Associations

[ShoriKid]

Well , not too sure on where you're from but it is fully acceptable for 4th Dan and above being Timer served grades anyway.

Find an State or National Multistyle/Freestyle Governing Body and get them to give you your grade for time served (offer to do a physical grade if required). but regards to grading to 3rd Dan, normally at least 1 of the examiners needs to be Godan etc. you can not grade to your own level!

Get aquainted with your local School instructors as you can all sit on each other's panels to validate the gradings etc.

This very much. Or speak with your old instructor and see about grading. If they aren't still active seek out someone in that style to grade with.

[bushido_man96]

Why delete dan ranks? Just promote as high as you can and call it good. Maybe start your own association with like-minded instructors someday down the road.

I think this is the way to go. Look into what it takes to start your own association, if that's what you want to do. The problem is, if you are the head guy and high rank, you will have to find some way to get yourself ranked if you want to continue ranking up others. Or, you can just top things out at 3rd dan, if you like.

[Dobbersky]

Why delete dan ranks? Just promote as high as you can.......

Or, you can just top things out at 3rd dan, if you like.

In Shoto - Kai, the highest grade is Godan, I think as this was the highest awarded to the most senior of this org by Funakoshi Sensei

[bushido_man96]

I knew that early on, Godan was the top rank in Japan. I think as time went on and there were more and more 5th degrees popping up, they saw a "need" to move to higher ranks. Probably for organizational control purposes more than anything.

[ps1]

Based on what you're saying; I would recommend your option 2. Don't do dan ranks. Just say black belt is a the highest rank. By that time, the student should be more interested in training than rank.

If you want to have something above black, you can offer an instructor rank. Maybe it would be black with a stripe or something.

From the standpoint of instructing; I would only recommend promoting black belts that are like minded with you. They should be willing to not care about dan ranks and be more interested in the acquisition of skill than rank.

You're correct that any "legitimate" orginization will come with significant cost. For me to get 4th degree would have cost about $400. So I certainly unxerstand where you're coming from.

[maisweh]

Well, in y'all opinion, what can make one association more legitimate than others? Oh and I am leaning toward option 2. Since I'm not tryin to run a commercial school

[JusticeZero]

Honestly? Just go with the honest "Everyone who could promote me further is dead/inaccessable, so I can only get you to a black belt. I'm still learning more, but I can't actually get the rank to show it because it's just me." Use some completely different type of rank token after that point if you must. Or, switch styles to something with an intact ranking system.

[ps1]

Well, in y'all opinion, what can make one association more legitimate than others? Oh and I am leaning toward option 2. Since I'm not tryin to run a commercial school

Lineage. Really, it's all about having lineage to the source of whatever art you are studying. Does this ENSURE quality, not necessarily. Does this ENSURE you're not being overcharged, no. There are no guarantees. Since you've already voice you have your doubts about associations, I don't think they are the best way for you to go. And since the other options are the "less reputable" options out there that will basically sell you a belt, there's no point for you to join anything.

A good association will offer the following:

Lineage

Training

Access to other instructors (having a great network can't be overrated)

Rank

But it will probably be expensive and it may not be the kind of training that interests you. With that in mind, you'd have to carefully consider what you want.

[bassaiguy]

For lineage purposes more than anything else I joined the association that my teacher (who is now independent) was formerly a member. I didn't really care about rank. I'm nidan and have been for about ten years. Who knows if I'll ever bother to test again. But I wanted to train with some of the guys my instructor used to talk about, meet their students, etc. If any of my students ever get to the point of testing for blackbelt I'll set up a testing board with my teacher, myself and a few advanced blackbelt friends. That's how they did it in the old days.

I'm also a member of ISOK, which is an association for blackbelts only to help them learn, grade and meet colleagues. It's a small group, but I think the idea is great and I hope it grows.

[sensei8]

Well, in y'all opinion, what can make one association more legitimate than others? Oh and I am leaning toward option 2. Since I'm not tryin to run a commercial school

Legitimacy or not; allow your Do to speak about your own legitimacy. That type of legitimacy can't be denied; either you are or you aren't.

Our legal team has always said this...

"The creation of any governing body isn't predicated on any USA laws, rules, or regulations; ambiguity rules the day."

Albeit, ps1 speaks well about what makes a "legitimate" governing body.