belt is earned, then it is usually rewarded to one by another. In his case, that hasn't happened. Whether that is the way it should be or not, I am not to say. I just wonder why he worries about it.