Self-Documentation Theory: Choosing Video Over Belts
While most martial arts approaches track progress with belts or ranks, we use video
In many martial arts schools, progression is tracked through a grading system and standardized testing. However, this practice is not traditional to martial arts and originated with Jigoro Kano, a judo instructor and school teacher. Influenced by Western hegemony and imperialism, martial arts grading systems began to mimic military ranks and the American school system, which itself drew from the industrial factory system, military practices, race science, and white supremacy. This colonial model not only diminishes the richness of the martial arts experience to a grade but also eliminates exploratory learning by confining learners to an idealized standard set by the instructor. This approach concentrates all power in the hands of the instructor and enforces a rigid, top-down system. Coloniality views ability as a linear, fixed point in time. However, in the Liberation Martial Arts (LMA) Learning Lab, we recognize that abilities are non-linear and continuously shaped and reshaped. Rather than treating the practitioner as a static state to be judged, we see their martial arts journey as a history to be recorded. Instead of using belts, ranks, or standardized tests, we encourage practitioners to film their training sessions to self-document their own progress. Self-documentation is deeply embedded in our philosophy, which emphasizes self-determination, self-discovery, self-directed learning, and play. This empowers practitioners to shape their own development in martial arts.
Empowerment through self-documentation
Self-documentation through filming serves as a powerful record for empowerment and transparency. Everyone sees the same things. Since your eyes face out and your perspective is first-person, recordings show you what other practitioners see: you. Self-documentation demystifies practitioner progress by capturing the real-time reality of their capabilities and needs, which are often in flux. This reduces guesswork and dependency on external validation or top-down assessments. Our bottom-up approach promotes a deep sense of ownership, allowing the practitioner to self-determine where they stand and identify areas for improvement.
The choice to film and be filmed is in the hands of each practitioner, reinforcing privacy, consent, and personal agency. This flexibility also extends to the decision of whether to share these recordings. Learning Lab members self-document using their own devices, ensuring that the viewing remains a private, self-reflective practice. However, if further feedback or support is needed, a community is always present.
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