Rank with no affiliation

[billyparker]

Good point, verifiable lineage. That really is what makes it for me. I am 3rd Generation Shotokan. My instructor is one of two 8th Dan in the world (non-Japanese) ranked by Meijin Masaki Sato. That's Hirokazu Kanazawa's teacher. It's completely verifiable. Easy to ask around and see if you know who to ask. Kanazawa's signature is on paperwork in my instructors office. Meijin Sato also awarded my Instructor with Hanshi. That's pretty wild in my opinion. I have never in my life met a Caucasian man with any of these rankings by the Japanese organizations before.

So if your interested in lineage and interested in where your instructors come from, look it up. Don't be easily fooled by fake Japanese certificates as well. If your instructors name names, get on the phone risk the phone bill, and start calling the Dai Nippon first. and work your way out. I promise it's beneficial.

[bushido_man96]

Rank may not always be respected or recognized. Skill will be.

[honoluludesktop]

Because rank is an association's or teacher's recognition of their students standing, rank without affiliation has no meaning. Rank is only in part, a measure of martial skill.

[sensei8]

Because rank is an association's or teacher's recognition of their students standing, rank without affiliation has no meaning. Rank is only in part, a measure of martial skill.

But, imho, rank is an infinitesimal measure of martial skills. There's a very good reason why rank doesn't come from a cookie cutout; they're not the same from one organization to another.

[Slayer2004]

I always like the thought of a rank being something for others to see. In my heart I know what I can and cannot do. The rank does not define me. I am proud of being the rank I am, but at the same time I know that should the belt and certificate ever go away for whatever reason it will not mean that I am still not that capable.

Where affiliation goes, to whom should you affiliate?

While history is important and the history of your teachers can be great to look back on, even in tradition change has to happen in order for many things to survive and some of the best discoveries in the world are things that started anew.

My first Dan grade was through my Sensei whom had no Japanese affiliation, or any affiliation at all. Does that mean I was not worthy?

Affiliation to me is like politics, people think it is good when they hear it but if you ever ask what they truly get from having their belt affiliated or recognised, it seems to be a way of providing security. Do people feel insecure in their ranks that they need to be secured??

Sorry I know it is a little rant-esk but I have only just got up and caffeine is not yet my friend lol.

[kansascityshuffle]

There are some orgs and styles I personally don't think much of most of the time and there are others that seem to have more good then bad. However, I have yet to find any org or style without people that aren't worthy IMO of their rank.

I personally like Kyokushin and most of the offshoots of the style but I know some Kyokushin dojo that do nothing close to what I would personally consider Kyokushin.

With that being said I back to saying the lineage of your instructor and his/her experience is what's really important. Your instructor can make all the claims they want but you might be surprised how many instructors out there exaggerate and fabricate or come from an instructor that did and continue the watering down tradition.

With Japanese terminology in karate I can completely understand the language and understand most of the "intricate" parts of what I'm being told because if the instructor doesn't have the language skills they can teach in English or heaven forbid, demonstrate what they're trying to explain.

If you truly are doing Karate at some point it was taught in Japanese/Okinawan so why would the lineage between the source and you quit doing it in it's native language?

You train in western boxing in Japan or Thailand and western boxing terminology (English) is used.

Also helps to cross train in other karate styles to follow along when they're teaching in more or less the same terminology, shocking.

I can go to a shotokan, wado ryu, shorin ryu, goju ryu, Enshin, kyokushin, shito ryu, uechi ryu, ryeui ryu, gosoku ryu, and more dojo and be able to understand what is going on with no problem. Any average practitioner of a year or two has no problem knowing all the Japanese terminology.

Which brings me to another theory of mine of some of these "masters" bringing karate back or getting affiliated that didn't have the experience "back in the day" that watered it down to kroddy, not karate.

[xo-karate]

There are some orgs and styles I personally don't think much of most of the time and there are others that seem to have more good then bad. However, I have yet to find any org or style without people that aren't worthy IMO of their rank.

quote]

I had a problem with belt rank - or atleast had to think about it. I have had 1 kyu in Wadoryu over 30 years. Founded a karate club and was senior belt for 10 years, wrote a book and make several instructional videos. Some featuring world champs and so on. So I was awarded 4.dan in 2005, but from an afganistan Tebma organisation.

Now I am doing to start practising with another style - Shorinji-ryu Renshinkan Karatedo. What belt should I use.

White - as I do not know the style.

Brown - as it's "certified" by National karate federation

black - as it is the highest I have

Answer is brown - 1 kyu.

Take care,

Hannu

[xo-karate]

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