Martial arts ranking
MARTIAL Arts ranking was influenced by the turn of events in the late 1900.
Before that, rank did not even exist and everyone was learning just fine of which seniority is based on respect much just like in a family. Seniority starts with the father down to the youngest son or daughter.
In early martial arts, aside from skill, the one who started first in the art is respected as a senior. Skill was not an issue because everyone’s training is legitimate and who is better is not an issue because of the value of humility that is innate in training.
The rank system came about due to the goal of propagating their styles, putting up schools and spreading their art. Just like deputizing a follower to spread the good news, one should be authorized to represent the master and his style thus the birth of ranking.
Senior students who are eligible to teach put up a school on their masters name and honor, which later on evolved into a more comprehensive ranking system, starting with beginners and awarding of belts with corresponding colors to represent the level of a student.
At present, ranks in martial arts are indications of many things, not to focus too much on its negatives. Ranks or belts optimistically works as indicators of skill and years of training acquired but because of the many frauds who market themselves as bearer of certain ranks, one must not be deceived by just the belt color being worn especially if the individual just came out of nowhere.
Lineage is very important in martial arts, thus, holding ranks and or belt color is a heavy responsibility that should be taken seriously by the bearer and those that follow them, many individuals use rank promotions for profit that one must know the lineage of the instructor before falling victim to his deceiving activities.
One must also know that even for a legitimate rank holder, he is only allowed to promote until one rank lower than his present rank, example, if an instructor is a 2nd dan/ degree black belt, he can only promote his student up to the rank of 1st dan/ degree black belt. In some cases in other arts who have lower than black belts as instructors, the rule is the same but promotions are and must be sanctioned by their mother organization who has a legitimate black belt that could authorize him to promote his student, example a brown belt promoting his student up to one rank lower to his.
Ranks and belt colors carries with it responsibilities and if it is not true or legitimate could be a source of fraud that deceives the bearer and those that he imparts his knowledge and skill.