Information
As explained on the home page, the Federation serves as an umbrella organization for instructors and practitioners of the Traditional Korean Martial Arts. More specifically, for those that focus on self-defense.
The martial arts, and more specifically the traditional Korean martial arts are filled to over-flowing with posers and those that teach watered down 'kiddy karate' and call it self-defense. It is disgraceful, dishonest and fills people with a false sense of security. The Federation serves to unite those few that look beyond pointless tournaments and plastic trohpies to explore and teach the core purpose for the arts existence...self protection.
To promote this common goal, the Federation has implemented specific guidelines and standards for its members.
1. The Federation is open to instructors and individuals of the traditional Korean martial arts.
All credentials must be valid, current and verifiable. Anyone who is found to have misrepresented themselves, filed false credentials or is in violation of Federation policy will be removed from the registry and have their membership revoked. Valid is defined as having earned rank in a Traditional Korean Martial Art from a real, qualified instructor. It does not entail gaining rank through rank shopping from organization to organization or good ole boy promotions. Current is defined as being an active instructor with students. It does not entail having earned a black belt 20 years ago and having done nothing since and then suddenly having the desire to increase the Dan grade. Verifiable is defined as being able to contact an instructor or organization to inquire as to the instructors rank. Name and address of a school etc. It does not entail printing a cert with your computer.
Instructors seeking Federation membership will provide the following:
A copy of all rank, training and seminar certificates.
- A brief personal training bio including training start date, promotional dates, schools trained at, instructors trained with, seminars attended etc.
- A video tape to include what you teach, your self-defense techniques, tactics and strategy. Preferably with any/all black belt students that will also be joining the Federation.
- Money order for full amount of membership(s) will accompany the membership package. If you do not qualify for Federation membership (fraudulent or questionable credentials, incomplete membership package, lousy self-defense skills etc) the full amount will be returned. The Federation reserves the right to refuse any potential membership application.
- Contact the Federation for specific mailing instructions.
2. The instructor or individual must have a training focus on pure self-defense. If sport is taught, it must be a separate curriculum. The Federation isn't for schools that teach watered down material yet hang a 'self-defense taught here' sign over the trophy case.
3. Instructors are required to have their Dan grade students join the Federation. We aren't interested in posers looking for additional wall candy. We aren't interested in being an organization that is a mile wide but only an inch deep. If you are an individual without a school looking for advancement we will evaluate on a case-by-case basis. However, our standard viewpoint is that if you aren't actively teaching...why are you looking for a promotion?
4. Members will actively contribute to the Federation, usually through the Federation's discussion board http://www.martialwarrior.com. Active participation and learning are essential for members. I've seen high ranking members in the arts that have been stagnant for the majority of their careers...yet continue to pay their fees and receive their promotions. The Federation will not participate in that type of 'mark time, pay up' promotional process.
I've seen people receive promotions from their 'buddies' in the past as well. No evaluation process or test, just a 'here you go buddy'. The Federation will not participate in those types of 'good ole boy' promotions. Each rank santioned by the Federation will have been earned. Our aim is to put credibility and legitimacy back into the Dan ranking structure. If you have a WMF Dan certificate...you've earned it with sweat and hard work.
5. Member instructors are allowed to conduct their schools as they see fit, providing they adhere to Federation standards. Normally, to be eligible for first Dan, the indivdual needs to have logged a minimum of 450 training hours. This equates to three years of training based upon three training hours per week, each week for three years. Advancement from first Dan to second Dan would require an additional minimum of 150 training hours (one year). Advancement from second Dan to third Dan would require an additional minimum of 300 training hours (two years) Advancement to fourth Dan and beyond requires an additional minimum of 450 training hours (three years) for each Dan grade. Attendance at seminars and conferences count towards the individuals total logged hours. Standards greater than the Federation minimum are fine but earlier promotions need to have a reasonable justification (previous training experience is an example of a reasonable justification).
6. The Kwan Jang Nim (Organizational Director) of the Mu Shin Kwan is Master David Schultz. Master Schultz has thirty-four years in the martial arts and for the last eighteen years has served as a Deputy for the Bureau of Detention and Corrections. He is a military veteran (USAF). HIs rank goes directly back to Korea and he is a fifth generation instructor in his original Kwan. Master Schultz has more realistic hands on experience involving violent felons than he cares to remember but dissiminates this experience to Federation members. This is the sanctioning authority that is the bedrock of the Federation.
7. Membership is fifty dollars. This is a one time fee. You will be accepted at your current Dan grade once appropriate documentation has been submitted and verified. If you are eligible for a promotion, an appropriate evaluation can be completed at this time and the upgrade sanctioned at the time of membership. Once again, all Dan ranked students within the school will be required to join the Federation. Specific considerations can be discussed if it is a large number.
8. Promotions for instructors using the Federation as their governing/promotional authority are fifty dollars regardless of the Dan level. And appropriate evaluation will be administered by the Federation Director. The same fee applies to Federation member students. The actual school instructor is responsible for administering the appropriate test and submitting a copy of the documentation to the Federation for record keeping purposes.
9. The member will recieve a World Mu Shin Kwan Federation Dan certificate at the time of membership and will be issued a new certificate for each Dan advancement.
10. The Federation is small and selective and will probably remain that way. Our motto is quality over quantity.
If you have any questions that weren't answered here, contact us at cqdt1@yahoo.com.