Karate Associations

[quinteros1963]

I'm wondering what you all think of the many associations that exist. What is the point, all the seem to do is create and generate strife amoung its members. I mean what does it really mean if one is certified by this or that association? There are so many claiming to be the one true (pick your style). This is the right way to do it or our way is the best way to do it! I go back to Japan is what I one Sensei told me recently. Who cares! Can you teach me how to fight and do kata? Thats all I want anyway.

Sorry just venting.

[Throwdown0850]

You speak the truth, man. and for that you get 5 not 4 but 5 emoticons, sir

[Toptomcat]

The only legitimate purposes MA organizations serve are to provide a competitive forum for their practitioners, if applicable, and to ensure the competence of any teaching black belts in the field. There ARE some that manage to do that: the trinity of American judo, the USJI, USJA, and USJF, seem to do okay, and despite all the factional nonsense going on the major Kyokushin orgs IKO 1 and 2 seem to have their heads together in a very big-picture sense, though I don't know about the fine details.

Agreed that for the most part that organizational politics are just one big, long ego trip with little productive ever coming out of it.

[sensei8]

The following is my opinion/believe...

It is true: the vast plethoria of martial arts organizations serve the needs of that organization and its practitioners...only! Everyone else are insignificant! Everyone else is false in their teachings, in their art, in their background, in their methodologies, and in their rank.

If you're not part of that said organization, then your rank/backgroud/etc are meaningless, and in that, you won't be recognized! Splinter away from an organization, then you're ostracized forever, and in that, you're erased for all time and from the records of that organization.

Is it right if my Hombu doesn't recognize you and/or your style; you're nothing? Or vice versa? Of course it's not, but, it happens everyday of the week within one martial arts organization after another. What does it take to be recognized by other organizations? Is it lineage? Is it ones Sensei/Instructor? Is it the size of the organization? Is it the size of the student body? Is it international or not? Is it because it has a website? This answer might only exist behind the walls of that particular Hombu/Headquarters.

This is the nature of the game and to survive, one must be a master of playing the game, or the other organizations will just eat you up and then spit you out.

We can create all of the organizations we want to for this reason or for that reason, but, if the organization and it's practitioners aren't recognized, then it's a mute organization; spinning its wheels while going nowhere. This can be determined by whomever for whatever reason(s) that they see fit to announce or not. New organizations will continue to spring up as often as a new thought comes to ones mind, and in that, it seems that this phenomen will slow or stop any time soon.

Martial arts organizations will never reunite under one banner for the betterment of the martial arts and their practitioners, imho. Why? Mutual agreement! It's very difficult for differing methods and opinions to agree on anything concerning anything that is the martial arts. Differing values and the like are just that; they're differing.

My martial arts platitudes might serve me only within the Shindokan Hombu and nowhere else. You know what? I'm pretty ok with that because I'm complete in my martial arts totality; still searching for the truth within my martial arts, and still learning from day to day, for my martial arts journey is never ending and in that, I'm ok with that too.

[masterphoenix]

The only legitimate purposes MA organizations serve are to provide a competitive forum for their practitioners, if applicable, and to ensure the competence of any teaching black belts in the field. There ARE some that manage to do that: the trinity of American judo, the USJI, USJA, and USJF, seem to do okay, and despite all the factional nonsense going on the major Kyokushin orgs IKO 1 and 2 seem to have their heads together in a very big-picture sense, though I don't know about the fine details.

Agreed that for the most part that organizational politics are just one big, long ego trip with little productive ever coming out of it.

I wouldn't say that these are the only legitimate functions, nor that we can make that call for everyone. What is helpful and promotes quality practice I would deem as legitimate. The functions of associations are many, and the needs of practitioners just as varied. This is why there are different associations with different purposes. I've seen quite a few services and functions offered that I find to be legitimate which aren't mentioned here.