The Black Belt Myth

By Damian Ross
The Self Defense Company

At least once a week I get an email from some misguided and offended martial artist with his or her knickers all in a bunch asking me where I get off saying "Martial Arts Will Fail You in a Street Attack". But facts are facts.

Just because you have a black belt doesn't mean you can fight and just because you can fight, doesn't mean you are a black belt. The problem is that martial artists have propagated this "myth" about the black belt since they realized money could be made. To compound the problem, most instructors are true believers. Thinking that what they are saying is 100% true.

And before you question my motivation as one of those guys who never spent time in a real dojo or never received his black belt (I have 3 of them) go to www.zenshin.info. I am a real person and I can be found any day of the week working out at this location teaching none other than martial arts. But like my Sensei, I refuse to limit myself by the confines of my ego and insecurity. Because that's what it all comes down to: ego.

Hey, I know you have a lot of time and effort invested into your study and this is the last thing you want to hear, but earning a black belt doesn't make you a superhero. Having a black belt does not give you the ability to take on all comers in all any and all situations.

Street Fight vs. Street Attack

[See previous article.]

Can mixed martial artists, boxers, judo players, and wrestlers be good street fighters? Sure. Any kind of training is better than no training at all. But I'm not talking about people in the local pub having a go at each other. Leave the bar fight out of it. I am talking about a real street smart criminal that would rather see you dead.

A street attack is an entirely different proposition than combative sport or a hobby. The techniques used by depraved street thugs range from the simple and straight forward to brutal and down right nasty. So you think that junkie is just trying to slap you? No, he's got razor blades between his fingers and he's trying to slice your face open. (Thanks for the example Bill). Never underestimate the depths of human nature or the levels to which some people will go to impose their will over another human being.

A street attack or close quarters battle has entirely different dynamics than a competitive sport. In a competitive fight, the possibility of being seriously injured or killed is not a paramount concern. You will suffer the same sort of injuries you might expect with any contact sport, but if it were really trying to be lethal you would have people dying in the ring on a regular basis. The combative sport is only SYMBOLIC of the real thing.

The Meaning of a Black Belt

So why bother getting a black belt or what does it mean to earn a black belt? This subject has been beaten to death and I offer my opinion only to ad some perspective. First of all, I hold a special place for those of you who have the determination to see your training through to the end and I hope those same people continue to study for an entire life time. It does set you above all others as having accomplished a great task that requires years of dedication and sacrifice. But learning to fight is only a small part of the big picture.

Do you think the night before your black belt exam you are immediately transformed in to the Ultimate Warrior. Martial Arts use fighting and combative skills to affect an overall change on the practitioner. If you study martial arts to learn how to fight, you will find yourself very disappointed. Fighting is, and should be, a small percentage of why you study. If you study just to learn how to fight or just to learn how to compete you will not last very long. Because after your competitive career is over, now what? Once you start coaching, training and teaching you really begin to understand that competition is a useful tool, but it's not what martial arts is about.