How common is this practice at tournaments?

Question

I saw this on Youtube today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSIhP8lfjFs

The description contains this line, "He was supposed to compete in the blue belt division, but he brought his blackbelt. "

That sounds to me like this kid has a black belt but was planning to compete against blue belts. I've heard of this happening by dropping a kid to brown/red, but a blue belt at this tournament was a low-intermediate rank.

Is this a common practice in your experience? What does it say about the schools these students represent?

Answer 1

well if you are a black belt you really should go in black belt devision. butit makes sence for people to drop down ranks for a tournament people always want any advantage they can get.

i know people who are orange and green belts in karate who were black belts in tae kwon do  before they started karate but they get entered into tournaments as their rank in karate so they almost alwasy win.

i know where i train we train full contact sparring which is actually practical.. but if you enter a tournament it is normally minimal contact like cloth touches etc. so if i went into a normal tournament i would (and i have been) disqualified for excesive contact.

Answer 2

That video is absurd.

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Answer 3

First this video is a joke right? I saw nothing even approaching good technique, from the stance on up. Anyway>>

yes it is commen practice in some schools to atually drop students down one or two belt levels, and i agree with drew it is to enhance their schools reputation. If anyone at our school ever suggested such a thing my instructor would kick their a** no doubt.

It is dishonerable and despicable, but quite honestly they have to live with themselves, and eventually it will catch up to them.

I think it si totally wrong and if someone is caught doing it they need to be forbidden from competing for life.

Answer 4

It is not common per say but I have seen it as well as caught a few people doing it when I have been judging.  Its cheating and you have to wonder what other things those type of people will do to win a two or three foot piece of plastic and fake wood.  If he has a black-belt he should compete as a black belt especially if he is a teenager or older.  A mature, well skilled, well trained black-belt will compete as such.  What it says about an individual that would do otherwise is that he is certainly lacking in skill, maturity and is not a real black belt.  What concerns me even more is what other things his instructor, if he/she knows about it, is also sanctioning and such actions by a student are a reflection on the instructor.

Answer 5

Unfortunately it is common. I had this happen to my son when he was 7 now he is 16. There was a guy that was supposed to be nationally ranked and he was a couple years older than my son. Several parent told me about this young man rank and national standing. They were complaining that he should be in there fight white and yellow belts. I didn't know if were true or not. After talking to the kid later he told us his age. It did matter too much. Although he was older and had an advanced rank my son ended up fighting him for 1st place. We have that 5 foot trophy and 1st place. Plus my son one grand champion too in that tournament. He gained a lot of respect that year. The next few tournament I overheard other student talk about my boys, There go those white and yellow belts that beat black belt......lol Some people shouldn't have black belts.

Our club would never allow a student to fight down. But we do encourage them to fight up. Often they are put up in tournament anyway. They say it is to give other the opportunity to compete and win. We don't mind. We love the challenge. We know we have to work just that much harder in practice.

Answer 6

Ive seen students that have yet to be promoted in lieu of a tournament enter and win their divisions but ive never seen a student who is(for instance)a purple belt compete at blue belt level.  What it says of their schools is that their Mc dojos doing their damndest to gain credibilty through tournament wins which is despicable