Black Belts from other styles entering your school

[Azulx]

How often does it actually happen that one gets a black belt with a superiority complex coming in and expecting to start training as a black belt not as they should a white belt? In the karate club I trained in before my current one I have never known it in many years, I have however seen people who have high grades in other styles come in with no belts and/or white belts and no attitude.

Everyone is getting very indignant about these people coming in expecting to be 'respected' etc for their grades but I've never come across it. We've had people coming in to train with us, as I said, passing through, they rarely wear their belts even when we say it's fine. so how many people can honestly say it's happened at their place of training?

It has only happened 3 times in the last 5 months for us. I don't know how common it is and if it may not happen again for another 5 years. It just happened too consecutively foe us specifically. So I asked if anyone had any experience with these situations, since there is decades of knowledge within people on this forum.

 

[Kenpoguy123]

I have seen that happen and I don't like it at all. If you're not a black belt in that schools style you don't wear the belt simple as that. I mean it's confusing to new students. What if a beginner asks them a question and obviously they won't know the answer it's embarrassing for the black belt and it makes the school look bad

 

[Dirty Dog]

I have seen that happen and I don't like it at all. If you're not a black belt in that schools style you don't wear the belt simple as that. I mean it's confusing to new students. What if a beginner asks them a question and obviously they won't know the answer it's embarrassing for the black belt and it makes the school look bad

I disagree. If a Dan holder from another system wants to wear their belt, we let them. Typically (with no exceptions in my personal experience) those who are there to learn will be swapping to a white belt soon enough, and those who are not will be leaving soon enough.

I don't think it's the least bit confusing. Our students are introduced to the instructors and know who to approach for answers. Yes, they are also told they can ask any student senior to them, but that the definitive answers come from... the instructors.
If a student cannot understand that, then they're not likely to be able to understand the curriculum.

 

[Langenschwert]

Many years ago, The Kung Li system master Wang Fen-Ting opened a Chinese wrestling school in Taiwan. One day 2 young boys walked into that school. The instructor invited them to sit down and watched the class. In the middle of the class, the instructor asked both boys whether they had learned any Chinese wrestling or not. Both boys said that they didn't know any Chinese wrestling. The school instructor invited them to wrestle with his students, those 2 boys defeated all the instructor's students on the mat, That Chinese wrestling school closed down the day after. IMO, to hide your identity will always be toward your advantage both in a friendly environment or a non-friendly environment..

Ha ha,

This happened in my school. This guy walked into our class, a big hulking mass of muscle. 6'5". He signed the waiver and joined in. I asked him if he had any MA training. He said "not really". I didn't believe it but I thought so what, let's train. So we're drilling he asked questions like "what should I do in this situation?" I'd answer him and we'd continue on. Turned out he was a cop with a significant amount of MA training. He's one of the best fighters I've ever met. His ground game is just nuts. He did join the club though, and stayed for a few years until he moved away. You never know who's gonna walk through the door.

 

[twendkata71]

Over the years we have had many black belts from other styles and schools come in to train with us. We always treat them with respect, as long as they are showing respect. Most of the time they come in and have a great time. If they teach something I don't already know, I learn from them. We exchange knowledge.
We, to my knowledge haven't had any bad experiences. Some have came in being a bit cocky, but after a hard training session they fit right in.