Are there promotions at seminars?

**JJson** · Posted On: 9/08/2007 5:03pm

Can a student get promoted at a seminar? For example, say Joe was a student at a MA school for 2 years. Joe quits school and goes to seminars. Can Joe get promoted by higher ranking black belts at seminars? Are there any MA that prohibit this? Are there MA where this is easy?

**Teh El Macho** · Posted On: 9/08/2007 5:14pm

**Cowgunner** · Posted On: 9/08/2007 8:20pm

I think my brain just exploded with the wave of stupidity in his post.

**JJson** · Posted On: 9/08/2007 9:06pm

Originally Posted by Cowgunner

I think my brain just exploded with the wave of stupidity in his post.

Cowgunner, just for you- :new_blowi

How is it a stupid question?

There are threads here about people who get a black belt in a MA like Kempo, then they go find a Taekwondo school where the teacher agrees to a quick promotion to black belt in the new style. Why? Because they share a great deal in common and there is no reason to do the basics over. There are other threads about how some schools and styles that will NEVER promote in the black belt ranks unless the student recreuits new members. I'll find the thread if you want-- about the guy with a black belt who couldn't get promoted until he agreed to give a % of his new schools revenue to his old teacher and then he got promoted up the ranks quick.

Back on topic--

What is the point of a seminar?

Is it just to teach a techique? Can't you get that in your home school?

Is it to network and meet people? Do the 6th degree bb school owners look for new black belt students to recruit?

Is it to make money? Is this how a black belt makes extra money without opening a school?

**JJson** · Posted On: 9/08/2007 9:17pm

Here is an interesting link about cross promotions-

This guy trained Taekwondo to a 3rd degree brown belt. He then quit Taekwondo because of an injury that prevented him from kicking. He recieved black belts in Kempo and Judo. He then found his old teacher and he got promoted to third degree black belt in Taekwondo based on his past experience in other martial arts.

http://www.ntfadallas.com/emann.htm

**Uri Shatil** · Posted On: 9/08/2007 9:23pm

Originally Posted by JJson

Here is an interesting link about cross promotions-

This guy paid for a belt in Taekwondo to a 3rd degree brown belt. He then quit Taekwondo because of an injury that prevented him from kicking. He bought black belts in Kempo and Judo. He then found his old teacher and he got promoted to third degree black belt in Taekwondo based on his fat wads of cash.

http://www.ntfadallas.com/emann.htm

fixed.

**Lu Tze** · Posted On: 9/08/2007 9:25pm

That's probably because judo rocks the **** out of TKD.

Serious answer, judo fights in a completely different range from TKD, there are practically zero transferable skills. Kenpo is striking, but from what I've seen it's very different as well. If the guy got promoted based on that then it just shows how fucking weak the ATA is, and why you should avoid it like the plague.

**Uri Shatil** · Posted On: 9/08/2007 9:32pm

You don't just become a black belt in judo out of nowhere. As far as I'm aware, black belts are reserved for judoka who teach or compete in judo professionally. A judo black belt can not be earned so easily.

Furthermore, giving somebody a belt in TKD because they did judo is like saying someone's good at soccer because they play tennis. That may be try for badmitton, raquetball, squash, ping-pong and other similar games, but not soccer.

**Lu Tze** · Posted On: 9/08/2007 9:47pm

You can't compete in judo professionally, it's an amateur sport.

The requirements for black belt vary from organisation to organisation, it's difficult but not nearly as impossibe as you think. Advancement usually requires contest wins over opponents of a similar level, needless to say this can add up to quite a few wins by the the time you get to 1st dan.

**Eddie Hardon** · Posted On: 9/10/2007 9:59am

A Trad JJ colleague (Dan Grade) is also a BJJ stylist and was promoted by Royce Gracie at a seminar in the UK about 18months ago. He based the promotion on observation of the student.

Perhaps this is what you have in Mind? Don't be fooled though, if a notable BJJ BB promotes you, it will be because you are worth it (you will carry his lineage so you better be good at BJJ).