1. What is UFS?
UFS is
an association in which all martial arts instructors, schools, and practicioners,
can belong and be recognized. In addition, we provide independent martial arts instructors
and artists rank advancement opportunities.
2. Why would someone want to belong to UFS?
There are numerous
reasons. The most common are freedom and independence. We have found that there are
few organizations that will support you in learning, advancing in, or teaching, styles
and techniques other than their own. UFS wants to assist the independent martial
arts instructor and artist, be providing them a resource, that recognizes them, their
time, rank, and accomplishments in the martial arts, no matter what styles, or techniques,
they practice and participate in.
3. What are the benefits of joining UFS and what do you receive?
a.
you'll receive a letter verifying membership in UFS.
b. you'll receive a full
color rank, school or style certificate, depending on membership level.
c. you'll
also receive a UFS membership card.
d. you'll be eligible for rank advancement
through video testing.
e. your rank can be verified through UFS headquarters,
via email.
f. you'll have access to the "Members Area" of our website
which has over 50 articles in it.
g. you'll have access to discounts on future
products and services as they become available.
4. How does a person join?
Please review our "Association"
page in its entirety for fees and details based on the membership level you're interested
in.
5. I currently belong to another association, why would I want to join UFS?
There are many reasons. The most common have been freedom and independence.
Others include having the opportunity for rank recognition and advancement while
being a independent instructor, school, style, or martial artist. Please see our
"Association" page for additional reasons.
6. How are people graded/tested?
Grading is done through existing
"verifiable" copies of rank certificates. Along with a resume or application.
If rank certificate copies are lost, stolen, eaten by the dog, etc. Then
grading MUST be done by video.
Testing and promotions are done exclusively
by video, or through one of our instructors, or member schools. The minimum video testing
fee set by the UFS Board is $100, and maximum fee $500.
7. Who can join?
Anybody, any style, any rank.
8. I may want to teach on my own someday, at either a recreation center, YMCA,
local health club, etc. Can UFS be of help to me?
Yes. In fact these
are some of the people we help most often. UFS can be of help by providing you with
an association that recognizes your rank. Thus your students will not feel, or suspect,
ones rank is self proclaimed.
Also, UFS provides additional services such
as discounted rank certificates, for Chartered Schools or Styles, for use with their
own students.
9. What is the "Members Area" on your webpage about?
The members area was designed for our association members. It's full of informative
articles for those that support our association. It's our way of thanking our members,
and doing something nice for them.
10. Who is on the Board?
Click here to find out.
11.
Can you send me some information?
Everything we could possibly say in
a brochure we've made a valiant effort to mention at our website. If you have specific
questions, email them to us we'll gladly
provide you with a personal response. But as for spending huge amounts of money on
printing brochures, and inflating our prices so our members pay for that, we feel
that's very unfair and we're highly opposed to that, as you should be too.
12. Is everyone who applies approved?
No, there are some organizations and associations who don't check or verify the present rank you claim to have. We on the other hand DO CHECK on that, and reject applications and refund fees, when they don't meet our standards. As of this updated FAQ (March 2006), we have rejected 4 applications in the first 3 months of 2006! You need to provide contact information for previous instructors, and copies of rank certificates from those instructors. If you don't have these, be prepared to make and provide a short video of your ability.
