(from Mr. Skip Hancock's Facebook page, September 30, 2019)
Why are there so many 10th Degree Black Belts in Ed Parker’s Kenpo?
Since the death of Ed Parker, there has been an ever-increasing number of “10th Degree” Black Belts in Ed Parker’s Kenpo. So, many people have been asking “Why?” In this article I will begin to answer this question. In a subsequent article I will go deeper into the subject. In this first part I offer specific definitions of major titles to clarify the question.
Senior Grandmaster
The Senior Grandmaster is the founder of the Art.
There can only ever be one. No one else of that system may have this title. A Martial Artist is not promoted to Senior Grandmaster. He/She is recognized as one.
Knowledgeable individuals and groups of Martial Artists recognize that this individual has created his/her own, unique system of Martial Arts. The creator of this system also recognizes that he/she has actually created something new and that he/she is a Senior Grandmaster of the Arts.
Grandmaster
The Grandmaster is the current head of a system.
When a Senior Grandmaster creates his system, at the same time, he becomes the Grandmaster o his system.
When the Senior Grandmaster desires to retire, he should promote one of his senior students to
Grandmaster of the system. The Senior Grandmaster does not have to, but should consult his senior students and promote a Grandmaster to lead the system. In the absence of his teacher the new Grandmaster should be promoted by the senior students of the system.
There can only be 1 Grandmaster at a time for any system. Other senior students may hold the same belt rank as the Grandmaster, but not the title. And, it is not necessary that the Grandmaster of the system be a 10th Degree Black Belt. This title indicates no rank, but rather that the individual is the head of the system.
Master.
Ed Parker organized the belt structure of his system so that there are different levels of Mastery:
8th Degree Black Belt is an Associate Master of the Art
9th Degree Black Belt is a Master of the Art
10th Degree Black Belt is a Senior Master of the Art
The structure of Masters, Grandmaster, and Senior Grandmaster allows for any number of 8th, 9th and 10th Degree Masters of the Art in Ed Parker’s Kenpo. But there can only be 1 Grandmaster of Ed Parker’s Kenpo – the current leader of the Art. There can only be 1 Senior Grandmaster of Ed Parker’s Kenpo, and that is Ed Parker.
No one else can ever claim this title in Ed Parker’s Kenpo.
It must be noted that Ed Parker did not ever name a Grandmaster for his system. Nor did his advanced students ever convene to name a Grandmaster to Ed Parker’s Kenpo. Thus, in the absence of the Senior Grandmaster Ed Parker, there is NO Grandmaster of Ed Parker’s Kenpo.
