Ranking System
Prior Training
The White Tiger Kempo Combat system is designed to emphasize a practitioner's core training. There is no reason for a martial artist to have to start at the beginning of a training curriculum; they are entering with knowledge and experience. That knowlege and experience will now be applied to WTK Combat. Experienced practitioners are invited to join the White Tiger Kempo System as a Black Belt in their specialty. A Black Belt in BJJ can complete an exam and interview applying BJJ to combat situations and be recognized as a White Tiger Kempo Grappling Black Belt. This keeps them from "starting over". From there, they begin training and learning in the other four ranges of combat. Once proficiency is demonstrated in a particular range of combat, the practitioner is awarded the next degree on their Black Belt until they show proficiency in all five ranges and the ability to flow from one range to the other.
Contact us and request a prior training evaluation and examinations.
At 5th Degree Black Belt, you are a Master of White Tiger Kempo Combat.
What is - What isn't
Practitioners how White Tiger Kempo Combat do not travel to different dojo's to obtain black belts in a particular discipline until they address each range. The ranking system is designed to bring people together to share each others strengths and address weaknesses. Students can start right off the street with no experience and build their way to Black Belt and earn their rank from start. Knowing everyone has something to offer, the White Tiger Kempo Combat system recognizes the individual and their contributions to martial arts which is why a practitioner can enter at Black Belt.
Earn It
The most important part of White Tiger Kempo Combat is the "Combat" application. With this being the case, martial arts competitor may not be immediately accepted at the black belt level even though they have a black belt in their art. If the application process does not show the practitioner to have experience with combat or the martial arts discipline applied to combat, they may not be accepted. A Martial Artist having competed in Mixed Martial Arts will have a strong chance or being recognized. However, this may not be the same for a Tae Kwon Do or BJJ type competitor. The singular focus of arts like Tae Kwon Do and BJJ requires additional explanation for their combat application. This is because these arts are sport-oriented with little application of multiple combat ranges.
Examples include, "What will a Tae Kwon Do practitioner do if the opponent closes the gap and picks them up? What will the BJJ practitioner do if the opponent is pushing, elbow or kneeing them on the ground? Several arts that are practiced as sports have a difficult time being recognized for Combat. Even Mixed Martial Arts is a sport with time limits, referee and judges. A MMA fighter may have trouble demonstrating skills in the 5th range of combat "Weapons".
Just think about how many MMA fighters we have seen with no ground game or don't know how to properly throw a kick.
Ranking System Timeline
Ranking System
Absorbing Phase
White to Yellow (3 months)
Yellow to Orange (3 Months)
Orange to Green (3 Months)
Green to Purple (3 Months)
Applying Phase
Purple to Blue (4 Months)
Blue to Red (4 Months)
Red to Brown (4 Months)
Analyzing Phase
Brown 1 stripe (3 Months)
Brown 2 stripes (3 Months)
Brown 3 stripes (3 Months)
Dissolving Phase
Black Belt (student should have a minimum training 3years)
*The White Tiger Kempo Combat system allows black belts from other systems to be recognized as WTK Combat Black Belts based on their knowledge of combat. They can test in writing and through interviews to attach the combat knowledge recognition to their core training discipline. Their core discipline and emphasis will be recognized in parentheses on their certification and their mastery of a certain range of combat. These candidates can qualify for abbreviated testing methods. They should show proficiency in each range and mastery in their discipline. These practitioners would build their personal system of WTK Combat around their core discipline.
Example- White Tiger Kempo First Degree Black (Grappling)
Once a practitioner has demonstrated black belt level proficiency in each level of training, they will obtain the Master Level of White Tiger Kempo Combat – 5th Degree Black Belt.
Practitioners must complete 3 levels of White Tiger Combat Training within the WTK Combat System to obtain Master Levels. A student could be a black belt in TaeKwon Do and BJJ. They would have to complete the requirements for Striking / Punching and Trapping / Clinching for the other two levels by WTK Kempo. Since WTK Combat is only for LE or Military in most cases, the weapons training will be completed at an agency or military branch and considered acquired.