SMAA Policies

We do not take the responsibility of evaluating and certificating a martial artist or style lightly. Although the integrity of some ranks awarded by other martial arts associations, federations, governing bodies, and martial arts organizations have been somewhat questionable, this sort of corruption will not happen on the SMAA’s watch, regardless of all other factors! We have strict criteria that must be met and yet we remain as open minded as any martial arts association, federation, governing body, or martial arts organization (legitimate organization, that is, not a diploma mill!) in existence.

Each SMAA club leader or instructor may use the rank criteria that he chooses. For informational purposes, some of the rank requirements used by various SMAA members can be viewed here.

While all SMAA members are free to rank their students using whatever belt rank system they wish, the belt rank system that the SMAA recommends using is as follows:

(All dan rank holders may wear a black belt if they prefer)

In very rare instances, the ranks of 11th and 12th degrees may be awarded posthumously to the founder (12th degree) and his successor (11th degree) of legitimately recognized systems, providing they reached the level of 10th degree during their lifetime. These ranks may only be awarded by unanimous vote of the Yudansha Taigu.

 The SMAA policy for registering an existing rank is:

A martial artist seeking possible rank registration through the SMAA must have sufficient time in grade. PLEASE NOTE: Meeting the time in grade requirement does not automatically qualify you for promotion to a given rank. Each and every SMAA member must have his level of ability evaluated before rank registration or promotion can be considered. This evaluation may be in the form of personal or video evaluation or in some cases by submitting previous certifications that were made through a major governing body that is widely accepted. Rank registration fee is to be paid after confirming the individual’s level of ability. Please contact us if you would like to register your rank, be considered for promotion, instructor certification, rank examiner certification, or other certification.. The ranks up through and including 3rd dan are based largely on technical ability, while the ranks from 4th dan and up are based more and more (for each successive rank) on teaching ability, service and contributions to the arts.

The SMAA policy for rank evaluation and possible promotion is:

There is no charge for rank testing and evaluation. A martial artist seeking possible promotion through the SMAA must have sufficient time in grade. PLEASE NOTE: meeting the time in grade requirement does not automatically qualify you for promotion. Each and every SMAA member must have his level of ability evaluated before rank registration or promotion can be considered. This evaluation may be in the form of personal or video evaluation. The ranks up through and including 4th dan are based largely on technical ability, while the ranks from 5th dan and up are based more and more (for each successive rank) on teaching ability, service and contributions to the arts. Rank promotion fee is to be paid if the individual is approved for promotion.

The SMAA policy for recognizing a new style of martial art is:

A martial artist that desires recognition for a new style of martial art through the SMAA must first submit a technical syllabus for his martial art and have his level of ability confirmed (the founder of a new style is usually certified at the highest martial arts rank he legitimately holds in a mainstream martial art) before any further action can be taken. This confirmation must be in the form of personal or video demonstration. The following package is used in the recognition of a new style:

Founder certification for the style’s headmaster

Rank registration for the founder in the new style

Instructor certification for the founder in the new style

Rank Examiner certification for the founder in the new style

The SMAA policy for the certification of an instructor is:

A martial artist that desires instructor certification with the SMAA must first have his level of ability (as an instructor, in addition to his technical ability) confirmed before any instructor certification can be made. This confirmation must be in the form of personal or video demonstration. Various levels of certification are available and have different requirements in addition to the above:

Certified Assistant Instructor must be recommended by his own teacher. There is no minimum rank requirement.

Certified Instructor must be recommended by his own teacher (if he has one.) This certification is available only to martial artists who hold the rank of 1st, 2nd, or 3rd dan.

Certified Senior Instructor must be recommended by his own teacher (if he has one) and must have at least one student who is an SMAA Certified Assistant Instructor or higher. This certification is available only to martial artists who hold the rank of 4th, 5th, or 6th dan.

Certified Master Instructor must be recommended by his own teacher (if he has one) and must have at least one student who is an SMAA Certified Assistant Instructor or higher. This certification is available only to martial artists who hold the rank of 7th, 8th, or 9th dan rank)

Certified Senior Master Instructor must be recommended by his own teacher (if he has one) and must have at least one student who is an SMAA Certified Master Instructor or higher. This certification is available only to martial artists who hold the rank of 10th dan rank)

Instructor certification fee is to be paid after confirming the individual’s level of ability.

The SMAA policy for the certification of a rank examiner is:

A martial artist that desires rank examiner certification with the SMAA must first have his level of ability (as a rank examiner, in addition to his ability as an instructor and as a technician) confirmed before any level of rank examiner certification can be made. This confirmation must be in the form of personal or video demonstration. Various levels of certification are available and have different requirements in addition to the above:

Certified Assistant Rank Examiner must be recommended by his own teacher. There is no minimum rank requirement.

Certified Rank Examiner must be recommended by his own teacher (if he has one.) This certification is available only to martial artists who hold the rank of 1st, 2nd, or 3rd dan rank.

Certified Senior Rank Examiner must be recommended by his own teacher (if he has one) and must have at least one student who is an SMAA Certified Assistant Rank Examiner or higher. This certification is available only to martial artists who hold the rank of  4th, 5th, or 6th dan.

