Public or Private Testing

[searcher]

I run open tests for under brown and I run closed testing for brown up. The purpose for closing the tests for our higher ranks is that the level of brutality that we have is often to much for parents and young students. We have tried open tests and we lose students for that reason.

 

[matt.m]

Tests in Moo Sul Kwan are private. It is a Black belt panel and the testers. Period end of story. None of this "My family wants to watch" business. However I am speaking from the experience of the adult testing. Black Belt is like the fortress of solitude.

Now with that being said, at my school all ranks except black belt test can test at the same time. It does not matter if it is a white testing for yellow, a green testing for blue, or a brown testing for red.

 

[bluemtn]

My dojang has public testings, so I've never tested privately. Public testing isn't so bad, unless you get someone rowdy...

 

[Sipsoo Dragon]

Hi,

I have taken part in both open and closed gradings, but I hold open gradings upto 3rd Dan in our school.

I took my 4th Dan last year and that was strictly closed, we had to go into the dojang one at a time to preform all our hyungs etc. The sparring and one step was done as a group. The grading was very technical and lasted 5 hours and that was only the first part. The whole grading was over a 3 day period.

Never been so focused in all my life and it took over 3 weeks to recover physically.

Pil Seung

Ken

 

[mcmillintkd]

We test in public. Colored belts can test privately but only because they were not able to make a regular testing. I just tested privately because I had to work on the test day (I am a student so have to work around classes and time at the dojang). A private test was held for two of us at the end of an evening. I suspect everything we did during the evening was part of our test. I liked this because the extra attention was paid to everthing we did. There was no escaping the judges eyes because something else in the room distracted them.

BB testing is public because of the cost of extra judges. BB testing is always done in a group though they can be testing for different ranks.

 

[searcher]

We always keep our BB tests private. It allows less distraction. I want my students to be fully focused on what they are doing. With the things they have to do there is less risk of them getting hurt.

 

[pstarr]

Our examinations are all open to students and family members. I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[Fluffy]

All public testings, no secrets.

 

[searcher]

Our examinations are all open to students and family members. I wouldn't have it any other way.

The problem with this is that , depending on which style they are testing in, when we do "Sanchin" testing and the fifty man fight we often freak out parents and spectators. They think that their little boy or girl will have to do this. Which is partially true. They will to test for adult BB. This part of the test is often brutal to the on-looker. It is better for all.

 

[RheaHS]

our junior and infant testings are open, anyone can watch.

Adult gradings are closed. Only the grade testing, and the grading panel are in there, with maybe one or two senior grades. That's all.
I prefer it that way (mainly because when I'm on the mat during the children's testings I hate being looked at - even though I'm not doing it) because there's no distractions. I also like the atmosphere better, feels like I'm there to do something serious.

Also, I think our gradings have a tendency to look fairly brutal, even at lower grades. I've seen people come out crying or shaking because they are fairly physical. We are encouraged to do techniques hard, (but not to hurt) and show a lot of aggression. If the juniors or parents saw it, I think they wouldn't let their children go up into the next class!

 

[ajs1976]

Infant testing?

 

[RheaHS]

Infants are 4-7 year olds. they do stuff like stances, punches and kicks, basic groundwork and techniques. They have very informal testings, they are even fun for the adult AI's!

 

[Blindside]

We run both, public testings through green and brown and black are closed. All our tests are individual, we don't test groups. Brown and black are as much mental tests about confidence and knowledge of the system as they are about physical fitness. Few people make it through without "looking bad" at some or many points, in a closed test I can feel comfortable exposing a testees ignorance on a topic, without having to worry about what an audience thinks.

Lamont

 

[Cirdan]

All schools I have trained at have public testing (except for JJ black I think). However if the school is part of the national martial arts associastion you must pass a child if he/she is allowed to test (mon grade). This is generally kept a secret from the kids and perhaps even the parents.

 

[hwarangdo-adam]

i like the private testing myself, i dont want to show anybody up lol jk

 

[TraditionalTKD]

Our testings up to 3rd Dan black belt are public testings. All family members and friends present are perfectly welcome to watch them. This is because up to 3rd Dan you are still considered an amateur.
After 4th Dan it is strictly at the discretion of the judges. 5th Dan and higher will most likely be private, because these testings are very special and rare and are treated as such.
My 4th Dan testing was public, as was a few 5th Dan testings I've witnessed. I've also seen 4th and higher Dan testings where our Grandmaster told everyone below the rank of 4th dan, friends and family included, to leave the gymnasium. We went from 200 people present to 20 in a space of five minutes.
6th Dan testings and above would most likely be conducted in a special location away from the regular testing and at a predetermined time with just the tester/s and judges present.
And availability of judges is a factor as well. Our Instructor would most likely fly in Korean Grandmaster colleagues of his to judge something like that.