10th degree

Seig,

After a little scrounging and fishing through the cushions on the couch I have a whopping $1.37 (US). Where do ya want me to upload it to... yuk yuk :)
 
Seig, you obviously missed some of the threads regarding starting your own style.....if you do *that*, (say, like, Seig-do, or something) you can not only promote yourself to 10th degree, but you can call yourself "Grand Master", too!!

Or, even better.....decide that your style is an offshoot of some ninjitsu clan from ages past, and you can call yourself something even cooler, like "Shadow Lord" or something equally ominous........and you can claim all kinds of history in secret death matches!!!!

You are missing out on real opportunity, here!!

Peace--
 
Hey Tonbo,

If you create your own style you can call yourself 'Senior Grand Master' which is infinitely superior to the lowly title of 'Grand Master'... :rofl:

Peace,
Sandor
 
some guys arent even making their own system and still consider themselves grand master :shrug: Thought that was reserved for someone
 
Originally posted by brianhunter

some guys arent even making their own system and still consider themselves grand master :shrug: Thought that was reserved for someone
Click to expand...

Well, you make a great point Brian. I thought it was exclusively Senior Grand Master for the founding father of a given art and Grand Master to succsessors of the art after the passing of the SGM.

As of late I have noticed that there is someone claiming to be THE 'SGM' of Kenpo right here in my home town... Amazing. When I heard that bit of news I was speechless. I guess if you can put your title to Ed Parker's American Kenpo into the Spanish language you too can be an SGM...

I still think the best title to earn is 'Supreme Ultimate Grand Poobah Potato Toes' but I could be wrong...

Peace,
Sandor
 
Originally posted by Goldendragon7

You are just toooooooooo funny! We have to meet someday and have a milk.

:asian:
Click to expand...

I keep promising myself that I will visit that side of the US one of these days. Unfortunately, getting a visa to visit from here is a difficult process...:asian:

Milk does a body good, especially for baby cows. How about a nice refreshing glass of iced tea or carrot juice? :)

Peace,
Sandor
 
Originally posted by tonbo

Seig, you obviously missed some of the threads regarding starting your own style.....if you do *that*, (say, like, Seig-do, or something) you can not only promote yourself to 10th degree, but you can call yourself "Grand Master", too!!

Or, even better.....decide that your style is an offshoot of some ninjitsu clan from ages past, and you can call yourself something even cooler, like "Shadow Lord" or something equally ominous........and you can claim all kinds of history in secret death matches!!!!

You are missing out on real opportunity, here!!

Peace--
Click to expand...
You are absolutely correct. But I have a few points on why I think the whole thing is ludicrous.
1.) As a GM or SGM, you are implying that you know all there is to know about something. To me tht means that your arrogance means you have stopped learning and have been come close minded.
2.) Nobody takes 2/3 of the GMs or SGMs serious. And while I am not a serious person, I do take the MA seriously and wish to be considered a serious practitoner/teacher. That doesn't mean I don't ahve fun with it.
3.) The public at large has serious issues with "Masters" in their early 30's, what would they think of a GM or SGM in that age range?
4.) My ego just isn't that large. IF I am not a 4th by the time one of my students is ready for third, I'll import someone like the illustrious GD7 to grade them. But that is about 5 years away, I have time yet. I'm in no hurry
 
Too many Senior Grand Masters for me. What ever happened to 3rd Dan or 4th Black. It is pretty impressive to me to know some 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th degrees. They do not take any offense when referred to, or introduced by their rank...not their title.

Seems a little insecure, on some level, to insist on the title. Everyone knows you have paid your dues and done your time, "You are what you show" and I am not talking about stripes or bars on a belt. Nor am I talking about just the physical side of the Art.

Just gets to be an old topic at some point. I see it on every forum and who is what. Oh well, guess I am lucky to be pretty isolated in Texas from a bunch of the bickering and fighting that goes on elsewhere. I also tend to be tolerant of others and if they have something to share, I am appreciative. Likewise if I can share, I consider it a responsibility to Mr. Parker and my teachers to keep the Art alive.

