Does Your Martial Arts Rank Count Towards Another Martial Art?

I was recently asked by a person exploring our martial arts tradition if the rank they currently hold in a martial art would transfer to our martial art. Could they get credit for time-in-training?

Would their black belt in another art count for this art?

Yes and no.

In order to give a complete answer, it’s best to begin with asking the question- what is rank in the martial arts?

In the Japanese martial arts we often see a belt ranking system involving colored belts leading to a black belt, the kyu/dan system of licensing.

So what does rank mean?

Here in the west it tends to be viewed as a proficiency system built on an academic model- you know and can demonstrate selected movements in your martial arts system and you are awarded that rank and belt color. The idea is to provide a graded curriculum of common movement-knowledge for those studying the martial art so the methods of that art and school can be passed on correctly. In this way westerners tend to look at rank as achievement, something to show off, and be proud of, similar to a college degree or technical proficiency degree.

In the east rank tends to have a different meaning, what one is responsible for regarding the martial tradition and in promoting harmony in the dojo. The idea of sakizuke, being promoted before one is ready as a way to inspire growth and living up to expectations in the correct way. Often in the east when rank is awarded it is done in private and it is implied that the student will go off quietly for a few years to polish what is required for that rank before acknowledging that rank.

So with that we have two models, the western academic model and the eastern transmission model (isshi-soden).

Perhaps the best of both blended together offers the best capacity and momentum for the student?

Regarding the black belt, in the Japanese arts this is the level of being accepted as a student by the teacher and the art, the colored belts are for trying the art out, learning some stuff along the way, and deciding if one is willing to dedicate themselves to a particular martial path.

So does one rank count towards another?

In our dojo, all students must start at the beginning as a white belt, work through the kyu ranks, (green belt), and the black belt levels (dan).

I could say it is out of respect for all of the other students in the dojo and the art, but the best reason is that as a teacher/coach I don’t want any of those training with me to miss anything in the art, all of it must be transmitted and in the correct way, going through the system makes sure nothing is lost.

So one belt ranking does not equal another and you don’t get credit, but in a way you do…

The kyu levels of the art (green belt) are about self-discovery through martial arts movement, learning about distance, timing, rhythm, balance, and body postures. All of these martial arts concepts are new for the new student, if one has a black belt from another martial arts these concepts should already be known and assimilated.

We may have different movement-paradigms, but the human body is the human body.

As a black belt from another art I would expect one to move rather quickly through the kyu grades and perhaps the first and second dan grade.

Assuming they can let go of that rank from one art and approach ours with a new set of eyes and correct feeling.

That said while rank earned/experienced in another system does not credit over to ours, our art does not invalidate that experience, one does not give anything up in terms of rank or experience to train with us.

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