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Not Always What It Seems

4/26/2020

Author: Bret Gordon

There is an excellent book by Ellis Amdur, called "Hidden in Plain Sight: Esoteric Power Training Within Japanese Martial Traditions" (to order it, click here). I feel it's absolutely required reading for anyone serious about developing internal power or aiki. In a nutshell, it describes how mundane conditioning exercises and warm-ups taught to beginners at the start of class are actually the deep secrets everyone is searching for in order to develop these very advanced skill sets.

Now, the title of the book is what got me thinking. Hiding things in plain sight is all too common in the world of traditional martial arts and it is up to the student to uncover them. This journey of discovery is a crucial element of one's martial arts progress, and to this day I still find myself having lightbulb moments that I can't wait to call my instructor about. This article is actually one of those lightbulb moments that I had awhile back, and maybe it'll help cut down on the time it takes for you to understand the connection of what I'll be discussing.

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Forget Your Lineage - A Shout Out To Ryan Hoover

4/16/2020

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Author: Bret Gordon

I want to give a shout-out to Ryan Hoover from Fit to Fight® for one of the realist things that has ever been said in the martial arts community. In his video below, he sheds light on the unnecessary obsession with lineage and credentials that seems to permeate through the martial arts and is the source of countless internet trolls rushing to their keyboards to prove their piece of paper is more important than your piece of paper. The truth is that rank, titles or licenses never saved someone's life. The only thing that truly matters as a martial artist and instructor are your physical skills and knowledge, and your ability to impart that skill and knowledge to your students so they can protect themselves and their families. The rest is immaterial...

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The Myth Of Cross Certification

4/15/2020

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Author: Bret Gordon

As you progress as a martial artist, it is inevitable that your circle of affiliation will grow. You will develop a network of training partners and associates. You will grow strong bonds and friendships. You may even be asked to serve in an official capacity on the board of someone's organization. All of these are normal parts of being a martial artist, especially as the world continues to grow smaller thanks to high-speed internet.

Now as these connections grow, we begin to see another phenomenon: cross certification. What most people consider as cross certification is simply trading rank. Johnny has master rank in one style, Bobby has master rank in another style, and the two award each other black belt rank in their various styles to pad their resume. I think we can all agree this is simply bullshit. Rank itself serves only as recognition of one's progress according to the requirements of the system/organization, so receiving rank in something you have never studied is beyond pointless, not to mention outright fraudulent.

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Spotlight: Tanemura Shoto

4/11/2020

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Author: Bret Gordon

It is amazing what you can accomplish when you start young, meet the right people at the right time, and have an extraordinary level of dedication and personal drive, often going above and beyond what most believe to even be possible. Tanemura Shoto of Genbukan fame is one of the most well-known and respected martial artists of his time. To date, he has either fully inherited or been awarded Menkyo Kaiden (highest level attainable) in no less than 23 different martial arts styles and serves as the President of the Genbukan World Ninpo Bugei Renmei, Kokusai Jujutsu Renmei and the Nihon Kobudo World Federation. On behalf of the US Association of Martial Arts, I would like to extend an overdue congratulations to Tanemura sensei for setting the bar so high, and I hope one day to have half of his credentials.

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There Will Be A Reckoning

4/2/2020

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Author: Bret Gordon

What interesting times we're living in! Nothing brings out people's true nature like a crisis, and we are seeing the beginning of a revolution. The world as we knew it will be forever changed by COVID-19, but the subject of this article is a slightly narrower scale.

As a Budoka, it is fascinating to watch the shift in dynamic of the martial arts industry as it faces collapse and frankly, I'm not too upset over it. For centuries, martial arts have been handed down through families and clans as life-saving skills of war meant to protect the ones you love. It is in this spirit that I run my dojo. We are purposely small and intimate, allowing us the opportunity to develop bonds that transcend the four walls of our commercial space. I don't just accept everyone with a credit card, but rather only those who will benefit the school as much as we'll benefit them. These bonds allow us the foundation of trust and mutual respect to push the limits of our training and experience with one another, the benefits of which are exponential. All of this is in stark contrast to the cultural norm we see today...

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No Standards In The Martial Arts

4/1/2020

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Author: Bret Gordon

For the better part of human history, martial arts prowess and authority has been determined by one's skill and knowledge. I mean, how else can you judge someone's legitimacy in skills of war except by their execution of those skills? It is only in the relative peace of the modern world that people began to even care about certifications, because we're so civilized.

Over the last few years, I have been blessed with numerous opportunities to travel the country and share my art. I've been able to network with some of the biggest names in the martial arts community, and have been asked to share my reviews and critiques as a "subject matter expert" on several projects by published authors. I'm truly grateful for every opportunity afforded to me, and I'd like to think the respect that I've earned is due to how I carry myself both on and off the mat.

It's been awhile since someone even insinuated that I or my instructor may be less than legitimate, so I'll admit the recent charade mentioned in my previous article (read here) caught me off guard. What's even more shocking is this "determination" was based solely on my age! In the martial arts community, there is a common sentiment regarding age and time restrictions when it comes to issuing rank and licensing, but as I've said before, there simply is no universal standard. Issuance of credentials are at the discretion of the headmaster or the governing body of that particular style, and their authority in such cannot be disputed simply because you disagree with their requirements.

But here's the kicker. Those same people wouldn't blink an eye at an Asian instructor with half of the experience claiming the same or even more. If my last name was Nakamura, we wouldn't even be having this discussion. For whatever reason, Westerners have this self-inflicted inferiority complex towards our Asian counterparts in what is considered possible and legitimate. We have a mystique about the Asian culture that clouds our judgement and leads us to revere those who really aren't that different from us.

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USAMA BLOG

Not Always What It Seems

Forget Your Lineage - A Shout Out To Ryan Hoover

The Myth Of Cross Certification

Spotlight: Tanemura Shoto

There Will Be A Reckoning

No Standards In The Martial Arts

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