I’ve written several pieces about traditional martial arts rank in the past, but every now and then I like to revisit this subject because there is so much confusion and hype out there. You see, a traditional martial arts dojo, be it Japanese, Okinawan or Korean, all follow the original ranking system set fourth by Jigoro Kano, the founder of Japanese judo. The uniforms we wear, keikoi and the ranking system most schools and styles follow all stem from Kano’s version of budo…the “martial way.” Unfortunately, like all other aspects of traditional martial arts, the ranking system that most of us use has become twisted, bloated and in many cases, comical. It all starts with the black belt.
People who have never stepped into a dojo have no idea what a black belt symbolizes and it becomes increasingly evident to me that a lot of people who practice or have kids that practice, have even less understanding. It has a lot to do with ego and our culture. People need some form of recognition for themselves and their kids; they need to know that all of the time spent on the mat is leading to something measurable. Well, if you or your child are in the right place, the work is definitely leading to something, though it may not always be tangible.
Prior to the inception of Japanese budo, ranking systems existed primarily in combat arts. That system, known as Menkyo, had a lot more to do with a license to teach certain aspects of a given sword style. It was based on one’s skill and years of dedicated practice and unlike today’s culture, not everybody received rank. Donn Draeger, one of the first westerners to study ancient Japanese martial arts, was not a fan of the current ranking system. He was the first anglo permitted to study Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto-Ryu, one of the oldest martial arts schools in Japan dating back to the samurai era. Draeger authored several books on Japanese martial arts and culture. He noted that the current rank system known as kyu/dan, is based on the peasant class. You see, only samurai warriors were permitted to study martial arts and you had to be born into that class. Budo, which includes judo, kendo, karate-do and aikido, are aspects of the Meiji Restoration in 1868, which brought an end to the samurai class. Budo brings martial arts skill and culture to the general public.
Prior to the Meiji Restoration, a martial arts dojo was not open to the general public. You had to be a samurai and you had to have a letter of recommendation. Training was harsh and brutal; students were often maimed and sometimes killed. Why? Well, because these were the arts of war. Not the art of trophies, titles, patches and birthday parties. It was about war. There were some schools that carried this tradition after the introduction of budo. Karate schools back in the day, for example, were every bit as dangerous and grueling and while everyone was welcome, few had the stones to step into a dojo. In other words, “you are welcome to come and train…at your own risk.”
I’ve made a point to stay clear of large organizations, namely because of the whole rank thing. For the last 20 years or so, I’ve operated our dojo under a combination of the menkyo and kyu/dan systems. In our school, you are a white belt until you’ve reached the skills necessary to test for brown. Your shodan (black belt) test will be one of the hardest days of your life. I will beat you into the ground mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. And the other folks here who’ve been through that experience will help me. I won’t let you test until I believe you ready and if you are not consistently training, you never will be. After you pass your shodan test, I see no need to test again other than days specifically set aside for that type of training (shugyo). I only award black belts up to fifth degree, based on your skill, consistent training and dedication to the school. A test or a belt does not determine your skills or abilities; only your actions and attitude.
I am confident in saying that if you’ve earned a black belt in our system, you’ve done something. By the time you reach that level, you’ve been though a lot of sweat, some blood, lots of sore muscles, maybe even a broken bone or two. You’ve had your ego knocked down a few notches. But you’ve earned your place, regardless of where you fall in the line. And while you may have nothing to prove, you do have an obligation to maintain your skills, abilities and physicality as much as possible. It may not mean much outside of this dojo, but when you step onto this mat…know your place. Understand where you fall and what you need to do to improve. If you’re a white belt, you have a lot of ground to cover. If you are a black belt, you have a lot more ground to cover.
If you are a student here, please keep that in mind.
Dave Magliano
Tatsu Dojo
Jissenkan Budo
Dojo Cho