Certified Master Rank Examiner must be recommended by his own teacher (if he has one) and must have at least one student who is an SMAA Certified Assistant Rank Examiner or higher. This certification is available only to martial artists who hold the rank of  7th, 8th, or 9th dan rank)

Certified Senior Master Rank Examiner must be recommended by his own teacher (if he has one) and must have at least one student who is an SMAA Certified Master Rank Examiner or higher. This certification is available only to martial artists who hold the rank of 10th dan rank)

All levels of appropriately certified SMAA Rank Examiners are authorized to promote their own students up to one rank below their own, except in the case of promotion to 10th degree. All promotions to the rank of 10th degree must be approved by the SMAA Yudansha Taigu. SMAA ranks or certifications as Instructor and/or Rank Examiner certification may be revoked at any time by unanimous vote of the Yudansha Taigu.

One must first be certified at their rank (except in arts that do not use numbered ranks) then they may be considered for instructor certification. After receiving instructor certification, one may be considered for rank examiner certification. Contact the SMAA for information on instructor or rank examiner certification if your art does not use a numbered rank system.

Rank examiner certification fee is to be paid after confirming the individual’s level of ability.

Once an SMAA member is certified as instructor or rank examiner, the SMAA will accept rank registrations and instructor and rank examiner certifications that the club instructor or club leader recommends their students for up to and including one rank or one certification below their own. Recommendations by club instructors and/or club leaders will not be considered if that club instructor/leader is not certified as an SMAA Certified Instructor and SMAA Certified Rank Examiner at the appropriate level.

All of the above require that the martial artist's abilities have been verified and documented by either live evaluation or video evaluation. This, or in some cases submitting previous certifications that were made through a major governing body, association, federation, or martial arts organization that is legitimate and is widely accepted in the martial arts community is the only means that we deem acceptable as a basis on which to grant recognition for rank, instructor or rank examiner certification.

Some may consider the verification process unnecessary, but nothing could be further from the truth! No instructor would promote or certify an individual without actually seeing what they are capable of performing at, and we are in the very same position – but on a much larger scale. If some feel this process is unwarranted, then clearly they are not the type of martial artist the SMAA is looking for!

It is our sincere hope that each and every SMAA member understands the reason for this…it is not meant to doubt an individual’s ability or question their integrity…it is merely to confirm the ability of those individuals that the SMAA has no personal knowledge of. If we document their skill level in person or on video, then we are 100% justified in certifying that individual at the appropriate level and NO ONE can ever question our motives or integrity, or the credentials that we have awarded. This is quite different from many other organizations where you can just send in your money to get whatever rank or certification you want, and often all of this is done with no form of verification of that individual’s ability.

You will also note that we have reduced many of the fees for certifications and promotions...we don’t ever want money to be a factor in how we administer our services to the martial arts…quite a change from how things have been done in the past.

In the past there has been a great deal of controversy over the use of some titles in the martial arts. In the last few years it has become fashionable to apply academic titles to the martial arts…a practice that is questionable at best. Several of our top SMAA leaders who legitimately hold advanced academic degrees have expressed their concern over this trend and in response, the SMAA has adopted the following policy:

No academic titles or titles outside the realm of the martial arts will be awarded or utilized with regard to certifications. “Professor”, “Doctor”, “PhD” or other such titles or credentials will be not applied to martial arts certifications.

There are several titles that have traditionally been common in the martial arts, however. The granting of many of these titles is not directly related to rank (although the two are similar), but is more a function of an individual’s strength of character and their service and contributions to the martial arts at various levels. All titles will only be awarded to those who meet these SMAA guidelines.  The common titles used in the most popular martial arts are:

Sensei, Sabumnim, Sifu, Sigung, Guru, Renshi, Kyoshi, Hanshi, Shihan, Founder, Master, Grandmaster, etc.

Registration fee for all titles is $25 and must be approved by SMAA Yudansha Taigu or Kyoju Dairi.

Contact us if you are interested in such certification.

SMAA Yudansha Taigu (international senior leaders of the martial arts) are authorized to make promotions, certifications, etc. as they see fit within the association. There will be no more than five Yudansha Taigu at any given time. The rank of Yudansha Taigu may be revoked at any time by unanimous vote of the remaining Yudansha Taigu.

SMAA Kyoju Dairi (regional leaders of the martial arts) are authorized to recommend promotions, certifications, etc. as they see fit within the association. There will be no more than fifteen Kyoju Dairi at any given time. The rank of Kyoju Dairi may be revoked at any time by unanimous vote of the Yudansha Taigu.

The SMAA is in the process of creating a code of conduct and ethics for all members. Your thoughts and specific contributions in this area would be greatly appreciated. Obviously, illegal, unethical, immoral or otherwise improper actions or behavior are grounds for immediate expulsion from the SMAA at the discretion of the Yudansha Taigu.

PLEASE NOTE:

The SMAA encourages the highest level of loyalty to one's instructor and seniors. Please don't ask us to undermine this loyalty by going behind your instructor's back to explore possible rank evaluation, promotion and certification - we will never knowingly work with another instructor's students unless given permission to do so by that instructor.

Donn Schucker, Executive Director
P.O. Box 2171
Florissant, MO 63032-2171
Phone: (314) 606-7306
Email: ds@smaa-martialarts.com