Author: Bret Gordon
The need to belong to something bigger than yourself is one that drives most people, but it's still amazing to me how many martial artists simply toe the line. Why what organization you paid for your certificate matters more than your ability to execute the art is mind boggling to me, and one of the most recent myths that has come to prominence is that if you do not belong to a National Governing Body, then you are somehow illegitimate or at least inferior. In Taekwondo, the national governing body is USA Taekwondo, an extension of World Taekwondo (it should be noted that only Kukkiwon rank is accepted by WT for international/Olympic competition, so the judgment extends to those who don't belong to the Kukkiwon). For Judo, there are actually three: USA Judo, US Judo Association and US Judo Federation.
The problem with that argument is that the NGBs serve only one purpose: to further the sport in this country as an extension of the Olympics. Yes, I said sport... Not martial art. No other martial art has a national governing body, because their existence is meant to regulate the sport. They are part of the umbrella system that every sport recognized by the IOC has, and are separate from the actual arts they represent. There's nothing wrong with belonging to them, especially if sport is your focus, but they are far from having any real authority or influence in governing anything related to the traditional arts these sport versions are derived from.
The problem with that argument is that the NGBs serve only one purpose: to further the sport in this country as an extension of the Olympics. Yes, I said sport... Not martial art. No other martial art has a national governing body, because their existence is meant to regulate the sport. They are part of the umbrella system that every sport recognized by the IOC has, and are separate from the actual arts they represent. There's nothing wrong with belonging to them, especially if sport is your focus, but they are far from having any real authority or influence in governing anything related to the traditional arts these sport versions are derived from.
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