I check out a lot of schools just to see what they're doing and get ideas. I see that a lot of schools have blackbelt clubs and masters clubs. Some require a fee, but all testing fees are waived, others have discounts and such.
So here's the question: Does your school implement such a program and if so, what are the details? I'm currious as to whether or not something like this would be a good fit for our school, and wanted to get some feedback.
Thanks in advance,
Daniel
In my school we have both.
When you reach master yellow belt, you get invited to be in Black Belt club. You get a letter saying this "
We will be watching your progress very closely over the next several weeks, if you continue to train in a Black Belt Manner, and pass your Orange Belt Test you could earn your invitation to join our Black Belt Club."
Basically you get invited if you pass orange belt and it's a club that basically teaches you extra stuff. Stuff that you don't need to pass any test but it gets you higher up in the ranks if you know more, you know? It's also good to learn new katas or weapons to perform in tournaments and demos and such.
You also have to sign a contract promising 7 things and it is called a "Commitment to excellence in the martial arts." basically you're just promising to do your best at all times and go to tournaments and things like that. You also have to write a "Why I want to be in the Black Belt Club" essay and if you're a school aged student you have to give your recent report card because you're supposed to have a B average or higher to be in it.
Master club is basically the same as Black Belt club except slightly more advanced. You get invited once you're a green belt and you have to complete a test and a report to get in.
1st you have a written test and you have to answer these questions.
1. where does judo come from?
2. who is the founder
3. name three basic Judo chokes
4. write the names of 5 judo throws in english and japanese
5. write 5 judo related words and there meanings
6. where does Aikido come from
7. who is the founder
8. name three basic akido techniques.
then you answer 3 questions about the bo, knunchaku, and sai.
2nd you have to write at least a two page report on any two martial arts masters that are given. (i chose bruce lee and jackie chan). the first page has the title and the picture of the master and the second has to have info like the history, styles, and istructors in paragraph form.
3rd you have to define 3 styles, where they came from and who founded it. ex. karate came from Japan and Gichen Funakoshi founded it.
and i had to explain who founded our own studio.
Lastly you have to put all this in "a special presentation folder" and give it to your instructor at a deadline or he will take your belt until you do turn it in or at least that is what was said to me.
Hope this helps. I just fished through my karate notebook at all the information on the clubs that i have. A lot of people want to join masters club so they can go to judo class free. That's the appeal for masters club because once you're in black belt club you don't really need to go to masters club but people do it in order to do judo free. And learning Judo is a requirement to become black belt...i think. Don't quote me on that one. :uhyeah:
)
