# No-Dan



## Makalakumu (Jul 16, 2008)

Since my recent relocation, it has become impossible for me to continue training with my teacher.  In recognization of this and the fact that I will no longer be able to test with him, I am retiring the belt that I earned from him and am donning a plain black belt with no stripes.

This new belt represents the dan philosophy of my new school Mauna Kula.  Earning your black belt is the beginning of your journey in this martial art, but at this point, you no longer need to be rewarded with strips of cloth or any other trinkets.  Your skill level and knowledge will be apparent to others who wear black and that is the true measure of your skill.

Further, I want students at this level to see the martial art as a trade.  When you reach blackbelt, you are a journeyman and YOU are ultimately responsible for your own learning.  Your teacher can provide you with instruction, but that instruction is tailored for more to your wants and needs as a martial artist.  Your growth is your responsiblity.

I tested for chodan under my former teacher in April of 2001.  I am infinitely greatful to have had the opportunity to train under such a talented martial artist.  This change is motivated out of my respect for him and all of the other martial arts instructors in which I have learned so much.


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## Flying Crane (Jul 16, 2008)

Hi John,

I respect that decision, I've been suggesting for a while that this kind of thing might be a move in a positive direction and I'm glad to see someone has decided to actually follow thru with this.

One question:  If you bestow black belt rank upon a student, does that automatically include authority to teach and award rank up to and including black belt as well, or is there one more separate designation for a teacher?


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## Makalakumu (Jul 16, 2008)

Teaching/conferring rank are separate from a black belt ranking in my mind.  I see the rank as being a personal step where one is ready to guide their own practice.

Guiding other people's practice and preparing them is something separate.  It requires additional training in developmental psychology, curriculum and teaching methods, IMHO.


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## Flying Crane (Jul 16, 2008)

maunakumu said:


> Teaching/conferring rank are separate from a black belt ranking in my mind. I see the rank as being a personal step where one is ready to guide their own practice.
> 
> Guiding other people's practice and preparing them is something separate. It requires additional training in developmental psychology, curriculum and teaching methods, IMHO.


 

Cool.  that's similar to what I had envisioned along these lines.  There would be a distinction between Black Belt Non-Instructor, and Black Belt Instructor status.  

I'd definitely be interested in hearing how this system works out, once you get some students up to that level.  I wonder how the students will react, given all the publicity, bragging rights and advertising pump that higher and higher rank can give in the eyes of the uneducated public.  Hope it goes well, I think it's a good idea and I hope your students understand and respect your position on this.


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## Montecarlodrag (Jul 16, 2008)

maunakumu said:


> Since my recent relocation, it has become impossible for me to continue training with my teacher. In recognization of this and the fact that I will no longer be able to test with him, I am retiring the belt that I earned from him and am donning a plain black belt with no stripes.


 
No offense, but a Black Belt should not be retired, ever.

Even if you are not able to continue training under your instructor, it is your mission to teach your Martial Art to other people. You don't need to be a 5th DAN to open your own School. Just keep training hard and learning more every day and you will thrive and grow, MA speaking.

My former Instructor arrived to my city, when there was no TSD at all in all the state, He brought it here. He was 1st Dan in TSD.
Today, there are like 5 Dojangs, with more than 30 black belts and two 4th dan. All began with the arrival of a single 1st Dan, and it's still growing. He returned several years ago to his city. 

Don't let the teachings of your instructor die with your retired black belt.

Regards.


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## Sukerkin (Jul 16, 2008)

I applaud the decision to step away from the overly commercialised 'rank system' that the West seems to have fallen so in love with.  

The kyu grade belts serve a definite puporse in helping people to strive (and believe) that they can improve.  Stripes, tabs, characters et al on tho beyond dan grade do not, I think, send at all the right message.

My sensei is _rokudan_ and _renshi_ and bears no visible signs of rank at all.  That's the way it should be as far as I'm concerned.  If you can't tell an artists skill by watching him then either you don't recognise what you're looking at or there's nothing there to see.


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## Makalakumu (Jul 16, 2008)

Montecarlodrag said:


> No offense, but a Black Belt should not be retired, ever.
> 
> Even if you are not able to continue training under your instructor, it is your mission to teach your Martial Art to other people. You don't need to be a 5th DAN to open your own School. Just keep training hard and learning more every day and you will thrive and grow, MA speaking.
> 
> ...


 
I have a black belt in another system that was retired when the instructors disbanded the organization.  I have other colored belts, including a brown belt in judo that I can no longer use because I cannot train with those instructors anymore.  My current rank in TSD isn't that much different, except that my teacher is also a really good friend of mine and I will miss training with him very much.

The best I can say is that when I go back to visit, the belt goes with me and I wear it at that dojang.  It gets "unretired" when I am back in Minnesota.

Part of all this comes from the fact that now I really am on my own in regards to TSD training.  There isn't anything out here that is like the TSD that I train and even my teacher's TSD was diverging pretty rapidly from the art that I teach.  I will not be able to test or advance or learn formally under his system of TSD anymore.  

Now it truly is my journey and if I am going to continue to train in TSD, I'm going to have to find ways to grow what I was doing on my own.  The problem with stripes and ranks at the dan level is that people who know stuff automatically assume that you are of a certain skill level without ever asking to see what you can do.  Moving to a plain black belt moves out of that paradigm.  Which is something I have wanted to do for my own school for a long time.

Anyway, thank you for your opinion.  The things that my TSD teacher taught will always be there and will carry on in my dojang no matter what belt I am wearing.


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## bluemtn (Jul 16, 2008)

You aren't the first person I heard of "retiring" their black belt.  I agree that black belt is just another step/ goal, and that it really is just like being a white belt-  you never stop learning even at that stage.


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## Miles (Jul 17, 2008)

My yudanja students and I wear plain black belts for regular training session-no embroidered name (hey, we know it's our belt), no rank stripes.  Sometimes if there is a special occasion, we wear the belts with the embroidered name, still no stripes as you don't see stripes in Korea.

You did not lose your dan rank.  You just lost the need to show it in any way other than your abilities.  Congratulations!


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