When to Start Over

[phlaw]

Just curious on everyone thoughts on starting over in Martial Arts.

Lets say many years ago you trained in a certail style, got to a certain belt and then for whatever reason quit. Years later you deceide to come back.

Now, do you start over at white belt? Keep your original rank? Is it up to you or your instructor?

As for my school, my insrructor leaves it up to the student, se says if you earned a rank you deserve to wear it.

Now some people who decided to start over, he let them go and did not charge them to test up to their original rank.

As for me, I left and came back after many years and kept my Red Belt. I can't test for my Black until a relearn all of my technique etc...

Just curious what you all think?

Have a great day!

 

[Silat Student]

I would say it depends on how much of that knowledge that you retain. If you've forgotten %95 of what you learned in your previous years of training than it might be a good idea to brush up on the old techniques at the very least. If however your still sharp and haven't let your technique get sloppy than what's the problem with keeping the old belt?

 

[terryl965]

Rank is never loss technique is loss with no training over the years, as far as me you earn you keep with extra hard work you'll get back to a level at which you are comfy with and the instructors is comfy with....

 

[Sin]

I belive that MA is like riding a bike... all you have to do is hop back on

 

[Chicago Green Dragon]

I believe there is nothing wrong with putting on a white belt again and going through the ropes as they say.
You know what you know and are able to do. I also believe that lets say you are a black belt in that style from before or in another style. It will show in how you do your technique that you do have knowledge from the past.

I think the humbleness of coming full circle can be very rewarding.

Plus if you think of it we start as white and as we progress we come to black but then as the years add on the black becomes frayed with time, dedication and persistance, becoming onces again white. Completing the cycle to where we began again.

Chicago Green Dragon

:asian:

 

[TigerWoman]

I agree with what has been said. If you attained a rank and dropped out for a number of years and are going back into the same discipline, it would just take conditioning and review to get back to where you were. Might take a long time or a short time if you are in good condition. But for those that trained as kids then dropped out, for example, ten years, I have found those don't retain it as well. In fact, we have a woman right now who did just that, was a brown belt when she left, and she doesn't remember much except the basic way to do the front and round kick. So she is starting over at white....and quite happily too, considering what the red belts have to do... TW

 

[tshadowchaser]

It should be a mutual agreement between you and your instructor.
He may want you to wear the same rank belt and just relearn. You on the other hand may feel you have lost so much that a lower rank belt (WHITE) should be worn and recive higher ranks as you progress again. OR it could be the other way around.
This is a sticky question not knowing the level of retained knowledge.

 

[Feisty Mouse]

When I was in that situation, I assumed I would start over at white belt, but talked to the instructor and asked him what he thought. I didn't stay there very long, so I can't tell you how that would have worked out.

 

[SMP]

It should be a mutual agreement between you and your instructor.
He may want you to wear the same rank belt and just relearn. You on the other hand may feel you have lost so much that a lower rank belt (WHITE) should be worn and recive higher ranks as you progress again. OR it could be the other way around.
This is a sticky question not knowing the level of retained knowledge.

Exactly both should be on the same page.

 

[Ceicei]

I had a 7 year break in my style. When I returned to my style (with a different instructor, different school, same style), I decided to start over again at white, and my instructor agreed. I picked up the beginning techniques pretty quickly so I got "double promoted" (both yellow/orange). Although I ended originally at purple before my break, there had been some differences beyond orange with the current school. I had a lot more fine tuning to go, new stuff to learn, and progressed through to my current rank. I am happy I started over at white. My perspectives have changed since I originally started in 1986 and I now truly enjoy my training.

- Ceicei

 

[Patrick Skerry]

It should be a mutual agreement between you and your instructor.
He may want you to wear the same rank belt and just relearn. You on the other hand may feel you have lost so much that a lower rank belt (WHITE) should be worn and recive higher ranks as you progress again. OR it could be the other way around.
This is a sticky question not knowing the level of retained knowledge.

What about the requirements of the organization? Even if the instructor is reinstall your past rank, wouldn't headquarters have to O.K. it? (Depending on the style you practice I would guess?).

 

[loki09789]

Just curious on everyone thoughts on starting over in Martial Arts.

Lets say many years ago you trained in a certail style, got to a certain belt and then for whatever reason quit. Years later you deceide to come back.

Now, do you start over at white belt? Keep your original rank? Is it up to you or your instructor?

As for my school, my insrructor leaves it up to the student, se says if you earned a rank you deserve to wear it.

Now some people who decided to start over, he let them go and did not charge them to test up to their original rank.

As for me, I left and came back after many years and kept my Red Belt. I can't test for my Black until a relearn all of my technique etc...

Just curious what you all think?

Have a great day!

If you left at Green belt and came back after years off, then you are still a "green Belt" within the structure.

If you no longer can demonstrate "green belt" ability, then you should not be promoted until you have kicked the rust off and regained that level of performance for green belt requirements. Once that is done, you can start focusing on the higher skill expectations.

If, as I have done myself, choose to wear the belt of the rank you are focusing on while you are getting back into it so as not to disrespect the floor/instructor then that is a nice gesture (and may even be required by the instructor), but you are officially a 'green belt' unless you are expected to retest because of expiration dates or some time requirement connected to rank status.

 

[Brother John]

Starting over, it's what I do in the arts every day.
I suggest prolonged stretching.
:asian:
But no, really...
The question of starting over in rank is 100% between the individual and their instructor.
IF the instructor leaves it up to you, then make a decision that you can live with and are consistant with your ideals.
NOT your ego.

Your Brother
John

 

[loki09789]

Starting over, it's what I do in the arts every day.
I suggest prolonged stretching.
:asian:
But no, really...
The question of starting over in rank is 100% between the individual and their instructor.
IF the instructor leaves it up to you, then make a decision that you can live with and are consistant with your ideals.
NOT your ego.

Your Brother
John

well said on both points. Beginning anew every day... nice idea.