FTF

JowGaWolf

Sr. Grandmaster
MT Mentor
Joined
Aug 3, 2015
Messages
14,063
Reaction score
5,985
Copied from the comment section on youtube:

Rough Rider18 hours ago
OK, time for honesty and truth. Please tell us how old you were when you got your 1st degree black belt. We know you were a kid because you got your 4th degree at 18. Next, please explain why we should consider you to be a legitimate Martial Artist when you have stated in the past that anybody who got a BB as a kid is a fake.
2
Hide replies


martialartstutor17 hours ago
You got it. I got my first degree blackbelt when I was 10. And yes I do believe it was a fake blackbelt. Could I kick good? Yep. Could I spar well under itf and wtf rules? Yep. Did I memorize all my forms? Yep. Did I know how to do fancy tricks and Bullshido self defense you see in a demo? You bet. However despite that, I committed time to training boxing, wrestling, bjj mma and kickboxing which allowed me to see what I could use from tkd and I came to the conclusion about 5% of the tkd techniques work against live resistance



Rough Rider1 hour ago
So, why do you still wear the belt? Did it become real when you turned 18? Or when you cross-trained in other styles? I guess the biggest issue I have is that you admit that you had BS training for most of your life (from age 5 until about 19-20, right?), but then you turn around and claim "15 years of experience" when trying to establish your legitimacy as an instructor and Federation founder. Doesn't that seem a little disingenuous to you?



martialartstutor1 hour ago
According to itf and wtf standards, I am a blackbelt. To my own standards compared to actual fighters no. I have a certificate and everything. In my new federation, I'm not going to be wearing my 4th degree blackbelt. Just a plain one
lol...I saw that post on Youtube and knew it had to be someone from here. too funny.

"In my new federation, I'm not going to be wearing my 4th degree blackbelt. Just a plain one" Sounds like Traditional Chinese Martial arts lol
 

TrueJim

Master Black Belt
Joined
Jun 21, 2014
Messages
1,006
Reaction score
373
Location
Virginia
In my new federation, I'm not going to be wearing my 4th degree blackbelt. Just a plain one

I was under the impression that currently he's an instructor in somebody else's school? Until he has his own club or school, there's no place to be not wearing a belt at.

Rosencrantz: We might as well be dead. Do you think death could possibly be a boat?
Guildenstern: No, no, no... Death is 'not-being.' You can't 'not-be' on a boat.
Rosencrantz: Really? I've frequently not been on boats.
 

Azulx

Black Belt
Joined
Jan 14, 2016
Messages
659
Reaction score
215
Isn't there a way to see if he is certified in the ITF, or if he is full of shinto?
 

Earl Weiss

Senior Master
Joined
Jan 27, 2009
Messages
3,584
Reaction score
929
Isn't there a way to see if he is certified in the ITF, or if he is full of shinto?
Well, since his reply indicated he "Has a certificate and everything" you can ask for a copy. With the ITF Splits since 2002 the organization could be contacted indicating the person has this rank and is it legit.

FWIW some years ago a school had a meltdown and people came to me seeking advancement. Had a feeling certs were bogus. I asked for a copy and I knew when I saw it, it was bogus but i did not want to be the bad guy so I sent it to the ITF with a letter asking if it was legit. Suffice it to say the response was irate. Sad part was the students were so upset with the BS their teacher had fed them (Sound familiar) few chose to continue with the ITF.
 

Balrog

Master of Arts
Joined
Feb 11, 2007
Messages
1,764
Reaction score
482
Location
Houston, TX
This is probably the ONLY thing I will ever say in this persons defense...

I disagree with the whole baby black belt concept.
Well, it depends on what you call a baby Black Belt. Giving a Black Belt to a 6 year old...I have issues with that. Since I don't accept students under 6, that means that the kid stands a chance of making it to 1st Degree at about 10, which is the absolute lowest age I could consider giving a Black Belt to. And I've had 10 year olds that were better Black Belts than some thirty year olds. Telling someone that they can't earn a rank because they are not old enough, when they have demonstrated that they are ready for the rank, seems a little overboard to me.

It all boils down to their own personal dedication. The OP might have been very dedicated and worked his butt off and earned the rank. I don't know.
 

chrispillertkd

Senior Master
Joined
Apr 10, 2007
Messages
2,096
Reaction score
107
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
Isn't there a way to see if he is certified in the ITF, or if he is full of shinto?

I just checked the ITF member database and his name doesn't show up. Likewise, he isn't listed as one of the "affiliated members" on the web site of the group under GM Trajtenberg. I didn't see any way to search for members on the site for the group under Master Ri, Yong Son so can't speak to that.

Since he's been training for 15 years it seems likely that his promotion would be in the system somewhere if it was from the ITF. I imagine it was most likely an independent promotion but is described as "ITF" because he learned ITF patterns, although without any knowledge of the body mechanics taught in Gen. Choi's system.

I'd be curious to see if his WTF/KKW promotion is on record anywhere but, to be honest, the amount of information needed to do a search on the KKW website means it's an all but useless search function.

