I have recently heard or seen people claiming to be a certain belt(specifically blackbelts) in kickboxing. However I thought there was no such ranking in kickboxing. Are these guys fakes or is kickboxing a generic term for some fighting systems. Thanks
I do not believe that belts exist in kickboxing. Same for muey thia. Yet schools will use them. I met an individual claiming to be a 2nd degree blackbelt in Muey Thia. He might have the skills and knowledge to back that up. Didn't say where he was studying at, I did not ask. The discussion on belts is neverending. There are reasons to have them and reasons not to have them. Whose to say wich is right.
Hi, Freestyle Kickboxing does carry ranks with some rather large associations. WAKO (World Association of Kickboxing Organisations),the WKA (World Kickboxing Association),the SCI (Spirit Combat International),the SDF (Self Defence Federation) and my own the CMAA for example. Check my site or www.wka.co.uk What you have to check is that the people who say they have a kickboxing Degree/Dan grade have actually graded for it an not just produced their own certificate. The best way to check that is to trace their history. Membership or attachment to one of the above is usually a good sign. Maybe it's just a European thing, but i've been grading in it for over 10 years now. Though i must admit i have connections in the USA and have not heard them mention Kickboxing grades over there. Hope that helps.
So what do you do for gradings? Where most traditional arts have you learn kata and other technique there are no kickboxing kata. I realize kata isn't neccessary for good skill(that's another discussion that will never end, not a fan of it myself) or grading......... Just wondering how you grade in kickboxing. P.S What is freestyle kickboxing?
Hi Joe, Most use a syllabus, with the students learning basic kicking and punching techniques alongside defence, avoidance and footwork that get harder and more complicated the higher through the ranks they go. My own is a progressive system that includes alot of fitness and cardio work that can and does benefit them should they compete. Freestyle Kickboxing is basically the Qualified Instructors own interpretation hence the word "Freestyle". (the same can be applied to Freestyle Karate as well). Maybe he or she didn't like something they had to do as they rose through the ranks, kata for instance. So they changed it to the way they want it before opening the classes (usually they get the syllabus checked and approved by the Association or Group they belong to). I did this with my own syllabus some years ago -Cobra Kickboxing (www.cobrakickboxing.co.uk). I included alot of Muay Thai into mine and now i have some excellent technitions and very busy classes as a result.
When I went to Kickboxing there was a ranking system and also a set of forms for each belt. The forms were really prearranged punching and kicking techniques.
This is my first post so Hello all, and what a great forum this is! In Finland where I'm from they really try to separate Kickboxing from general use of "kickboxing" usually associated with full contact fights no matter which "style" they use. The Finnish Kickboxing Organization (http://www.kickboxing.fi/index.html) which operates under WAKO.lists requirements for kickboxing belts at their sites. Almost all Finnish Kickboxing clubs are members and use the same rules. Of course you must also be licenced under WAKO. Here's a rough translation: There are 6 belts (followed by sum of requirements Yellow (5. kyu) - basic idea of techniques Orange (4.kyu) - advanced techniques Green (3.kyu) - fast technics Blue (2.kyu) - powerful technics Brown (1.kyu) - perfected technics Black (1.dan) - automatical technics There are minimum time limits which you need to fill and of course you need your instructors recommondation for each belt. There are also points awarded from each real match you fight. Different points from different matches (semi contact, full contact, title match etc) These matchpoints can shorten your time limit for next belt. As an example here's a full requirements for the green belt: - atleast 12 month of training after orange belt - atleast 100 training sessions after orange belt - matchpoints can shorten the time to 10 months - atleast 1 major kickboxing camp participation - full knowledge of kickboxing fight rules and weight classes Techniques: - all previous techniques from lower belts - parry, hits aimed to head both side and back - U - parry - blocking uppercuts and bodyshots - hard fallingtechniques to side and back - sweeps, both legs - overhead straight, both hands, to head - uppercut to head both hands - axekick to head both legs, return to front and back - spinning back kick to head both leags, return to front and back - all-round combinations of all green belt techniques. 5x2 min kickboxing fight. My personal opinion is that its good they have united rules for belt requirements in Kickboxing here in finland. It makes possible to switch clubs and still keep your belt. There are many styles that can take part in kickboxing fights (like thaiboxing and Savate for example) and belts dont really mean a thing in the ring but belts are more for the people who are there just to enjoy kickboxing and not looking forward for the next title fight. Apache -
depends on school Although there are quite a few organizations with their own systems, ultimately it depends on your school and instructor as to how you're graded from what I've seen of kickboxing here in the U.S. My instructor does it based on a checklist of skills that you've met and also competition in tournaments or exhibition fights. Higher up he also factors grappling techniques and weapons fighting. That's the way it works at the gym I go to anyways. -Andres
Ameteur Muay Thai has started a ranking system. They use the Prapajiat (arm bands) instead of belts. The only belt I want is Lumpini or Radjanamdern. Jeff
Muay Thai clubs here in the UK have been using coloured arm bands for at least the last 15 years that I know of. The only belt I need is the one stopping my trousers from falling around my ankles.
Kickboxing ranks I would say that first, kickboxing is just as legitimate as any other martial art. I still get people looking at me crazy when I talk about wrestling (not WWE STYLE) as martial art. The ranking discussion has been going on for years...that's for sure. I've trained with a couple of former PKA champions and attended seminars by WKA/KICK/ISKA champs...and most of them were in martial arts before they started kickboxing, thus they already had black belts. I don't know how I feel about ranking in kickboxing by itself. I agree with the syllabus. I think that the most important thing is to have a competent teacher or overseer. I think there are many things one could apply to coeincide with geting a colored belt or black belt...kicking, punching and dodging/weaving...is an art form in itself, in my opinion...No one will ever tell me that Ali wasn't a martial artist...if anyone was a black belt or better yet...a master of boxing...it was him...so, that's my two cents...
At my regular club we have our own seperate system of belts and colours, quite unique as far as I can tell. It goes like so: Yellow Belt Orange Belt Red Belt Green Belt Purple Belt Blue Belt Brown Belt Black Belt There is a large variety of colours at the club so each time you spar it is with someone of a different level than before. I find this helps put variety in your fighting style and also toughen you up - although it can be very humbling to fight someone of greater skill or size it can often teach you stuff you'd never know if you only fought with ameteurs all the time. I think - for me anyway - that kickboxing is the best martial art (like I said, for ME, not for everyone): quick, easy to learn, easy to advance and possibly the best form of streetfighting out there. I particularly like the use of knees, elbows and head to win in a fight, because fighting dirty is what it's all about when you're fighting God-knows-who over God-knows-what in the middle of the road
The PKA has a grading syllabus:- ***EDIT: London region has members starting with white, all others make you grade for first belt*** Red Yellow Orange Green Blue Purple Brown Black 1 ~"~ 2 ~"~ 3 ~"~ 4
hi we are with IAKSA & we have belts, my oh is a 2nd degree black belt in lau kickboxing. our belts go as follows; white yellow orange green blue purple brown black 2nd + we find that students love getting a belt/sash to show they passed a grading & all the hard work has paid off. i know lots of ppl do not agree with belts but i think they are good
People said everything i have nothing to add. Here we have belts from the WKA (world profit assotitation. ) The thing is that no one says you gotta take em like in TKD or karate dojos . You can choose not to be examed for belts if you don't want to.
Precisely, and if they don't want a belt/sash/armband then they don't have to grade for them (as you say Alex ) My next grading is in 4 weeks. Wish me luck If people want to fight instead, go for it, but grading won't do you any harm.
