Traditional Martial Arts vs Merit-Based Progression - By Sensei Liam Musiak

Which Model Was Right for the Past — and Which One Fits 2026?

This is a topic I’ve spoken about many times, and I’ll keep speaking about it because it sits right at the centre of why traditional martial arts are struggling in the modern world.

The argument is simple on the surface:

Traditionalists believe rank should be earned by time served, age, and seniority.

I believe rank should be earned by ability, contribution, and real competence — regardless of age.

And after looking deeply at how this works across all martial arts — karate, taekwondo, kung fu, judo, BJJ, kickboxing, boxing, MMA — here’s the most honest conclusion I can give:

Traditionalists were largely right for the past.

But in 2026, a rigid time-served model is no longer good enough.

Not because tradition is “stupid.”

But because the world that created those rules no longer exists.

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1) Why Time-Served Systems Made Sense Historically

A lot of people forget that most traditional martial arts rank structures were formed in cultures built on hierarchy. Whether it’s karate, judo, taekwondo or kung fu, the assumption was always the same:

• age equals maturity

• seniority equals wisdom

• long time training equals depth

And in the world those systems came from, that was often true.

Back then:

• training access was limited

• information was guarded

• teaching was strict and slow

• most students trained only a few hours per week

• innovation was rare and discouraged

So time became a reasonable way to protect standards and prevent fraud.

The rank system acted like a filter:

• it slowed people down

• forced long-term commitment

• prevented “instant masters”

• and protected the art from being diluted

For the average student, that still works reasonably well today.

That part matters.

Because in reality, most people are not outliers. Most people need time to mature, build discipline, and develop control and emotional stability.

So no — the rules were not created because “people were dumb.”

They were created because most people need structure.

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2) The Problem: Traditionalists Turned a Useful Guideline into a Religion

The issue is that traditionalists didn’t just keep the rules.

They worshipped them.

In many places, time served has become more important than:

• actual skill

• teaching ability

• knowledge

• contribution

• realistic effectiveness

You can see it clearly in how martial arts communities react when an outlier appears.

Instead of asking:

“What can this person actually do?”

They ask:

“How old are they?”

“How many years have they waited?”

“Who gave them permission?”

That isn’t martial wisdom.

That’s hierarchy protection.

And that’s exactly where the old system breaks.

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3) In 2026, “Years Trained” Means Almost Nothing Without Context

Here’s a truth people hate:

Years don’t tell you what someone actually did.

Two people can both claim “10 years training” and be worlds apart.

• One trained once a week, casually

• One trained daily, studied deeply, taught regularly, wrote material, pressure-tested, refined, evolved

• One repeated the same basics for years

• One actively improved weekly

So when someone says “experience matters,” I agree.

But I don’t agree that:

experience = time.

Experience is:

what you did with the time.

Time is a calendar.

Experience is a life.

And modern martial arts must stop pretending they are the same thing.

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4) Combat Sports Prove Ability Beats Seniority

This is why combat sports have exploded in modern popularity.

In boxing, kickboxing, MMA, wrestling and Muay Thai:

• no one gets respect because they waited longer

• no one is protected by rank

• no one is promoted because the calendar says so

They earn it by performance.

Reality does not care how long you’ve been “waiting your turn.”

Reality cares if you can actually fight, actually defend yourself, actually apply skill under pressure.

That’s why you can have:

• young champions dominating older veterans

• teenagers becoming elite athletes

• 20-year-olds beating 35-year-olds

• and nobody calls it “disrespectful” — they call it talent, discipline, and evolution.

A perfect example is Moses Itauma (20) vs Dillian Whyte (37).

Traditional logic would say:

• Whyte is older

• Whyte has more years

• Whyte deserves seniority

• Whyte “should” be ahead

But the ring didn’t care.

Moses smashed him in the first round.

And even if someone tries the excuse:

“Whyte is past his prime…”

That only makes the truth worse for traditionalists.

Because Moses hasn’t even reached his prime yet.

So what does that prove?

Years don’t win fights.

Ability wins fights.

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5) Merit-Based Progression Isn’t About Ego — It’s About Honesty

When I say I reject time-served progression, people assume it’s arrogance.

It isn’t.

It’s the opposite.

It’s saying:

• if you meet the standard, you grade

• if you don’t, you don’t

• rank reflects ability

• not patience

• not politics

• not age

That is not disrespectful.

That’s fair.

That’s honest.

And it actually protects martial arts from becoming a theatre.

Because one of the biggest dangers in traditional systems is this:

People get outranked by weaker practitioners simply because those practitioners have been around longer.

That creates:

• false authority

• unsafe training

• weak leadership

• inflated ranks

• and eventually a reputation problem for the whole art

When belts stop reflecting reality, the art stops being trusted.

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6) The Real Question: Which System Was Better for the Past, and Which Fits Today?

Here’s the real conclusion.

For the past

Traditional time-served systems were largely effective.

They kept structure.

They protected standards.

They built long-term commitment.

They reduced fraud.

They helped average students mature slowly and safely.

For 2026

Rigid time-served systems are outdated.

Because modern martial arts requires:

• pressure-tested ability

• realism

• measurable standards

• motivation through merit

• adaptation

• and the courage to recognise true outliers

We don’t live in a world where knowledge is limited to one teacher in one dojo anymore.

We live in a world where someone can:

• train daily

• cross-train

• study anatomy and biomechanics

• learn legal and ethical self-defence

• pressure test drills

• and develop faster than the average person ever will

Yes, outliers are rare.

But rarity is not a reason to pretend they don’t exist.

And it certainly isn’t a reason to hold them back just to avoid upsetting:

• older masters

• traditional hierarchy

• or the comfort of average expectations

Nobody becomes successful by “waiting their turn.”

They become successful by:

• training harder

• learning faster

• building faster

• contributing more

• and being obsessed with improvement

That’s not common.

But when it appears, it should be recognised — not punished.

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7) Final Statement

Tradition has value.

But tradition without evolution becomes a museum.

And martial arts that refuse to evolve lose relevance, lose credibility, and eventually lose students.

So I’ll say it clearly:

Time served can be useful for most people.

But for outliers, it becomes an injustice.

In 2026, ability must matter more than age.

Reality must matter more than ritual.

Standards must matter more than seniority.

That isn’t anti-martial arts.

That is how martial arts stay alive.

— Sensei Liam Musiak