Well Meaning Bullshido???

**Shard** · Posted On: 3/31/2006 12:29am

Nah, I wouldn't go all out and say he is bullshido. Thats a title reserved for the best of the best. Ashida Kim, Ninjitsu, most schools of _ing _un, WTF, ATA, etc etc.

A little highly ranked? I guess.
But from what i know about belts. Or at least what i think i know about belts, anything above a 5th or 6th Dan really has no bearing on a person's skill. So i guess a 10th Dan is more like "Thanks for your loyalty and commitment" Rather than "OMG, YoU aRe T3h CH0sen ()n3!"

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 3/31/2006 12:49am

Helio Gracie is a 10th degree.

Sin The is a 10th degree.

One is respected the other well.......... look at Shard's example.

This is why I said I need to know the situation before passing judgment.

Yes, I would argue, 90% of 10th degree ranks are honorary or straight up purchased Bullshit.

Yet some, though inflated, may actually be deserved.

**Shuma-Gorath** · Posted On: 3/31/2006 12:56am

The road to Hell is paved with what again?

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 3/31/2006 1:00am

The corpses of Shaolin-Do members?

**Bugeisha** · Posted On: 3/31/2006 8:28am

Originally Posted by Spezza

... "The Professor" was just given his 10th Degree Black Belt.

I thought, "but the guy practices 2x a week!" He is nice and all, but 10th degree black belts are for people who train most everyday for 50 years.

A tenth degree blackbelt is for people who have an ego too powerful to be contained by a mere nine degrees of blackbeltness.

**slamdunc** · Posted On: 3/31/2006 9:08am

Originally Posted by Shard

what i think i know about belts, anything above a 5th or 6th Dan really has no bearing on a person's skill. So i guess a 10th Dan is more like "Thanks for your loyalty and commitment" Rather than "OMG, YoU aRe T3h CH0sen ()n3!"

This is pretty much aligned with what I've been taught. The first five degrees are for what you've gotten out of your art. The next five degrees are for what you've given back to your art. My organization doesn't test for anything after fourth dan, the next promotions are based on time in grade and individual contributions to the arts.

**Gezere** · Posted On: 3/31/2006 9:17am

Originally Posted by Spezza

Can there be such a thing as "misguided" though not "malicious" Bullshido...?

Take for example a Danzan Ryu jujitsu school I used to study at.

It was at a YMCA and the instructor didn't make a penny for teaching, nor was he on a huge ego trip. He was a nice man who liked to help people and who had been practicing/teaching the art for about 35 years or so. The school was a member of 3 of the most well respected Danzan Ryu organizations.

I left after a few years for the "usual" reasons people leave TMAs: too much kata, no sparring or randori, a lot of geeky Samurai talk, etc... Basically, it was a waste of time IF you want any semblence of real-world skill.

a few years after I left, I ran into a old buddy who was still at the school. He had just gotten his Shodan. He also told me that "The Professor" was just given his 10th Degree Black Belt.

I though, "but the guy practices 2x a week!" He is nice and all, but 10th degree black belts are for people who train most everyday for 50 years. I asked my friend:" What, an 8th degree black belt just wouldn't do?" He was a little put-off by my comment.

But that is my question: Is it Bullshido when someone such as this man is given such an exorbitantly high rank, though it is by a "legit" organization? Keep in mind the man HAS trained a long time and is NOT trying to "scam" anyone.

Is it just that the organization has low standards?

What do you guys think...?

This is NOT Bullshido. In most arts, hell even in BJJ, anything over 5th dan is just political. It no longer how badass you are, considering by that time you will be advanced in age, it about how well you promote the art.

**Cymro** · Posted On: 3/31/2006 11:23am

As far as the style of teaching/training goes, it doesn't sound like outright bullshido to me. Rather it's just another example of a TMA losing its combat/practical focus and becoming "art for art's sake".

Which, come to think about it, begins to look a lot like bullshido...

**Ke?poFist** · Posted On: 3/31/2006 11:43am

In most TMA schools regardless of style, and regardless of what they may tell you, any rank beyond 3rd-5th is just honorary anyway. By that point, they don't feel like training anymore (assuming they ever did) and they all just gain rank for being marvelous teachers. They claim that they have gained even further "insight" into their art, and into fighting that they could not have when they were "young" "hotheaded" and "competitive." I've heard it all. If he's a nice guy then there's nothing to have against him.