Should Muay Thai have a ranking system?

I practice Muay Thai and I recently found out that my Sifu has been struggling with the idea (for years) of a ranking system. He decided to introduce it to the class. Muay stands for pulling together, Unit/Unity which is exactly what our Muay Thai class has. I think that the reason why we have that chemistry is because we don%26#039;t have ranks, so we are all equal so there are no egos to get in the way. And with the introduction of this ranking system, I have a feeling that it will change.|||I would rather they keep it traditional, without a ranking system. Once you practice it, you can tell who are the most advanced people in a class, the way they shadowbox, train, hit the pads, sparr and so on. I wouldn%26#039;t want muay thai gyms to be %26quot;belt factories%26quot;. A belt system is effective as to encourage students , as to know their progress, but it%26#039;s like you said, no belts mean no egos, everybody is equal as far as rank. My instructor has tried to implement one, but he hasn%26#039;t done it, and quite frankly i don%26#039;t think he will.|||Muay thai does have a ranking system,not belts like other ma.|||Why should any system have a belt system. They mean very little outside that school. Belts are only a physical representation of what one or a group of people think about your skills, compaired to the others in your school. I have always said that the only good thing a belt is for, besides keeping your pants up, is to choke out your opponent, and any color belt can do both those things. Other than those two things why bother. You know how good or not good you are. Why waste time and money. Belts are only about EGO. O%26#039; I%26#039;m better than this or that person. If I can walk away from a situation and the other guy dosen%26#039;t who cares what belt you wear.|||I think that the various martial arts should preserve their various theories of instruction so that people have a variety of methods to choose from. The belt system has its merits in martial arts that have a zillion different moves and it serves as a mnemonic device for the instructors who have a many students that have to be taught at the same time. My sensei can say %26quot;color belts do this on each count%26quot; so the class stays organized with many different lessons being taught by one instructor in the same class. For a competition-oriented thing like thai boxing, I don%26#039;t see why a belt system is needed. It is a tool for the instructor, whatever way it might be used, even if for profit.|||All things change to some degree. But that doesn%26#039;t necessarily mean its bad.





Coming from a school with various levels of students, (over 20 people in the adult class), it helps the sensei know where each person is at level wise with kata. That way, he doesn%26#039;t look at somebody%26#039;s kata thinking they are brown belt level when they are green....then pick out what they did wrong according to brown belt standards.





But for Muay Thai....I don%26#039;t know. Keeping it traditional is probably the best way. Have you talked about your feelings with your sifuu at all?





Perhaps have a class discussion about it. If your sifuu is struggling with it, couldn%26#039;t hurt.|||having ring wins is ranking enough.|||NO!!!! I notice most gym that have ranking system often have students with ego problem. Plus it will make students lazy because what will it be worth if all they need to get next belt is to know a couple technqiues and forms? It wouldn%26#039;t encourage them to work hard on every possible things.





My old Muay Thai gym tried to use the rank system, it backfired big time. Most people never wear the belt and often doesn%26#039;t know their own belt rank and end up fall lower or jump higher because they doesn%26#039;t know where they stand. It was a big joke that my instructor just dropped it after almost a year.|||No please no.





Its just like boxing, the ranking is in blood and sweat. The ranking comes from winning bouts, winning tournaments, winning regional titles, winning world titles.





Let Karate have there belts and let Muay Thai have its kicking *** as its belt. Muay Thai fighters don%26#039;t compete for no stinking colored belts. Muay Thai fighters love the fight. They love the challenge.





When you do Muay Thai or any real kickboxing or boxing for that matter you don%26#039;t need a belt for validation.





That is the one thing I love about Muay Thai and Boxing if you want to gauge a fighter you gauge them in the ring not by the color of their belt.





Keep it cool, keep it real forget the belt.|||I agree that it might change. I think belt systems are good and bad. Good because it lets you feel like you are progressing well. and bad because it seems like any 10 year old can get a black belt. If things are going well in your school why change them? I think its a personal preference and if this changes your view of this class you need to find a new school.