What Martial Arts Ranks Stand For
What Do American
Martial Arts Ranks Stand For?
Although Martial Arts traditions
go back thousands of years in European, American, and Asian cultures,
the practice of assigning numbered ranks is only about 120 years old.
It is said that Dr. Jigoro Kano, founder of Judo, started the numbered
rank system in the late nineteenth century.
In ancient times, ranks were often
very few in number: one was either a knight, having been duly
knighted, or one was not, that was the only rank. In some cultures,
rank, ie being a samurai, was hereditary, that is, one was born into
the samurai class. In many cultures, the position of Martial Arts
teacher was given a separate title. Sometimes, as in Sumo, ranks are
based only on fighting ability.
Despite all the diversity, over
the past one hundred years a fairly solid tradition has built up to
define the meaning of the numbered ranks. To begin with, there are
almost always ten ranks, numbered from one, the lowest, to ten, the
highest. In a few cases, higher ranks are personally granted, almost
always by founders or heads of systems. Thus, Dr. Kano assumed 12th
Degree, and one famous Ninjitsu leader has now assumed 15th
Degree. This is certainly their prerogative, as they are in charge of
these systems.
Please note also that the style of
uniforms worn, and the color and style of the belts around the waist
of the uniforms, vary a great deal from system to system.
A table with a brief summary of
the numbered ranks, the titles or adjectival description of each rank
category, and a rough indication of the time in the Martial Arts
needed to attain the rank is note below. Understand that this is a
unique American system, set down by the USMA, and it may be different
from other systems.
What Do American
Martial Arts Ranks Stand For?
Students.
First, 2nd and 3rd Degree Black Belts are
students.
1st Degree = Advanced
Student = about two to five years of Martial Arts training.
2nd Degree = Senior
Student = up to eight years of Martial Arts training.
3rd Degree = Senior
Advanced Student = up to 12 years of Martial Arts training.
These three ranks traditionally
wear black belts.
Skillful Technicians.
4th and 5th Degree Black Belts are skillful
technicians. They are sometimes called “Renshi” in
Japanese, or by the following descriptive names:
4th Degree = Skilled
Martial Artist = up to 16 years of Martial Arts training.
5th Degree = Senior
Skilled Martial Artist = up to 21 years of Martial Arts training.
These ranks traditionally wear
black belts, but in some systems, wear a belt with alternating red and
black blocks about six inches long around the belt.
Teachers.
6th and 7th Degree Black Belts are teachers.
They are sometimes called “Kyoshi” in Japanese, or by the
following descriptive names:
6th Degree = Teacher =
up to 27 years training and teaching in the Martial Arts.
7th Degree = Senior
Teacher = up to 35 years training and teaching in the Martial Arts.
These ranks traditionally wear a
belt consisting of red and white blocks about six inches long around
the belt, they may also wear just a black belt if they desire.
National Leaders.
8th Degree Black Belts are “National Leaders,” or
“Important People” of the Martial Arts. They are often
called “Hanshi.”
8th Degree = Important
Person of the Martial Arts = about 40 years of teaching, leading, and
training in the Martial Arts. This rank traditionally wears a belt
consisting of red and white blocks about six inches long around the
belt, they may also wear just a black belt if they desire.
Masters.
9th and 10th Degree Black Belts are Masters or
Grandmasters of the Martial Arts. They are often called
“Hanshi.”
9th Degree = Master =
about 48 years leading, teaching, and training in the Martial Arts.
10th Degree =
Grandmaster = about 55 years leading, teaching, and training in the
Martial Arts.
These ranks traditionally wear a
solid red belt. They may also wear just a black belt if they desire.
I hope this essay clarifies some
of our rank policies for USMA members. I have now been training very
hard in the Martial Arts for 65 years. I’m still training and
learning. In fact, knowledge seems to be coming faster now than ever
before. They say that when a teacher dies he leaves behind nothing
but his students and his writings. It is my hope to write many books
and train many students in the years that God sees fit to keep me
active; so that vast scope of knowledge I have been privileged to
learn is not wasted.
Although they have passed away, my
great teachers: Sumiyuki Kotani, for a long time the only living
Japanese 10th Dan in Judo; Trevor Pryce Leggett, 9th
Dan in Judo, Tadao Otaki, 9th Dan in Judo, and Walter Todd,
9th Dan in Karate, still live in my heart.
Please call upon me at any time
for any service I may be able to render to you.
You are always in my heart.
O-Sensei
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