Karateville

Discussion in 'General Martial Arts Discussion' started by OwlMAtt, Feb 11, 2012.

  1. OwlMAtt

    OwlMAtt Armed and Scrupulous

    There are a lot of mean-spirited and ignorant martial arts critics on YouTube, and just as many crusaders who stoke the fire.

    The McDojo thing, though, is very much a prevalent reality. It's something that all prospective martial artists and martial arts parents need to guard themselves against.
     
  2. 47MartialMan

    47MartialMan Valued Member

    Many do not. They want it to stroke the ego
     
  3. 47MartialMan

    47MartialMan Valued Member

    It could almost be suffice to say that of a school doesnt have rank, it will have less students than one that does
     
  4. niftyniffler

    niftyniffler Valued Member

    I moved away from training in a belt system for most of the reasons outlined in the article. I really didn't like what it was doing to me at all. One of the reasons I was keen to try the place I am training now was that in the info about them it said there were "no coloured pieces of cloth with which to tempt the ego". I am not saying there is no place for belts - but there is no place for them in my martial arts journey.
    Its not just about ego tempting though - what I really didn't like was the way it was making me feel about the people I was training alongside. Seeing belts awarded for what I could see was a poor performance and half hearted effort brought out a judgemental and unpleasant side of me that I really didn't wish to develop. For me - training in martial arts is about making me a better person - not a worse one.
    Leaving belts behind was like a load off my shoulders.
     
  5. old school arts

    old school arts New Member

    i am pretty sure ranks i martial arts where a stupid invention made quite recently when martial arts where still very unknown in the west ranks where much simpler student/disciple or master/teacher when the master/teacher thinks the student/disciple is ready the whole dojo/religious place gathers to watch the student/disciple try to become a master/teacher
     
  6. 47MartialMan

    47MartialMan Valued Member

    So, in other words, what are you trying to say?
     
  7. El Medico

    El Medico Valued Member

    Blame Kano,then. With a handle like old school arts I would have thought you'd know this.
     
  8. LemonSloth

    LemonSloth Laugh and grow fat!

    Then they're training to get a pat on the back and feel good, not for the sake of just learning the art. In which case, were you to take away the belts then it would only ever be considered a good thing.

    Personally I maintain that Kano meant well but was utterly wrong. The day that a piece of coloured fabric round your waist is interpreted to determine your level of skill, understanding, discipline, courage and (most importantly) honest effort is the day you stop practising an art properly and resort purely to metaphorical member-stroking.
     
  9. OwlMAtt

    OwlMAtt Armed and Scrupulous

    Umm... what? Some capitalization and punctuation would be nice.

    In any case, the modern ranking system was first instituted by judo founder Jigoro Kano. He was an educator, and so the ranking system fit well into his world of tests and grades. Most sources I can find indicate that judo instructor Mikonosuke Kawaishi began designating ranks with belt colors while teaching in Europe in the 1930s.
     

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