Pepper spray in a black belt test?

[etali]

I'm all in favour of extreme training, for adults - if they know what they're getting in to!

The OP said that he heard about this from a parent. At what point do you find out that you will be getting pepper sprayed in the face? If someone sprung that on me at a grading I wouldn't be impressed! That's something I'd want to know about before I even started attending the dojo. Personally, with plenty of warning to psych myself up, I'd take the spraying because I'm nuts like that, but there are plenty of people who either can't safely experience it, or who just don't want to. If they don't find out until they've been training for a couple of years, then how will they feel?

As for spraying kids - that's completely irresponsible on so many levels I don't even know where to start.

 

[Kong Soo Do]

Hello. After leaving my school of 9 years for personal reasons, I started looking for a new school. There was another in town that I gave a look. I spoke with the man who runs it. He answered all questions up front in a straightforward manner, no contracts, great facility. All of the philosophies he gave I agreed with.

However, as I sat in the lobby waiting for my first intro class, a parent was talking about how for the black belt test, a student is to be sprayed with pepper spray then made to perform techniques and spar. This is done for all prospective black belts, regardless of age. Even minors have to go through with it. I asked the instructor if this was true. He confirmed it.

I understand pepper spray is more painful than harmful, however there is a part of me that just screams that this instructor has a total lack of judgement. Having been through a black belt test before, I can totally understand the value in pushing someone past their mental and physical breaking point. At this point, though, I'm starting to see this as more hazing than testing. Thoughts?

I don't think this is appropriate for children. And as mentioned above, children shouldn't be testing for black belt (but that is another topic).

However...

For an adult, I will say this is perhaps a good thing and I'll toss out some things to consider;

• I'm an ASR (Aersol Subject Restraint aka O.C.) instructor and I've been hit directly in the face with it as well as indirect exposure. All recruits are both maced (grenade) and O.C.'d because it is likely that at some point in our career we will be exposed directly or indirectly. For example, many is the time that I've had to physically take someone to the ground that has been sprayed thus giving me an indirect exposure). This is to familiarize them with what it is like to be affected and be able to fight through the effects and still function.
• Many BB and/or instructor tests now and in the past required weapons use i.e. sword or knife or stick etc. O.C. is simply a modern, defensive weapon and can be a useful tool in some situations. It may allow for a stun and run defense without having to go hands on, which in many cases is preferable.
• Since it is in wide use these days, the chance of direct or indirect exposure has increased as well, even for civilians. Either a wind bringing your own spray back in your face or the BG using it against you.
• It would be good training to know that you can be affected by it and still function/fight through it.
• No different concept really than being struck during a BB test, which many arts do either during kata (Sanchin for example) or through sparring.
• Important to know how to decontaminate as well, either for yourself or a loved one.
• In some ways, it is an attempt to 'modernize' some elements of the martial arts.
• It is...the MARTIAL arts.

Just some tidbits. Children no but adults, sure.