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Old 01-28-2014, 11:42 AM   #29
Keith Larman
Dojo: AIA, Los Angeles, CA
Location: California
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,604
United_States
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Re: What is Martial Arts Rank?

Honestly I don't give much of a damn about rank in adults. It can be a bit convenient for figuring out a sort of gross estimation of who's where, etc. in a class you're unfamiliar with. But... If you train with a group over time folk figure out who has the goods and who doesn't regardless of rank.

But I will say for us with a kid's program, it can be a remarkable tool. We've got a few right now with some issues in behavior (nothing major) both in and outside the dojo. So I spoke with the parents before the test and we'll try to work on encouraging the kid to understand their responsibilities and role in life. Basically the "rank carries with it the notion of representing us and your teachers" kind of deal. So it gives a little more leverage and context with which to encourage certain behavior in kids. It also allows us another tool to use to work with the kid's parents to help them bring up a well rounded person.

All that said, I think there is a somewhat of a straw man argument that goes along with these discussions. Most in the arts know full well there rank can be very "accurate" for some folk and not meaningful at all for others. Lots of variables. So we can point to outliers or the mean and make our arguments. But all in all it has some meaning; it just varies. So we can wail and carry on about this or that, or we can ack that many outside martial arts place way too much emphasis on it due to modern depictions of martial arts. Okay, fine. No problem. To me it is a gigantic non-issue for the most part.

And comparing rank to koryu teaching licenses is I think comparing apples and neutrinos. But even with teaching licenses many similar issues can come up.

And fwiw I know people who have been hamon'ed out of their rank in Aikido, but they keep on wearing the gear and artfully ignoring it continuing to pretend they have the rank. So it does happen. Lord, how many different groups started with just such things... And I know people who have resigned from Aikido groups who have disavowed some of their promotions due to disagreements with the "powers that be" that awarded them the final ranks.

Honestly, it's one of those preaching to the choir kind of deals to me. But over something most who are long term serious really don't devote much energy to anyway...

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