Author: Bret Gordon
Especially here in the States, anyone can go to their local martial arts supply store (or online), pick up a black belt and open a martial arts school without any legal implications. Because martial arts instruction is not overseen by the government (thank God) and rank is so subjective, the government doesn't recognize this as fraud. Therefore, aside from a bad reputation and a painful lesson in humility, there are no repercussions for doing so. This leads to a large range of quality among martial arts schools and, more often than not, students of the lesser quality schools get a bad taste in their mouth and write off all martial arts for good.
In Japan, the government recognizes the Dai Nippon Butokukai and the Kokusai Budoin as governing bodies while in Korea, they oversee the Kukkiwon (Taekwondo only). While I am adamantly against a single governing body that oversee's all martial arts on behalf of state or national governments, I believe every instructor should be certified by some organization with a reputation for quality control.
In Japan, the government recognizes the Dai Nippon Butokukai and the Kokusai Budoin as governing bodies while in Korea, they oversee the Kukkiwon (Taekwondo only). While I am adamantly against a single governing body that oversee's all martial arts on behalf of state or national governments, I believe every instructor should be certified by some organization with a reputation for quality control.
If the particular system you are studying is already overseen by a system-specific governing body with a verifiable lineage to the founder(s) of that system, that is the organization you should belong to (such as the Kukkiwon for Taekwondo, Kodokan for Judo, Japan Karate Association for Shotokan, etc.). It is also acceptable to belong to an organization that has splintered off from the mainline organization, as long as the head of the new organization was not kicked out and stripped of their qualifications prior to them founding this new group.
If you are an independent practitioner, or are an instructor/founder of a modern art with no governing body, it is a good idea to look for a multi-style organization that best fits your needs. While this article is not meant to be an advertisement for our group, the US Association of Martial Arts along with our affiliate organizations (the Ryu-Sakura-Do Karate Federation and World Organization of Mixed Martial Arts) is known throughout the martial arts community for adhering to the highest standards of quality control and legitimacy. Whether you join our organization or another one is irrelevant. There are certain things which you should look for, and I cover in-depth in the previous article, "Prestigious How?"
While not required, belonging to an organization lends credibility to your instruction and lets the public know that the instructors they are entrusting their lives and their children's lives to have been thoroughly trained and certified. In today's society, we don't even let a cosmetologist or barber cut our hair without being properly licensed. Shouldn't it be common sense to demand the same from those whom we learn the skills necessary to defend ourselves and our families?
As instructors, it is up to us to raise the bar of martial arts instruction here in the States and across the globe. With the abundance of charlatans posting nonsensical videos all over social media, and subsequently being torn apart by martial arts of all backgrounds, we need to step up and show the public that legitimate, traditional, effective martial arts still exist. This can only be done if we work together, something your governing body should be actively striving for. If the organization you belong to only exists to collect fees and issue paper, what purpose do they really serve?
If you are an independent practitioner, or are an instructor/founder of a modern art with no governing body, it is a good idea to look for a multi-style organization that best fits your needs. While this article is not meant to be an advertisement for our group, the US Association of Martial Arts along with our affiliate organizations (the Ryu-Sakura-Do Karate Federation and World Organization of Mixed Martial Arts) is known throughout the martial arts community for adhering to the highest standards of quality control and legitimacy. Whether you join our organization or another one is irrelevant. There are certain things which you should look for, and I cover in-depth in the previous article, "Prestigious How?"
While not required, belonging to an organization lends credibility to your instruction and lets the public know that the instructors they are entrusting their lives and their children's lives to have been thoroughly trained and certified. In today's society, we don't even let a cosmetologist or barber cut our hair without being properly licensed. Shouldn't it be common sense to demand the same from those whom we learn the skills necessary to defend ourselves and our families?
As instructors, it is up to us to raise the bar of martial arts instruction here in the States and across the globe. With the abundance of charlatans posting nonsensical videos all over social media, and subsequently being torn apart by martial arts of all backgrounds, we need to step up and show the public that legitimate, traditional, effective martial arts still exist. This can only be done if we work together, something your governing body should be actively striving for. If the organization you belong to only exists to collect fees and issue paper, what purpose do they really serve?
