You feel it might be a good idea to add martial arts training to the mix? It doesn’t matter if you’re doing it for fitness, fun, or serious self-defense, it’s never a bad idea. Before you sign up for your local dojo, there are some things to remember. Checking that your instructor is not a fraud in martial arts is at the top of this list.
Black Belt on Fire: The Martial Arts Fraud Go to Technique
Martial arts is not a profession like medicine or law. There is no independent body that certifies who is qualified. Students are responsible for ensuring that their instructor is legitimate.
People with little experience have claimed to be authentic masters in some cases. This is less common than it was years ago. It is now much easier to create a martial arts history online, which has reduced the number of fake martial artists masters.
It is easiest to ask any black belt about their qualifications. Politely ask them what the main styles they have been trained in, where they were trained and who their teachers are. You don’t need to grill them. You can simply show interest and say that you would like to learn more. It’s not a good sign if they act defensively or evasive.
Start searching online if you have the information. Another red flag is finding no mention of their style online. Even styles that are only known to a few students often have some information.
If you can’t find the teacher but see that it’s a genuine style, it’s even more problematic. Anyone who has taught martial arts in any capacity will usually be mentioned. It’s possible that the teacher was only a private instructor. If you cannot find any mention of the teacher you are looking for, you can return to the instructor.
You can inquire about the lineage of their style: who was their teacher? Who was the principal instructor in the area where they learned the style of martial arts? This shouldn’t be a problem if you ask politely. Martial artists love to talk about their lineage. If you are unable to confirm it online, you should question the instructor.
Don’t believe the hype
Although not necessarily “fraud”, it is more common to exaggerate your qualifications in martial arts. Many martial artists are bogus to some degree. This is often quite harmless. For example, you might say that you trained for 20 years with a master when it was only ten.
Other martial artists may get carried away. Frank Dux was the inspiration for Bloodsport. He convinced Hollywood that he had won the championship of the deadliest underground fighting tournament in the world. The problem is that there is no evidence that this tournament ever existed.
Even though they may have a legitimate background in martial arts, many will exaggerate. People who have won regional titles will be called “national champions.”
Someone might claim to have trained under the grandmaster of a particular style, but in reality they only trained with his students. An instructor might claim that he has defeated Anderson Silva. You find out that Anderson Silva was not the UFC champion, but a 12-year old white belt with the exact same name.
These claims can be checked online if necessary. Many websites and social media platforms are dedicated to exposing fake claims about martial arts. It is up to you to decide how much exaggeration an instructor will allow.
Sometimes, if the teaching quality is high enough, it’s okay to accept some BS. If the BS is more important than the quality of the instruction, it might be time to move on. This is a sign that the fake self-defense instructors spent more time telling stories than creating art.
Sometimes even experts are wrong
There are legitimate martial artists masters who misrepresent the information they’re teaching. This type of fraudulence is often the most difficult to spot because the teacher may not be aware.
Martial arts instructors are often not only deceiving students, but also themselves. This makes them appear very convincing, especially to those who are not familiar with these arts. This is where the old saying “stay in your lane” applies.
During the early days of the grappling boom many martial artists attempted to claim grappling skills. Experts in striking styles like taekwondo would make claims about “hidden” grappling within their fighting system.
Many believed it because they had been taught by their instructors. If you are looking for grappling, taekwondo may not be the right art for you unless your instructor has also been trained in Brazilian jiu jitsu.
There are many styles of martial arts that focus on grace, physical artistry, character, and other aspects. Others specialize in different forms of sporting competition. Others are primarily focused on self-defense. All of these are legitimate goals, but they also have very different goals. Art is not all things.
Research is a good way to find out the most important aspects of any style. Prospective students in martial arts should at least identify their interests. Next, they will need to find an instructor who specializes in their area of interest.
If all else fails, you can ask to observe a class at one of the schools. Pay attention to not only the instructors, but also the students. Don’t just pay attention to the best instructors, but also the guys at the back of your room. If they appear competent, it’s likely that the instructor is proficient.
Continue Reading
Are you still having trouble finding what you were looking?
Search
Personal Defense World’s first article was Kung Foolery: How to Tell If a Martial Arts Instructor Is a Fraud.
