Requiring Patience For The Black Belt And For Rank Advancement In General

[HighKick]

No you also need skill, but that's what the test is for, to see if you've got the skill. So what Im saying is it's the test and whether or not you pass or fail that determines whether or not you've got adequate skill to grade up.

Totally, completely, 100% disagree. With the exception of when a person is really, really green, it is up to the person to train at a high level. This includes finding a school/gym that meets their needs. It isn't the 1970's; it is very easy for a person to know and understand 'high level' training. If they live in denial, that is on them and will usually be fleshed out quick enough.

To be clear, this does not include people who cannot or do not want to train for peak performance. Some people see a dojo/dojang as a social club. And while I do not fully subscribe to this, there is something to be said about a strong brotherhood in a school. It is what keeps most schools alive and thriving.

 

[Leviathan]

I’ve discussed this before about somebody who posted on a martial arts Internet forum, not this one, who said his instructor required patience to get a black belt and for rank advancement in general. He didn’t really get into detail about the system that his instructor used for rank advancement except to say that the instructor tells the student when they will test because patience was a requirement. So for instance lets say there’s a brown belt student at his dojo and the next time the student gets promoted it will be to that of first degree black belt. Even if the student is skilled enough to pass the test the instructor might not tell the student they can test because he wants the student to be patient. So when I posted about this before some people said that this was a good idea but I don’t entirely agree, I think if somebody is skilled enough they should be allowed to promote because, number one, time is precious, and number two, if a student has skill that means they’ve got patience simply because it takes patience to develop skill, that’s just my position on it.

Does the trainer want you to be patient or obedient? Normally there are some rules that provide a framework as to when you can take the next belt test. That‘s transparent and fair.

Basically, if the trainer wants to postpone the test (for more than technical reasons like tests are next month for all so wait till then) although the student has the skills, I think the trainer is on a power trip. Just like those drill sergeants in movies (don’t know if it’s like that in real life) abusing their power and screaming in the face of new recruits „I get to decide when you crap and when you take a piss, clear? / Siryessir!!! / Whaaat dumbhead? I didn’t hear you. Etc.“

 

[PhotonGuy]

Totally, completely, 100% disagree. With the exception of when a person is really, really green, it is up to the person to train at a high level. This includes finding a school/gym that meets their needs. It isn't the 1970's; it is very easy for a person to know and understand 'high level' training. If they live in denial, that is on them and will usually be fleshed out quick enough.

To be clear, this does not include people who cannot or do not want to train for peak performance. Some people see a dojo/dojang as a social club. And while I do not fully subscribe to this, there is something to be said about a strong brotherhood in a school. It is what keeps most schools alive and thriving.

So what do you disagree with? Do you think students shouldn't be formally tested? Do you think that tests shouldn't measure skill? If they don't then they aren't tests because the very definition of a test means that it measures skill.

You're right that it is up to the person to train at a high level or whatever level they train at. People take up the martial arts for different reasons and have different goals, motivations and wanted results, but exactly what about my post do you disagree with?

 

[PhotonGuy]

Does the trainer want you to be patient or obedient? Normally there are some rules that provide a framework as to when you can take the next belt test. That‘s transparent and fair.

Basically, if the trainer wants to postpone the test (for more than technical reasons like tests are next month for all so wait till then) although the student has the skills, I think the trainer is on a power trip. Just like those drill sergeants in movies (don’t know if it’s like that in real life) abusing their power and screaming in the face of new recruits „I get to decide when you crap and when you take a piss, clear? / Siryessir!!! / Whaaat dumbhead? I didn’t hear you. Etc.“

Practically all dojos are going to have a framework about when you can test, at my first dojo tests were run about every four months so if you wanted to test for your next rank you had to do it four months after the last test was held.

For an instructor to postpone a test for a student beyond that, beyond the framework of when tests are held as you point out, it isn't necessarily because the instructor is on a power trip, it could be because of the bet the student would be testing for, some of the higher belts might have longer minimum time requirements so maybe a student hasn't had their current rank long enough to be eligible to test for their next rank if its a high rank, when the testing date rolls around. For example, at my current dojo there is a five year minimum time requirement to get a black belt, to be eligible for the black belt you have to be a student there for at least five years.