Multi-Art Masters

Here is the resume of a well known martial arts grand master from his web site:

• 9th Degree Goju-Shorei Karate
• 9th Degree Shudokan Karate
• 8th Degree American Kenpo Karate
• 7th Degree Tae Kwon Do
• 7th Degree Jujitsu
• 6th Degree Judo

I would not want to study Taekwondo from this Taekwondo "master." It takes decades of dedicated training and instructing in an individual art, a multitude of hours of work at tournaments, camps, clinics, demonstrations, etc., and tireless work for the certifying organization to achieve master rank in an art. Lets say this person is a martial arts savant who can achieve grand master rank in an art in 20 years, then to acheive this many ranks it would mean he would be over 120 years of age, actually he is only about 60. I assume then that most of this rank is "honorary," which means it is worthless. If you needed a brain operation, would you prefer the surgeon to have 20 years experience in brain surgery or to have an honorary medical degree. I would rather have a Taekwondo instructor with some knowledge of other martial arts, but with a dedication to Taekwondo.

Taekwondo uses its own kicking and punching skills that take years to develop. Its sparring techniques and self-defense techniques are based on its particular way of kicking and punching. Its patterns are not performed as a mere sequence of movements, they are performed in a way that is consistent with Taekwondo's method of kicking and punching. Styles of karate and other martial arts have their own ways of kicking, punching, sparring, self-defense, and performing patterns that are different from Taekwondo, and from each other. It is possible to excel at two martial arts that have little in common, such as Taekwondo and Judo, or Karate and Kendo, but reaching master levels at each is near impossible due to the amount of time and effort that must be dedicated to each one to gain master rank in it. Again, if you needed a brain operation, would you prefer a surgeon who practices medicine daily, or one who also has a law degree and a law practice outside the hospital.

When it comes to acceptance of the rank qualifications of instructors, use your education, reason, and experience to evaluate their qualifications. Do not just blindly accept their certificates, notoriety, or hype.