Benny said it right when he described it as an internal mastery. The rank of black belt and master is subjective in that it is different for each individual. It is human nature that we want to compete with one another and to want to say that we are better than the next guy. I started off my career in the martial arts over 40 years ago thinking just that. I was wrong. Over the years I have become less focused on competition and more focused on self improvement through the martial arts. It is easy to hurt other people to prove how tough you are. Try healing someone through martial arts teaching or helping them be a better person. That is where the real challenge lies. Then if people call you master take it as a compliment and don't ever let your head get too big.
this is a great subject that these two legends are talking about . i was awarded my 1st dan black belt back in 91 after training hard for over 5 years. i then stayed with my association being the PKA, benny knows who they are. and i became an instructor. primarily teaching kickboxing, over the years what with working away alot and life choices i had to stop running my club as i didnt have enough time to dedicate to it. now 2023 i have noticed there are now martial arts or kickboxing schools popping up everywhere. and kids seemingly becoming black belts after 12 months training and ive watched some of them train and spar and by god how the standards seemingly have dropped considerably, most are not worthy of wearing a black belt. it just seems that these days alot of clubs are producing black belts like a production line. is it all about the money these days over the standards.
I agree. It's hard to find a good school that doesn't fall into this regimen. Our family trained for years to earn our blackbelts, they were not simply handed out. Our sensei wouldn't even teach kids under 10 years old, he was very traditional. You went to that school knowing when you got your belt, you earned it. Some schools hand them out too easily. You could also see this difference in the blackbelts at tournaments.
You guys are great! True masters of martial arts. I love hearing your insight. No doubt there are plenty of unimpressive people with the status of "black belt or "master". It's true that this can put a bad name on the martial arts. However it would be detrimental to have the government determine who is deserving and who is not. I am grateful to be in an unregulated industry. I sometime joke that I can't cut hair or give a massage for money without a license but I can teach people to break arms and noses without one. If you want to open a martial arts studio in France your out of luck. You can either work in a government owned studio or forget about it. A governing body is always controlled by money and licensing fees. Regulation kills individuality and innovation. Look at what the kukiwon has done to TKD and how martial arts in Korea have stifled. The best thing we can do is let the market decide who is successful and who is not.
Most schools determine your "belt" status according to how well you perform the "kata's" for each individual style. I relate it to a "dancer" who learns all the moves. But real mastery is being able to put those moves into real life action. Real Martial Arts is a lifestyle not just fighting.
Why settle for super Deluxe Grandmaster? Just go straight for Superior Master. That would make you just one liiittle bit better than all the other masters. There is nothing better than superior and no one could call themself the same thing because there could not be two people that both were better than each other :)
Don't forget adding all the extra DANS now, I have seen up to 30th DAN lol. 10 used to be the highest you could go now you see 15th-20th DAN a lot. That is a lot more money coming in per tape stripe.
If Benny was still a white belt, it wouldn't lower his status, because of his skill level. Look at his spinning back kick to the body that won world championships. No color of belt can throw that kick for you. The belt wasn't in the ring either.
True. But I guarantee you if "the Jet" went into a school as a white belt and hit someone with that technique, spinning back kick, they would be angry and a fight would ensue. He would probably end up fighting half the club. I had a similar experience. When I was younger I trained in allot of styles. I was a black belt in another discipline and went to train at a club as a white belt. The black belts and upper belts felt they had the right to punch me regardless. I got tired of it and unloaded on one of them, and got a talking to by the head sensei about my control; go figure. It is all about games, and politics.There are always allot of creeps attracted to martial arts. Usually, the blood, sweat, and tears aspect of getting higher rank turns them off which is a good thing.
Liberal politics: No formal criteria, diligence or integrity needed to identify ones self or someone else, their rank or ability. Forever champions are the folks who have "earned" with undeniable passion, drive, hard work and self-sacrifice. Allie
I completely agree sinsei Benny as nowadays martial art school belt grading exams have become more or less similar to school grades which has resulted in reduction of artistic approach, learning, spritual aspects & self assessment of one's capabilities.
3:46 I'd remind him that a black belt is a symbol given by different sets of standards. Black belts lose in kickboxing title fights all the time. You won many world titles and defended them over 60 times. Has the 9 year old done that? The real test is in the ring or on the street, I'd say...
I Fully agreed with Benny and Steve. Its all getting out of line just like MMA. They think its a martial arts when real master look at MMA as Morons Martial Arts. Street fighting in a cage .
In the old days to be a master you had to be an actual combat bad ass proven in the deadly use of your martial art. Today it has been diluted and sports nonsense.
The quality control has completely gone out the window over the decades....a huge dilution of standards and meaningless titles...ufc etc are the best way to measure ability..not paying for a grading
Only Jesus is Lord and Master and you humans are only children. In the Martial arts no one is master but always students always learning always seeking for human perfection
