How much time on average...

[bushidomartialarts]

That sounds strange to me.. at least for advanced students and those that improve at a more relaxed pace. Also, this does not exactly give the student the impression that the art is a lifelong study.

it in fact encourages lifelong study.

the psychology works like this: people (especially children, but adults too) work longer and harder with frequent reinforcement. therefore, the more frequently you test, the longer your average person is going to train. they'll also train harder and with more intensity with that (fairly) immediate goal ahead of them.

if you want to see this principal in action, watch your body of advanced students. how often have you seen someone test for, say, second dan, and then not really take class for a year or two? they may still teach, or may train in some other art. but frequently they take a year off from serious training -- it's hard to keep motivated to do so when you know your next test is three years off.

 

[Cirdan]

it in fact encourages lifelong study.

the psychology works like this: people (especially children, but adults too) work longer and harder with frequent reinforcement. therefore, the more frequently you test, the longer your average person is going to train. they'll also train harder and with more intensity with that (fairly) immediate goal ahead of them.

if you want to see this principal in action, watch your body of advanced students. how often have you seen someone test for, say, second dan, and then not really take class for a year or two? they may still teach, or may train in some other art. but frequently they take a year off from serious training -- it's hard to keep motivated to do so when you know your next test is three years off.

Reaching 2nd dan doesn`t happen often where I train. It takes at least 8 years and I`d estimate only one out of 40 makes it that far. At this level one should be able to measure one`s progress without frequent gradings.

A little reinforcement along the way for coloured belts is a good idea but does it really all have to be directly related to the ranks? For example black tags on the belt for attending camps or having a high attendance in class might be a better idea. A student interested only in the belts is probably not cut out to be a martial artist anyway. Patience should be learned somewhere along the way and is indeed neccecary to allow the deeper aspects of MA to sink in.

 

[L Canyon]

Generelly about 6 months where I go - with exceptions, of course. If they show up more than 3-4 times a week, or come from other arts and learn quickly, I have seen promotions in 3 - 4 months.