One question that I get asked by people both in and out of the martial arts school is if I’m a black belt and, if I am, what degree I am. Before opening Han Mi, I typically avoided the question or down played the answer as much as possible. People have all sorts of opinions on what a black belt should be or really is - few of those opinions are very advantageous to the person having that rank. Besides, my belt never won a sparring match for me. If I won or lost, it was by my own ability or lack thereof. Now that I own a school, I have to answer the question sincerely because every person could be or lead to a potential student. Luckily, I've found some of my earlier paranoia on the subject to be misplaced. Most people tend to be receptive and interested without barraging me with tasteless questions about abusing others or how to kill someone. Still, it’s worth exploring some of the common exchanges in that conversation - specifically, about having ranks above 4th degree.
The first thing that often gets misunderstood is the concept of “master” in martial arts. In Korean schools, this is referred to as Sahbum and the Japanese call this role Sensei. I remember when I got my 4th degree (or dan) and I got a uniform that said Master Thompson on the back. While I worked hard for many years and had dedicated a lot of time, energy, and care into martial arts, I never thought myself a master. For all my seriousness in study of martial arts, I never have been good at taking myself seriously. Between being a musician and being from a pretty blue collar family, anything that remotely smelled of egotism was derided immediately. While others may disagree, I have since looked at this title in the same way that you have a Master Carpenter or a Master Electrician. This person has passed tests and has demonstrated capability in the field. That doesn't mean I have some inflated sense of self, but that I have shown dedication, sincerity, and capability in that area of study. Others think of it differently and that’s fine. It’s my rank, I earned it, and it strikes me as the healthiest way to interpret it. It speaks little of my quality as a person, although one hopes it would.
Similar to this is the concept of “grand master.” This is along the same lines in a way; this person typically certifies and manages the master graded people in that system. This person has done their tests, made martial arts study a huge part of life, and has made some significant steps in promoting or developing the course that the area of study is taking. For some, it sounds insanely lofty and conceited. However, it is a title that describes a role. Typically, it is left for 7th or 8th dan practitioners of a style.
Upon writing this, I've got 4th, 5th, and 6th dan grades in different styles from different groups. Some are larger international groups and some are from much smaller groups that I did some work for in the past. It’s good to get accolades, but I try not to think about it too much. I try to show up, do the work, and take the opportunities that are given to me. Still, I find myself getting compared to others a lot. Someone knows someone that is a fill-in-my-rank-in-a-style-and-add-1. I tend to say that it is rare for people to go that far and that it is good that they know this person. I get asked more probing questions about what that means about that practitioner's quality personally. Typically, it means that he or she has devoted themselves to that study and has worked within a community that will promote the person to this higher rank after seeing this demonstrated hard work. While communities try to be objectively good, we are all human and there are people that aren't so nice that get high ranks. Still, you can’t say someone with a recognized high rank lacks in drive or devotion - it's hard to do if you're in a large established federation. In the end, people are people.
That said, it becomes easy to see that some aren't part of a larger community. My opinions about rank aren't universally accepted. Some highly ranked people are self-promoted. In and of itself, it isn't much of a concern of mine. If someone starts a style or federation and gives that role a title, then it isn't much business of mine. However, my business gets compared to these other individuals all the time and so the questions come up regularly. Why study with someone with a 5th dan when this other person has a 9th?
If someone else has a 9th through a reputable federation and a student has a chance to study with him or her (with them on the mat and not in an office), then you definitely should do so. These people are extremely rare and often have great insights into what they do. For that matter, I’d happily tag along! I haven’t forgotten the joys of learning something new and I always reach out to others that are community-minded and driven by the same passions that I have.
However, not all ranks are the same. When someone claims any rank, you have to ask where they got it from. If someone has it through a small local federation, then that doesn't necessarily mean that he or she doesn't know what they are talking about. However, a lifetime of dedication should mean a certain seriousness in study. If someone is going to dedicate their lives to studying a style, why not be part of a large community in order to really explore the subject? This is very true of people with high ranks.
For most styles, the acquisition of a very high rank (7th or above) takes decades to get. A 9th degree for example, takes a minimum of 38 years in Taekwondo. It is similar in some styles of Hapkido. For Japanese styles like Kendo, it takes almost decade more than that to receive an 8th alone. If someone says that he or she is a 9th dan and is under 45 years old, then either there is a movie about this person or they have given themselves this rank. They have made a very extraordinary claim and that doesn't mean it isn't true, but that extraordinary claim needs extraordinary evidence to back it up. More often than not, this person is trying to inflate rank as a business proposition rather than as a humble expression of dedication. That seems a breach of integrity to me.
So, what’s with all the stripes on my belt? It just means how much I enjoy what I do. For me, it means how much of my life and dedication have been recognized by others in the greater community of martial artists. It doesn't mean I’m infallible and it doesn't mean I think I’m better than anyone else. Does it mean that I’m any good? No, but it ought to. In the end, it doesn't really matter. We have to work in this life. Having opinions on rank and sitting on the sidelines being a critic is easy. So, find someone that works to be as good as he or she can and then follow suit yourself!
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