So anyway, lets say you're 1st Kyu. It took you 8 months to get from 2nd Kyu to 1st Kyu. You've been at 1st Kyu for the last 10 years without testing for, or being promoted to, your next rank of 1st Dan. Your instructor has not said anything about you testing for 1st Dan for the last 10 years. At this point would you ask, "can I test?"
Asking To Test
- Thread starter PhotonGuy
- Start date
KenpoMaster805
2nd Black Belt
Nope its up to the instructor not me
Headhunter
Senior Master
Yes it’s your right to ask
If you respect the instructor and want to continue to train under him, I'd agree. Nothing wrong with privately talking to him though and asking if there's anything you can or need to do to make the grade... be that specific training in areas he feels you lack, private lessons, or whatever. On the other hand, just moping around and waiting for the instructor to kick your butt into gear is just dumb. You may never advance!
After about 10 years with no advancement I approached my instructor in the manner described above. One year later I passed my 4th instructor grade. At age 65, and with some health issues, doubt I will ever go any higher in rank. But I'm learning stuff all the time. And that's good enough!
Well if it took you eight months the last time you got promoted and now its been ten years and you still haven't promoted it makes sense to say something.
Yet there are people on this forum who frown upon asking to test.
Headhunter
Senior Master
Well to me that’s silly. I respect any instructor but at the end of the day he or she is just another human being..and I’m not going to be scared to ask another human whether I can test or not
Drobison491
Yellow Belt
I've been doing some reading about different Uechi-Ryu schools and for some of them its expected that you ask to test fro 9th to 6th Kyu, which can be conducted by any black belt. The first formal test is for 5th Kyu (green belt) which seems to be designated by your instructor.
Keep in mind I'm new to the style and this is just from internet browsing, so take that for what its worth.
Keep in mind I'm new to the style and this is just from internet browsing, so take that for what its worth.
Hasn't this been asked and answered, pretty much?
You asked if they would. Some just don't care. I sat at some ranks 3-4 times longer than others. I was happy just being on the mats and getting good at things. Eventually, I'd get around to testing. And I'm not even someone who doesn't care about rank - I just got absorbed in the process.
You know what we used to do three or four times a year? When there was a particulaly crowded class, we would have everyone take off their belts and switch them around with everyone else. Black belts would wear white, yellow or green etc, greens would be wearing black, blue yada yada.
Before the class started we’d all stand in front of the mirrored wall and yak for a bit. Black belts would say, speaking from their heart, “Man, green belt was my favorite rank, it was so much fun” etc etc. We’d point to a blue belt who was wearing a Black Belt that night and say, “You look cool in that, brother.
Then we would bow in and go crazy hard training, one of those nights where everyone was drenched to the belt. We’d sit around on a cool down at the end and talk about the colored cloth you wore around your waist that night. And how it didn’t really matter, all that mattered was training, learning and working your butt off.
And there was really no need to ask to be tested. Tests happened a few times a year. Everyone in the school was welcomed to test, even if you had been promoted a week before, no matter, jump right in. Tests were purposely the hardest physical workouts we had. Sure, you were drilled on your knowledge and understanding, but the workout was the important thing.
And every single student that joined our dojo had the rules taught to them. And they agreed with them before they were allowed to start. And one of the biggest rules was “Don’t go asking about tests. Because if you come to class and work your tail off, you’ll never have to worry about one, you’ll always be ready.
It wasn’t a dojo for everybody. And thank God for that.
Before the class started we’d all stand in front of the mirrored wall and yak for a bit. Black belts would say, speaking from their heart, “Man, green belt was my favorite rank, it was so much fun” etc etc. We’d point to a blue belt who was wearing a Black Belt that night and say, “You look cool in that, brother.
Then we would bow in and go crazy hard training, one of those nights where everyone was drenched to the belt. We’d sit around on a cool down at the end and talk about the colored cloth you wore around your waist that night. And how it didn’t really matter, all that mattered was training, learning and working your butt off.
And there was really no need to ask to be tested. Tests happened a few times a year. Everyone in the school was welcomed to test, even if you had been promoted a week before, no matter, jump right in. Tests were purposely the hardest physical workouts we had. Sure, you were drilled on your knowledge and understanding, but the workout was the important thing.
And every single student that joined our dojo had the rules taught to them. And they agreed with them before they were allowed to start. And one of the biggest rules was “Don’t go asking about tests. Because if you come to class and work your tail off, you’ll never have to worry about one, you’ll always be ready.
It wasn’t a dojo for everybody. And thank God for that.
_Simon_
Senior Master
LOVE this
Not everybody has answered.
If a person doesn't care to further promote then they wouldn't ask. What Im talking about is a situation where a person does want to further promote.
You're missing the point.
So it sounds like to me that in your dojo that students could sign up and test at their own discretion, whenever they were running tests. A student didn't have to wait to be told by their sensei that they could test. A student could test or not test if they wanted or didn't want to, when they were running tests of course. And it worked that way for all belts and ranks up to and including first degree black belt.
I think that at this point, those that haven't answered don't plan on answering.
Steve
Mostly Harmless
This thread has been going on for long enough that I'm honestly not sure if I've answered or now. But to this specific question, depending on the style, and how long it generally takes to go from 2nd Kyu to 1st Kyu in that school, I'd say maybe 9 1/2 years ago? I mean, if it takes a year or two to get a black belt in a lot of styles, moving from one kyu to the next should be a matter of months. If you aren't testing, that would indicate you aren't progressing... and that's something I would think you should be able to talk about at any time with your instructor.
Steve
Mostly Harmless
Sounds nasty, man. I don't want to put on your stinky old belt.
Not everybody will, no matter how many times you re-ask it. The range of answers will remain largely unchanged.
dancingalone
Grandmaster
I used to think one should not ask. Now after years and years of owning multiple schools, I don't mind one bit. I have an objective requirement model that I happily give out. Achieve this, and you can test. I also subjectively evaluate students and will move them on when I think the time is right.
If a student asks to test and is not ready yet, I will happily test them. Occasionally they rise to the challenge.
If a student asks to test and is not ready yet, I will happily test them. Occasionally they rise to the challenge.
