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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