Strike Force Karate Association : Is this guy's certifications for real?

**chemistry** · Posted On: 6/05/2007 11:05am

Just wondering what y'all thought about this fellow's certifications?

http://sfka.org/gm_fairbanks.htm

I've met him in person, and he's actually a pretty darn good martial artist. I do know that he has legitimately held black belt ranks in several styles, even being one of the more senior ranking dan holders in a couple, but to have all of those 10th dan rankings?

**bearich** · Posted On: 6/05/2007 11:19am

Just went through the entire website. Looks like any other standard martial arts organization where members pay for rank.

Hell just look at the application to join, you get to mark down your rank upon time of applicatioin and do not need to show validation, just write down your instructors name.

**kwoww** · Posted On: 6/05/2007 7:34pm

Most arts don't even have a 10th degree black belt, except in honorary, posthumous situations, and even then they are reserved only for the best. Sometimes there are age and time restrictions on black belts. In my TKD school, one must be at least 21 years old to attain the rank of 4th dan, and there is a mandatory 2-year wait period between 2nd and third. There are others, too, I just don't remember them offhand.

**MrGalt** · Posted On: 6/05/2007 10:23pm

Yeah, I'm going to second the notion that nobody can be a legitimate judan in multiple arts. My instructor was tenth degree and I want to say he was either 79 or 80 before he was elected to the position after the previous tenth degree-holder died, and Isshinryu karate was his only art.

**kohadril** · Posted On: 6/06/2007 10:09am

If anyone has the time, that site appears to be worthy of an in-depth investigation.

**chemistry** · Posted On: 6/11/2007 12:01pm

Thanks.

I was especially curious on one particular 10th dan ranking, since there are only two living 10th dan holders in that system, where one was the founder's daughter, the other his most senior living student.

**Petter** · Posted On: 6/11/2007 12:21pm

Originally Posted by Mr Bosco

Yeah, I'm not impressed by rank. Not at all.

Blackbelts and rank can be purchased so easily in the martial arts these days. Forget rank, look at the individuals ability and how the club actually trains.

Forget it? Not at all! This site presents a good case for paying close attention to rank. When people purchase meaningless ranks it suggests that perhaps they're compensating for something, and when people outright lie about it, then you know that they are liars and need not stick around to be subjected to lies that may be harder to spot.