For some people a Grandmaster is an administrator. For others it is a head of a school or style. Personally I feel that a Grandmaster is a Master of Masters. I do not mean a social master of masters such as an organizer of masters of other styles. I have seen people over the years meet others online or at social martial arts function then invite them into their organization, style or class to help teach students their basics.  My view is; it does not matter how many Masters you have invited to your organization and presented with certifications this does not make you a Master of Masters. I cannot speak for other styles, associations or schools but in my art there is much more to learn past black belt. A Master of Masters must have a much greater understanding of human actions and reactions not only pertaining to the physical understanding of the body, but also the mental, philosophical and spiritual aspects of life and living.  In my travels I have met many Grandmasters who have not even trained one student to a Master level in their art. I have also met Grandmasters who do not have levels of training after black belts. They instead award higher degrees for the promotion of the style or school. I am not writing this to be judgemental. I’m writing this to inform people that not all Grandmasters adhere to the same understanding or qualifications for the title they are claiming.

Realistically someone with very little skill in martial arts can form an association or open a school, hire a weapons instructor, Judo and Karate instructor, maybe an early childhood educations teacher and be open for business.  Since they are the head of the school or association they may feel entitled to call themselves the Grandmaster.

Instead of asking what a Grandmaster is, I believe the question should be what kind of Grandmaster is the person?

For me it is simple. I don’t need to see a wall of certificates or Hall of Fame inductions, when I meet a Grandmaster I ask them how many students they have taught to Master level. I then usually talk to the Masters under them to see if they have grown up in the art under the tutelage of the Grandmaster, or if their training had came from elsewhere. In most cases I will watch the Masters perform to see if I see signs of their Grandmasters influence.

Very easy to avoid the politics, mis- direction, never ending copies of online certificates and stories of training with renowned great masters who taught secretly in the forest under the tree of life.