Pax,

Chris
 

Metal

Green Belt
Joined
Feb 13, 2012
Messages
175
Reaction score
44
Location
Essen, Germany
I'd be curious to see if his WTF/KKW promotion is on record anywhere but, to be honest, the amount of information needed to do a search on the KKW website means it's an all but useless search function.

Since he's a member of this forum his birthday can be found in his profile, so here's his Kukkiwon registration which lists him as a 2nd Poom:

Bildschirmfoto 2016-09-21 um 22.14.58.png



Since he doesn't really care about Taekwondo he probably isn't even aware that he was never registered as a 4th Dan.
 

Gnarlie

Master of Arts
Joined
Dec 13, 2011
Messages
1,913
Reaction score
445
Location
Germany
Since he's a member of this forum his birthday can be found in his profile, so here's his Kukkiwon registration which lists him as a 2nd Poom:

View attachment 20133


Since he doesn't really care about Taekwondo he probably isn't even aware that he was never registered as a 4th Dan.
Hilarious.
 

Monkey Turned Wolf

MT Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jan 4, 2012
Messages
12,286
Reaction score
6,398
Location
New York
Is there a reason you guys care so much about this guy to the point that you're going to his youtube page to force him to answer your questions, laughing at his attempts to have someone challenge him/his friend, finding out what his 'official' certification is even though you don't know if he was part of an independent school, and spending almost 6 pages (on just this thread) bashing the guy?

I'm not a fan of him either, but there's no reason to harp on him so much. If he is actually bad, his federation will probably fail, and he is trying to make himself better. If he is somehow one of those rare talents who can pick up various arts easily, and it works out for him, good for him! Either way, unless any of us plan on training there, it has no real impact on our lives or our martial arts training.
 

Buka

Sr. Grandmaster
Staff member
MT Mentor
Joined
Jun 27, 2011
Messages
12,995
Reaction score
10,524
Location
Maui
Is there a reason you guys care so much about this guy to the point that you're going to his youtube page to force him to answer your questions, laughing at his attempts to have someone challenge him/his friend, finding out what his 'official' certification is even though you don't know if he was part of an independent school, and spending almost 6 pages (on just this thread) bashing the guy?

I'm not a fan of him either, but there's no reason to harp on him so much. If he is actually bad, his federation will probably fail, and he is trying to make himself better. If he is somehow one of those rare talents who can pick up various arts easily, and it works out for him, good for him! Either way, unless any of us plan on training there, it has no real impact on our lives or our martial arts training.

I wish you weren't right. But you are.
 

TrueJim

Master Black Belt
Joined
Jun 21, 2014
Messages
1,006
Reaction score
373
Location
Virginia
...going to his youtube page to force him to answer your questions...

Respectfully, I have to disagree; nobody's forcing him to do anything. That's what YouTube comment sections are for: to engage with the video's author. People outside this forum are asking him questions on YouTube, as are people on this forum.

I don't think that participation in this forum should preclude anybody from also asking questions of a YouTuber in their YouTube comment section.

...laughing at his attempts to have someone challenge him/his friend...

I don't think anybody has laughed at him? Most of us have wished him luck, but with healthy skepticism.

...finding out what his 'official' certification is...

That's on him though. He bashes young people with high dan rank, then claims master's rank for himself even though he's young. It's legitimate to note the irony.

...If he is actually bad, his federation will probably fail, and he is trying to make himself better. If he is somehow one of those rare talents who can pick up various arts easily, and it works out for him, good for him! Either way, unless any of us plan on training there, it has no real impact on our lives or our martial arts training.

As several of us have noted before, I admire his passion and I wish him good luck.
 

chrispillertkd

Senior Master
Joined
Apr 10, 2007
Messages
2,096
Reaction score
107
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
finding out what his 'official' certification is even though you don't know if he was part of an independent school,

He claimed to have a 4th dan from an organization I belong to. When someone posted a video of him doing the most basic pattern from that organization it was very obvious he didn't have any understanding of the body mechanics of the style he claims to be ranked in by my organization.

The ITF breaks down dan rankings as follows: 1-3 dan are "novice" black belts who have a good grasp of the basics, 4-6 dan are "experts" who can become International Instructors and test students for dan ranking, 7-9 dan are masters. If someone claims the ITF gave them a 4th dan and they cannot properly execute Chon-Ji, the pattern learned by 9th gup students, then something is amiss.

Their instructor may have done both them and the ITF a great disservice since International Instructors act, for all practical purposes, as quality control agents since they failed to properly teach their student and applied for a dan certificate for someone who doesn't meet the most basic standard. If this is the case then they should look for a new ITF instructor who will actually teach them the style correctly.

Or their instructor simply lied to them about being certified by the ITF and never actually got them a real ITF certificate in the first place (and given the KKW rank discrepancy this seems possible with the ITF rank, too). If this is the case they should stop training at that school and possibly bring legal action against their instructor since they were defrauded.

Or, the person in question just got an independent certificate but says he's "ITF" because he was taught some ITF patterns even though the style in which they were taught isn't how the ITF teaches Taekwon-Do. If this is the case he should stop because it isn't true and gives other people an erroneous impression and doing so knowingly is a clear lack of integrity.