Michael
 
Michael. Sounds like you kind of said the same ting I did. I always said that rank wise, my lifetime goal was 7th Dan. Being the age I am, that is a realistic goal. Being here in WV keeps me isolated from a lot of the politics of MA, not all of it. My school seems to be a seperatist group. At one point I was going tohave my school participate in Karate World Ratings. I did not have a good experience with the head of the organization as a result am not patronizing him or his events.
 
Originally posted by Seig

Michael. Sounds like you kind of said the same ting I did. I always said that rank wise, my lifetime goal was 7th Dan. Being the age I am, that is a realistic goal. Being here in WV keeps me isolated from a lot of the politics of MA, not all of it. My school seems to be a seperatist group. At one point I was going tohave my school participate in Karate World Ratings. I did not have a good experience with the head of the organization as a result am not patronizing him or his events
Click to expand...

Are you affiliated with any organization? Would it be easier, or
more difficult to attain a 7th if affiliated with an organization?
 
Yepper, that is who I am affiliated with. Due to my location here in Austin, I do feel like a step-child that has gone to live with their grandparents. The UKS is primarily a West Coast organization that consists of a bunch of Mr. Parker's Black Belts that were actively studying with him through the 1980's. Bryan Hawkins managed his West L.A. school, Bob Liles (His Kenpo Son), people like Howard Silva, Tommy Burks, Andre Sims, etc. It is a fun crowd to bang around with, and they are seriously committed to keeping it Kenpo.

Now honestly, I have seen promotions for Black Belts who joined associations and brought their students with them. People who were 3rds with me are now 7ths. Of course they have been through several associations or instructors to get that high. This is not everyone of course, but those that did this know who you are and why you got the rank.

Unless you give yourself a 7th, you do need to be with an Association or recognized Kenpo Senior Belt to move up. It seems much more heavily political once you hit 7th. I guess this has to do with the fact that nobody alive was higher than 7th at the time of Mr. Parker's death. It is a landmark of sorts.

I will worry about 5th for now. I sat at 3rd for 8 years following the break-up of the IKKA (rather when all my friends left it), or my teacher, Tom Burks, waiting to affiliate with a group he respected and was like-minded with. I know I need to continue moving for my students and myself, but I do not have the same amount of testostorone and competitivness driving me that I had a decade ago.

If you are looking for a teacher or association, Dennis Conatser, Bob Liles, or maybe, maybe (I would have to get to know him better) Ron Chapel, or Mike Pick would be who I would go with now. I have known Huk for years, but do not see him enough to consider switching associations and John Sepulveda I respect a bunch. Personality-wise I would love to train with Tom Kelly, but I think he is doing his own thing right now and of course Steven LaBounty is a great teacher, not sure what type of Kenpo he is teach now, but someone on this forum would know.

I do not mean to slight the East Coast teachers, I just do not know any personally, so I cannot make an informed sort of recommendation.

Good luck and Keep it Real,
-Michael
UKS-Texas
 
I hope you know I was just kidding about the whole GM/SGM thing. I feel pretty good about saying that you know that, but just in case.....I was kidding..:D

My perspective is very similar. I don't think anyone needs to go out and give themselves any rank, but hey....if they do, then sooner or later, it will catch up with them, and they will be exposed as the fraud they are.

As for the titling of it, I think it is a lot like the inner circles of the intelligentsia: If you ask someone if they are part of the group, and they say, "Yes", then you know they are not. You aren't actually a part of the group unless someone else (who IS in the group) says you are. I know that makes little sense, but I guess you could say it this way, too: You are a GM or SGM when other GMs/SGMs acknowledge you and your contributions, not when you declare yourself one.

Geez....as for goals, I would LOVE to make it to 7th. That is a goal for me as well. I am in my mid-30s, and may just make that goal. For the time being, though, just reaching 2nd will be enough....heck, just having earned BLACK is a great accomplishment for me!

Titles are SO not important, really. I mean, who cares if you call yourself "Bob", "Sensei Bob", or "Senior Grand High Master Lord of All Things Kenpo Bob". What have you *done*?

Regarding titles, I think it is a lot like the saying goes: "Those who mind don't matter, and those that matter don't mind".

Me, I just want to be known as a practitioner. I will never get this stuff down to perfection, and I will never be a "master" in my opinion. Always just a student. Let others start new styles or get all the awards--fine with me. I'll just keep on hammering away at the basics until I gotta spar with the Reaper.....:eek:

Peace--
 
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