Colour belt/sash grading

DieRegteAdriaan

White Belt
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I have seen a post elsewhere on this site about what different peoples black belt gradings consist of and how long they take to complete. What about the colour belts, what does it entail, how much time does it take (is it over the course of a week?), and how often do you grade (once, twice or more times a year?). In the dojo where I train (Goju Ryu) I have been training for two years and only graded twice (yellow,orange) and my green grading is coming up somewhere over the next few months. The reason for this is that my Sensei doesnt grade you until you are at a specific skill requirement. The grading itself is hard and we do not grade during exam time (still a student). It usually starts on monday and ends the following thursday, with 2h of grading each except the last day 3h. It consist of lots of fitness testing, then basics (and combo moves), then kata and appplication and then traditional sparring, this all ends with a "suprise pack" which is mainly stuff like push ups, squat kicks and bags until you puke or die.
 
I train gojuryu and kobudo (similarly having graded yellow and orange) and also similarly, at this dojo you grade when the sensei says you are ready to grade. Some people grade quickly, some people spend 9 years at brown belt before finally grading to black and some students never grade up from their current level if they don't improve enough. There is generally a grading held every month, especially for the kids with all the stripes (the adults just grade full levels and of course have much higher requirements with an adult yellow belt equivalent to at least a kids full orange belt).
Grading consists of kihon (Basics), kata (forms), bunkai, sparring, self defense, questions, etc.

For the kyu (color) belts the grading is just one long night; the dan (Black) belts grade first at the local dojo and then have to go and do a weekend grading at the national level along with fulfilling other requirements. Usually there are test gradings during class before the grading is held which lets the student and the teacher know if they are really ready.

I feel this is the way it should be. McDojos will promise you a black belt in a small number of years but in truth people learn at different rates and have different aptitudes. No one can guarantee you a black belt in 5 years unless they just give you one. Anyone can buy a black belt from the local dojobuy.com but that doesn't mean you've earned it.

Outside of the dojo you don't wear your belt so only your ability shows how good you are; no one can give that to you or take it away from you either.
 
It sounds like you both have a really good instructor.
I don't allow any of my students to test until they are ready. It usually takes 4 to 5 yrs to reach shodan. Somethimes longer. If the student is to young they stay in a provisional rank (shodanho) until they reach the age of 16. I have made exceptions before but most kids under that age are not mature enough and having said that some aren't mature enough after that age. It is based on the individual student. There is more to being a BB than just skill or talent.
 
I teach karate and ju jitsu. For the students to advance in belt rank depends on their knowledge. There are 5 year old blue belts and there ar 17 year old blue belts. Once they have shown that they can preform what us required of them they may test for their next belt.
 
At our Wado club the gradings are always at the end of a three or four day camp. Tho not officially part of the test, you will be evaluated during the whole camp. Also you will not be allowed to grade before your instructor says you are ready. The length of the actual test is more or less porpotionate with your level, a 9th kyu might be as short as 15 minutes while a 1st kyu can be 2 hrs. The test usually consists of basics, kata, ukemi, prearranged sparring, pad work and free sparring. You will be tried in just about everything you have learned, not just what`s new for your current grading. It is also the student`s responsibility to be ready and warmed up when the test starts.

Camps are held three times a year. A dedicated student might grade 3 times the first year, but it will take longer for the higher belts. Making it to Dan grading in less than seven years is hard.
 
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