Author: Bret Gordon
Even in the turmoil of today's society, the hypocrisy of certain individuals never ceases to amaze me. One need only turn on the news to know of the racial tension growing among the American population, but this is not the racism I am referring to. What I'm referring to is the self-inflicted inferiority complex of American martial artists to their Asian counterparts.
When discussing the topic of young masters, the argument always references the maturity level of the practitioner as well as their life experience (or lack thereof). If the study of Budo is a lifelong journey, how can someone under the age of 35 (still pushing the boundaries) have enough life experience or even martial arts experience to claim high rank in any martial arts system, let alone multiple systems, or even worse - claim to be the founder of their own system! This argument generally comes by way of traditional/classical practitioners who may have reached the peak of their martial arts progression. They use the argument that in a true traditional system, mastery cannot be achieved at such a young age. However, the history of their own system(s) seems to get conveniently overlooked.
When discussing the topic of young masters, the argument always references the maturity level of the practitioner as well as their life experience (or lack thereof). If the study of Budo is a lifelong journey, how can someone under the age of 35 (still pushing the boundaries) have enough life experience or even martial arts experience to claim high rank in any martial arts system, let alone multiple systems, or even worse - claim to be the founder of their own system! This argument generally comes by way of traditional/classical practitioners who may have reached the peak of their martial arts progression. They use the argument that in a true traditional system, mastery cannot be achieved at such a young age. However, the history of their own system(s) seems to get conveniently overlooked.
Let me provide you with some examples of well documented historical cases of young masters, even founders!
- Kano Jigoro, founder of Kodokan Judo, began his martial arts training at the age of 17. By the time he opened the Kodokan in 1882 (age 22), he had earned master level certification in Tenjin Shin'yo Ryu Jujutsu as well as Menkyo Kaiden in Kito Ryu Jujutsu.
- Bruce Lee died at the age of 33, already experiencing worldwide acclaim as one of the greatest martial artists that ever lived (a controversy for another day) and the founder of Jeet Kune Do, though he had never officially earned a black belt.
- Miyamoto Musashi founded the system of Nito-Ryu Kenjutsu at the ripe old age of 15, after defeating numerous opponents of classical sword styles in his famous duels.
- Ji Han Jae, founder of Sin Moo Hapkido, studied under Choi Yong-Sul from 1953-1956 before he opened his own school. In 1959, he coins the name "Hapkido" to replace the name "Yusul" currently used by Choi and is currently revered as the founder of Hapkido.
- Hwang Kee, at the age of 31, combined Soo Bahk Do with the Chinese T'ang method to create Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan.
- Masaaki Hatsumi began his martial arts training at the age of 26 in 1957, and by 1972 (age 41) had achieved Menkyo Kaiden in 9 different martial arts and founded the Bujinkan.
There are numerous other examples, but I think I've made my point. I've heard the counter arguments that say "Well, their culture is different. They trained from dawn to dusk with a severity that the average American can't handle." That may be true in some cases, sure, but you're telling me that an American (age 23) with 19 years of martial arts experience does not have the same amount of experience as a Japanese practitioner with five (Kano, age 22)? So then, the only logical explanation is that it's acceptable for a martial artist of Asian ethnicity to make such a claim simply because they're Asian, and that Americans (and all Westerners) are truly the inferior race. Sounds ridiculous right? Oh, and then there's that inconvenient example of Peter Urban who broke away from Yamaguchi sensei and claimed 10th Dan at the ripe old age of 30.
Let's end this hypocrisy and racial profiling in the martial arts. In a world where everyone seeks equality, for the right to be treated as fairly as the person next to them, to be judged on their own merit alone and not to be compared to another, how can we tolerate such behavior in the martial arts?
Let's end this hypocrisy and racial profiling in the martial arts. In a world where everyone seeks equality, for the right to be treated as fairly as the person next to them, to be judged on their own merit alone and not to be compared to another, how can we tolerate such behavior in the martial arts?
