Karate Instructor Certification
When most Westerners say "karate," they are really referring to Eastern martial arts in general, from kung fu to tae kwon do to kickboxing. The martial arts industry is not heavily regulated as of 2010, meaning that there are no governmental, centralized or industry-wide standards for certification for any discipline. Instead, individual martial arts organizations set their own standards for teaching qualifications, and enforce them to a better or worse degree.
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Organizational Standards
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Many larger martial arts organizations, of which there are dozens in the United States alone, have specific curricula for the training of instructors. The requirements in these cases are usually a combination of minimum belt rank or time in training, completion of instructor training classes, and a certain number of hours spent teaching under the observation of a senior instructor. Organizations with this kind of structure often turn out the highest quality instructors.
Pay to Play
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Some martial arts organizations make certifying instructors part of their business model. Much like a multi-level-marketing organization, they push students to become instructors who then generate income for the organization. Franchise fees, licensing fees and a percentage of a school's profit make for a much higher income than a student's monthly dues. This can cause over-rapid advancement of students into instructor positions. Similarly, some individuals or organizations offer black belt rank and instructor certification for money alone, often charging fees in excess of $1,000, with no training whatsoever. Needless to say, instructors with this kind of certification typically provide less than ideal instruction.
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Black Belt
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The black belt rank is generally regarded as the minimum rank needed to teach unsupervised. In most organizations, black belt represents three to five years of uninterrupted training accompanied by personalized coaching. Some organizations are even more rigorous, requiring ranks of second degree (one to two years after black belt) or third degree (three to five years). In some organizations, achieving a black belt is the only requirement to achieve teaching credentials.
How to Tell
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One martial arts certificate hanging on a wall looks much like any other, so it's hard to tell what kind of teaching credentials any given martial arts instructor has. In fact, it's not uncommon for a low-ranking martial artist to print a fake certificate and set up a shop claiming instructor status. The best way for a layman to gauge the validity of a martial arts teacher's certification is to ask about that teacher's teacher. Legitimate practitioners maintain relationships with their teachers and would not hesitate to allow you to contact their teacher to ask about credentials. You can also go to martial arts forums and ask about the school in question. In most cases, a questionable teacher will have been outed on such online communities.
Regulation
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In of 2006, a panel discussion at the Martial Arts Supershow, the major trade convention of the martial arts industry, discussed the progress of martial arts instructor regulation. At the time, two states, Florida and New Jersey, had considered but not passed laws requiring state certification of martial arts instructors. In both cases, the impetus for the law came from economic, not ethical or quality-based, motives. In Florida, the force behind the law was a large martial arts organization looking to cut out smaller competition. In New Jersey, it came from daycare centers losing profits to after-school martial arts programs. As of 2010, the future of state regulation of martial arts schools remains uncertain.
Other Certification Sources
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Most large gym chains, many of which offer martial arts classes, require group fitness instructors to be licensed personal trainers. Although this has no bearing on the teacher's knowledge of the martial arts, it does mean the teacher has expertise in movement science, injury prevention and lesson planning.
In 2005, Bridgeport University became the first United States college to offer a bachelor's degree in martial arts study. Since then, several other colleges have followed suit. Courses generally include martial arts training, fitness education and classes in martial arts history and Asian languages. Although very few martial arts teachers currently have this degree, those who do are probably legitimately qualified instructors.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Karate Collection 3 image by Infs from Fotolia.com
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Comments
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Karate is Best.
