self taught?

[Sid Vicious]

when i refer to the word "self taught" i dont mean someone who rented a black belt video and considered themself a black belt after watching it. with that being said lets get down to business.

 

this i about the people who have done alot of practising using videos, books, and the internet. lets just say that they did everything in order and trained just like they would in a dojo. and after a couple of years went by they finally finished their black belt instructions.

 

Would you consider them a black belt?

 

Would you even consider them a martial artist?

[rabid hamster]

I bet if they sparred other martial artists a lot and they practiced hard I guess they could get good. Plus their sparring partners can tell them if they are doing a technique wrong and stuff..

[Karateka_latino]

That person needs to prove what he/she learned in front of a qualifed serious intructors. I doubt you can teach yourself a Martial Art using just videos and books. They can help if you have a base style. but if you haven't, you may learn things incorrectly.

 

You CAN learn many things from books and videos but i don't feel that's enough to consider yourself a black belt or even an intermediate green belt.

 

You need to be carefull... I can pick up a book and read it again and again, memorized from A to Z and practice all the techniques but the book won't tell you what you are doing wrong or what you need to improve, For that you need a teacher.

 

I think that's an option Only if you don't have any instructor from a particular style in your City. In that particular case, i advise to find a school of a Style that resamble the one you want to learn and get info about the style you like to. Ex. you want to learn Brazilian jiu-jitsu but there isn't a school in your area, then you can pick Judo which is more spread and watch BJJ videos and books, and also you can wait for a seminar about it and join and learn.

 

Hope this help a little.

[Sid Vicious]

SubmissionFighter, i understand and agree with what your saying about not being able to do something properly. But just remember tha "practise makes perfect".

 

Sid

[ZeRo]

well i think they are MAist but i wouldnt concider them a BB. they may have the moves but they wouldnt be good with sparring, that takes practise in its self.

[Red J]

I don't think so! Feedback is such a key element in instruction of any kind. I don't see it from a video tape. Maybe a knowledge of certain skills can be acquired, but not mastery.

 

To answer your question, they would need to be tested in front of a black belt panel and pass or fail. If they passed then more power to them. The odds are stacked against them.

[kicker]

Well I would consider them as a BB and a Martial Artist if they practiced what they have learned with someone else and also if they have sparred or maybe entered in some kind of tournament for more practice or for fun.

[Kensai]

I am learning Iaido from a series of books. I dont really consider it real training, just a bit of fun to run along side my Aikido sword work. Depends how far you want to take it. I dont think there is any subsitution for a real Sensei.

 

Take Care

[LeaF]

Nothing will ever replace proper instruction, books and videos will not correct you when you make mistakes, and they will not push or encourage you to the best you can be.

 

p.s. Kensai which Iaido cuts have you learned, I study a little Iaido as part of my kobudo training. I like it a lot even though I am still just working with a bokken

[Kyle-san]

Of course books/videos/internet will never replace real training, but if you have some experience and a general idea of how martial arts training goes they can be quite valuable. If someone learned everything from books and was able to handle himself like a black belt, there's no reason he shouldn't be considered one.