Belt Ranking

 For most people, martial arts are like horses. We have all seen them in the movies and on TV, but, in reality, most of us couldn't tell a $500 horse from a $5000 horse, nor could we furnish very much specific horse information. Most people know that belt ranking in martial arts is related to skill level and they have their own ideas of the meaning they attach to their personal definition. That's fine; because a belt rank is just that: a subjective evaluation given by one person; and that's what it should be.

Let me explain. A belt rank is a teacher's acknowledgment and recognition of a student's accomplishments. Many people view a rank as defining a place in a hierarchy; in other words, in relation to someone else. People with this type of attitude eventually degenerate into petty ego conflicts. You study martial arts to make yourself a better person. Your teacher recognizes and acknowledges this step by step. Therefore, the value of the belt (recognition) is directly tied to 1) the person who gives it, and 2) the effort it took to obtain it. This involves personal, subjective judgments and evaluations on the parts of both the teacher and the student. The criteria for awarding a rank follow in a similar vein. That means skill level, attitude, effort, and conduct do not have precise definitions and guidelines. It also means the judgments made by the teacher reflect his age, experience, and the kinds of things he is ultimately trying to teach the student.

Be aware that ranking is a fairly recent phenomenon, within the past 100 years, originating in modern Japanese martial arts, specifically judo. It has gained a great deal of emphasis and popularity in America, bringing with it problems and misconceptions. As far as problems go, I have seen ranks given for money, kinship, political reasons, and for other ranks in return; needless to say, this is a different beast than the ideal one I defined, one several de-generations removed. What this shows us is that (as with many political constructs) it looks good on paper, but the reality of it is quite different.

Along with these very purposeful problems for the insiders are the misconceptions of the general public; perhaps the greatest of these is the definition of the highly coveted and much sought after black belt. Everyone has his or her own definition, and that is exactly the state of things; by this I mean that there is little standardization and continuity within any one art, let alone any relationship in terms of knowledge and ability among different arts. I'm not saying this is bad; it is as it is, and it is as it should be. I am saying that people in general need to understand this fact in order to dispel some of the myths associated with martial arts--no, not every black belt can put his hand through your ribcage and rip out your beating heart, and I don't care what your cousin told you--and instead focus on the positive aspects of studying martial arts. Through education, we can end generations that have spoken from ignorance instead of from knowledge. Any part you play in this only makes the art better. Can these problems and misconceptions be eliminated? I don't think so. Can ranking itself be eliminated? Again, the short answer, at least for Japanese and Korean styles, is no. However, this does lead us to look at the Chinese example; again, keep in mind that this is an ideal, and the Chinese reality has its own pitfalls and problems. When you ask a classical Chinese martial artist about his martial arts background, his response should have four components:

1. the style he studied;
2. the length of time he studied;
3. with whom he studied; and
4. an offer to step onto the mat.

These are points to keep in mind no matter what art you study. If you ever have the opportunity to watch an older, experienced, quality martial artist in a new and unfamiliar environment, you will notice that he will be forthcoming with the aforementioned four elements, but you will have to drag his rank out of him. The first thing a "fake" will tell you is his rank.

There are many lessons to be learned by the study of martial arts; the progress you are making in traveling this path is indicated by the signposts (ranks) that those traveling before you (your teachers) give to you. If you ever have questions about ranking, please feel free to discuss them with me. If you ever want to know why someone (you?) didn't receive a particular rank while another student did, look in the mirror and work harder. Remember, martial arts are about learning and making yourself a better person. It's an activity you do for yourself, not for anyone else, not for any external award or reward. As long as you feel good about yourself and feel you are learning, your practice is worthwhile and its own reward. With this attitude, you are on the right path.

Tae-Kwon-Do Belt Rankings and Meanings