Pax,

Chris
 

Dirty Dog

MT Senior Moderator
Staff member
Lifetime Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2009
Messages
23,404
Reaction score
9,168
Location
Pueblo West, CO
Well, it depends on what you call a baby Black Belt. Giving a Black Belt to a 6 year old...I have issues with that. Since I don't accept students under 6, that means that the kid stands a chance of making it to 1st Degree at about 10, which is the absolute lowest age I could consider giving a Black Belt to. And I've had 10 year olds that were better Black Belts than some thirty year olds. Telling someone that they can't earn a rank because they are not old enough, when they have demonstrated that they are ready for the rank, seems a little overboard to me.

It all boils down to their own personal dedication. The OP might have been very dedicated and worked his butt off and earned the rank. I don't know.

As I have said more than a few times, 1st Dan is a teaching rank in our system. I would not issue a teaching rank to a 10 year old. I doubt you would either.

As I said in the part of my post that wasn't quoted, a 20 year old 4th Dan is entirely possible within the KKW system. It would be totally out of the question in our system.
 

Metal

Green Belt
Joined
Feb 13, 2012
Messages
175
Reaction score
44
Location
Essen, Germany
Is there a reason you guys care so much about this guy [...] finding out what his 'official' certification is even though you don't know if he was part of an independent school, and spending almost 6 pages (on just this thread) bashing the guy?

Well, on his website he claims to be a "4th Degree WTF and ITF Blackbelt with over 15 years experience studying hapkido, taekwondo, gumdo, mma, muay thai, boxing, brazilian jiu-jitsu, and wrestling."

Don't even wanna mention about him probably not even being aware that a Blackbelt in the WTF world would actually be a Kukkiwon Blackbelt.

On his website he also sells an E-Book where he claims to teach people:

100 Red Flags of a Mcdojo and Why

How to know if your martial arts instructor faked his credentials

Why forms are a waste of time

The correct way to test techniques

How to spot a fake blackelt

To me, a 21-year old who makes his website look like he has 15 years of experience in several martial arts and who claims to hold a certain Dan grade by certain organizations and then in the end does not officially hold these ranks, is fake. Someone who bashes the art he's been practicing for 15 years and especially who's bashing the art while he's still teaching it at someone else's dojang is not a real black belt. Someone who does not look beyond the walls of the dojang he trains/teaches him at 4th Dan and who won't look further into 'his' art is not a real black belt. Of course he's been looking into other arts for the last six months, yet he didn't even comprehend what Taekwondo actually can be if you study all aspects of it.
 

Earl Weiss

Senior Master
Joined
Jan 27, 2009
Messages
3,584
Reaction score
929
Is there a reason you guys care so much about this guy to the point that you're going to his youtube page to force him to answer your questions,...................................... almost 6 pages (on just this thread) bashing the guy?

.......................... If he is actually bad, his federation will probably fail, and he is trying to make himself better. ................................

"
The Only Thing Necessary for the Triumph of Evil is that Good Men Do Nothing (Attrbuted to various people.)

So, this guy feels he was mislead by instructors concerning the value of what he was taught. Now, it seems he may be misleading others as to the validity of his credentials. Part of the value of the internet is to enlighten the unwary.
 

Balrog

Master of Arts
Joined
Feb 11, 2007
Messages
1,764
Reaction score
482
Location
Houston, TX
As I have said more than a few times, 1st Dan is a teaching rank in our system. I would not issue a teaching rank to a 10 year old. I doubt you would either.

As I said in the part of my post that wasn't quoted, a 20 year old 4th Dan is entirely possible within the KKW system. It would be totally out of the question in our system.
In our system, you can still be considered a student up to 2nd Degree. If you want to go past that, you have to be a Trainee Instructor at the very least.
 

TrueJim

Master Black Belt
Joined
Jun 21, 2014
Messages
1,006
Reaction score
373
Location
Virginia
As I have said more than a few times, 1st Dan is a teaching rank in our system. I would not issue a teaching rank to a 10 year old. I doubt you would either.

In our school, some 1st Dans are considered instructors, but never 1st Poom. So by defintion nobody under 15 would ever be called an instructor, even though our Pooms do wear black belts. In practice though nobody under age 18 is ever called instructor. We do have a Leadership Team for younger teenagers where they essentially get to be assistants to the instructors. To be on the Leadership Team, a student has to attend a weekly 1-hour leadership class where you're taught how to teach taekwondo.
 
OP
J

justkool141

Yellow Belt
Joined
Sep 9, 2016
Messages
45
Reaction score
9
In our school, some 1st Dans are considered instructors, but never 1st Poom. So by defintion nobody under 15 would ever be called an instructor, even though our Pooms do wear black belts. In practice though nobody under age 18 is ever called instructor. We do have a Leadership Team for younger teenagers where they essentially get to be assistants to the instructors. To be on the Leadership Team, a student has to attend a weekly 1-hour leadership class where you're taught how to teach taekwondo.

Some people forget that 1st dan is no where near the end! I do agree that kids under 15 should get a junior black! At my school they wear red and black!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Top