For as long as I can remember, as far as Karate is concerned, practitioners have always wanted one Governing Body for all to answer to and for credibility. However, the more they wanted this and that, the further away they would find themselves; no more closer than they were before.

How many Governing Body’s, especially MA schools, world wide that are lead by sycophants instead of those who will lead with the brutal truth?!? Those numbers would possibly stagger your mind, but at the same time, not to surprising whatsoever.

Terrifying to think about just how many MA students were promoted to black belt by sycophants; those black belt find it nearly impossible to fight their way out of a wet paper bag with a bog hole in it.

Hopefully when the dust finally settles down, the ISKF survives and is much stronger.

Sickens me to think about things like that.

On 8/24/2026 at 11:28 PM, sensei8 said:

For as long as I can remember, as far as Karate is concerned, practitioners have always wanted one Governing Body for all to answer to and for credibility. However, the more they wanted this and that, the further away they would find themselves; no more closer than they were before.

21 hours ago, sensei8 said:

How many Governing Body’s, especially MA schools, world wide that are lead by sycophants instead of those who will lead with the brutal truth?!? Those numbers would possibly stagger your mind, but at the same time, not to surprising whatsoever.

Terrifying to think about just how many MA students were promoted to black belt by sycophants; those black belt find it nearly impossible to fight their way out of a wet paper bag with a bog hole in it.

Hopefully when the dust finally settles down, the ISKF survives and is much stronger.

Sickens me to think about things like that.

Here's a hot take: I don't think (most styles of) karate can get away with not having organizations with governing bodies over their schools. Boxing can. BJJ can. Wrestling can. Why? Because they have full contact tournaments. The "credibility" of your training in these arts is proven in the ring/on the mat between different competing schools.

We don't have that in (most styles of) karate, so we've gotta have "something" that shows that your black belt wasn't some meaningless thing arbitrarily awarded to you by Joe Schmoe down the street.

On 9/2/2026 at 9:13 AM, Furinkazan said:

Here's a hot take: I don't think (most styles of) karate can get away with not having organizations with governing bodies over their schools. Boxing can. BJJ can. Wrestling can. Why? Because they have full contact tournaments. The "credibility" of your training in these arts is proven in the ring/on the mat between different competing schools.

We don't have that in (most styles of) karate, so we've gotta have "something" that shows that your black belt wasn't some meaningless thing arbitrarily awarded to you by Joe Schmoe down the street.

You might be right. Karate seems to depend on a Governing Body for one reason or another. Habits, like Governing Bodies, are hard to break.

Governing Bodies lend credibility and legitimacy to whatever. When in reality, the floor provides that without bowing to some Governing Body.