Skip Dan promotions, when is it ok?

[Twin Fist]

i would be ok with it, sure they dont know the material, but it is about skill level.

Hell, i have done it, when i started kenpo, i was TOLD to wear my brown belt (from TKD) so everyone would know my skill level, despite learning the white belt stuff.

 

[HM2PAC]

Dancingalone asked:

How would you feel if someone skilled in a similar art like karate or tang soo do joined your school and quickly promoted to black belt based on his prior experience?

I honestly didn't think that happened outside of the ATA. When we joined, they wanted to promote me based on prior experience, but I declined and started at white.

Since then we have had 2 practitioners of Okinawan Karate join at different times. They are both still taking classes, but they also chose to start at white.

Toughest white belts we have at this time. Sparring with them is always a nice surprise.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

I think that a lot depends on the nature of one's prior experience. A first dan in, say, Shotokan would have a very easy time picking up the KKW curriculum. In fact, I witnessed that first hand at our school when a shotokan yudansha joined our dojang.

He insisted on starting off at white belt, but he was promoted very quickly because really, all he had to do was learn forms and adjust his technique very, very slightly.

On the other hand, a judo yudansha (with only judo experience) or similar BJJ blackbelt would have no comparable experience to the taekwondo curriculum. Although both would undoubtedly be in good condition, particluarly if they hadn't take any time off from training, but they'd need to learn the strikes, blocks, stances, sparring style and forms, and should start at the beginning.

Daniel

 

[Twin Fist]

funny thing, I wore my Brown belt in class, but whenever I would test for kenpo rank, I showed up in a white belt, and just added a color stripe when i would pass the test.

it always cracked up Mr Spry when I would come out wearing it.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Honestly, TF, given the availablility of attachable colored stripes, I don't see any reason why a bunch of different belts are even necessary.

Just a white belt to which the student attaches a stripe when they pass the test. Those little stripes cost a whole lot less than belts too.

Daniel

 

[Twin Fist]

Daniel,
I have actually thought about doing that, just a white belt, and adding a new color stripe for each rank.

but man, that would be one DIRTY white belt by the time someone is ready to test for black.

 

[HM2PAC]

Isn't there some history to the black belt actually being the soiled and dirty white belt of the advanced students?

That the longer the student had been practicing, the dirtier the belt got?

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Isn't there some history to the black belt actually being the soiled and dirty white belt of the advanced students?

That the longer the student had been practicing, the dirtier the belt got?

That is what would now be called an old wives' tale. It is an attempt at explaining the logic behind all those colors in the belt system. To paraphrase:

In ancient times, the practitioner's obi would be white, and as he practiced it would slowly darken until he had a black belt. That is why the belts get darker as the modern practitioner progresses.

In reality, Kano used a white and black belt because they contrast. One denoted the advanced students and the other not- advanced students.

Anyhow, soiled white belts only get more yellowed, but they don't eventually turn black.

Funny thing is that if you practice a lot, after years of wear, a black belt actually begins to show white.

Daniel

 

[dancingalone]

Isn't there some history to the black belt actually being the soiled and dirty white belt of the advanced students?

That the longer the student had been practicing, the dirtier the belt got?

That's likely an apocryphal story invented to mystify the martial arts in impressive fashion to lay people. The black belt/dan ranking system was invented by Jigaro Kano of judo fame. I believe he started out with white, brown, and black belts only, but over the years the entire rainbow of colors have been added as karate and taekwondo adopted Kano's idea.

 

[HM2PAC]

Glad I asked.

I keep our stuff pretty clean. I'd have been a perpetual white belt under that system.

 

[Marginal]

Anyhow, soiled white belts only get more yellowed, but they don't eventually turn black.

Sure they do. All that blood and motor oil anyone training in a real art is likely to land in will surely turn a white belt black in exactly three years.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Sure they do. All that blood and motor oil anyone training in a real art is likely to land in will surely turn a white belt black in exactly three years.

Not completely black. You'd have black spots, light and dark green spots (grass stains) brown spots, and even some white spots and .... oh... my... it isn't a black belt, now its a .... camo belt?

Daniel