Once upon a time, I felt that NAKMAS was the best governing body out there, better than EKGB, better than ETKB, but has anyone else gotten a bit peeved over the fact that finally NAKMAS has become far to self absorbed and interested more in business than in Karate? I mean they change the 'rules' so that children can get a 3rd dan, and funnily enough they anounce amid a blaze of publicity that there own club have just had 'the youngest third dan' pass his grade, fair play to the lad, but 1. does he mind being used as promotional material for NAKMAS, and 2. how many senior grades did he have to spar, and at what age and contact level? if they were fellow children, then surely he can only be a third dan cadet? which, in my view is a total waste of time as he will not be regrading at 18. Or, if he did spar adults, and he was given a proper test - then surely this is child abuse, a subject of which NAKMAS seem to spend a lot of time and money on.

Glad to get that off my chest, I feel like I am having to pay money for services I don't really want, but have no choice to subscribe to.

Firstly welcome to the forums...

As a general rule the ME team like to stay impartial to the politics...

but just to clarify....

Is your post about people under the age of 18 getting a blackbelt?

OR

A gripe at the 'Business of Martial Arts'

OR both.....?

mule rips open a bag of popcorn and settles down in anticipation.

I'm all for kids learning the arts (all the right reasons and none of the wrong.) But how old is this "child". Taken you can in some schools get a BB in 3yrs provided you train twice a week and never miss 1 class, no hoildays, no illness and no time off for the instuctor and providing the school will give out Dan grades every 3yrs. Plus take into account you can,t insure a child under 5. This would make this child 15!
Ring up an airline and ask for a child seat for a 15yo and see what they would say.
I'm sick of these marketing companies watering down martial arts. Don't get me wrong they are great for collecting your fees, helping with marketing, for business and emotional support and helping you grow your school into what most instructors want (and some dream for) a full time career but they shouldn't dictate when a student whom they have never met should recive a new belt just for the fact that if you don't gade them every 3 months they will get bored and leave.

Agree/Disagree?

What do you reckon Mule?

This is interesting, and I too would like to know a bit more about it. Personally, I generally agree with what you are saying, but there is also the matter of natural talent which some kids seem to have. You just get these kids who pick things up amazingly quickly and are naturally supple and fit. This can often give them a boost through the belts.
That said, it all does sound a bit fishy. We've got 15yo 2nd Dans and 1st Dans in our school, but in the main they have been training since they were very young indeed and have only just passed 2nd Dan. I think that it would be impossible to appreciate all of the learning and understanding that goes into the Dan grades at any younger age and I'll bet that this 3rd Dan kid has been "hot-housed" and is possibly lacking in certain area's of their Martial Arts knowledge.
That's my 2 cents worth anyway.

Scatha wrote:
This is interesting, and I too would like to know a bit more about it.

All for getting the kids/teenagers to progress, but in my day of passing of 2nd Dan you were required to be able to teach the syllabus to a high standard and over 18, not just do or be very flexible and fight well in the ring or competition.
Visited an old club close to me last Sat and there was a 13 year old boy a Black Belt (Junior Black Belt) and his form/kata/kumite was really sloppy when i spoke to him about the fact he had attained black and should be good example for all other younger students, he was not bothered because he was already a black belt.

Kids eh who'd be one or who'd have em'
Pike

CRIME
Karate girl fights off knife-wielding attacker in Saitama
Thursday, January 24, 2008 at 10:36 EST

SAITAMA — A junior high school girl fought off an assailant in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture, on Wednesday, police said Thursday. According to police, the girl, 15, was suddenly assaulted by a man in his 20-30s, with yellow-brown hair and wearing sunglasses, while she was on her way to a shop around 11:20 a.m.

The suspect suddenly grabbed her head from behind and tried to cut her hair with a knife. The girl, who holds a black belt in karate (1st dan), kicked him in the crotch. The attacker fled while the girl ran to alert police at a koban (police box).

Featured in Japan Today online….

Don't get me wrong i have had the honour to train and teach some very talented kids in my time.
But like pike said the black belts patterns were sloppy but he didn't care because he was a black belt and we know you never question a black belt do you!?!
Some time ago i was at my old school's monthly grading and one of the students hadn't turned up for his grading nor had he called to say he was unable to make it. The grading continued when about 15 mins before the end of the grading the missing student turned up in the scruffiest dobok i have ever seen in my life. Of course he blamed his parents, like all good 12yo boys do.
He was invited on the mat for the rest of the grading and at the end of the grading was handed his orange belt(4th Kup). As you can imagine the other students and parents were pretty pissed off. When asked why the master instructor had given this child his belt for just turning up he said "His gradings are included in his monthly direct debits."
So there you go keep on top of your bills and you can buy any grade you want.
I'm not saying children shouldn't be black belts some are very talented and all are our future. But if you sell grades and trophies then this sends out the wrong message that you can buy anything even those things you should only achive through hard work and dedication.

Anyone want a good price on a phd? No? Lordship maybe?