New school / Same style / Keep or lose rank

[stl_karateka]

What do you guys think of this...

 

There was a situation at my old school were a student transferred from another I-Ryu school. He was a brown belt there.

 

When he came to our school he was evaluated and it was determined that he was at green belt level (we have blue and purple belts too so that was a 3 belt drop)

 

He was about 16 and wasn't too happy about the idea.

 

What would you instructors do in that situation? He earned that belt...he spent 2.5-3years training....its not his fault our standards were different.

 

Students --- what would you do? Would you stay or go?

 

As far as his evaluation....he knew the forms but were lacking strong stances, pace, posture. Didn't know the bo requirements that we require for brown and some other things...but he was a good student and fast learner....

 

Do you keep him at brown and just prolong the promotion to black?

 

Do you move him down and have him retest at more frequent intervals?

[kempocos]

Thats what happens , his rank was in the old school not the new. He just should be allowed to test and hold the rank he qualifies for.

[Karateka_latino]

Every School have there own regulations. My instructor don't drop grades. He lets you to keep your rank if you wish. You just need to work hard and catch up the things you are missing.

[White_Tiger]

I had a similar situation happen at my school. I am the Head Instructor so I had to evaluate this student. Our style is TKD. He had trained for 2 years at his previous school, and had earned a Blue Belt which is one belt below Brown in our system. HE WAS AWFUL! And not by just our standards...by anyone who was honest. I talked to him and his family, and was straight up with them. I left the decision to the student and the family. I told him he could keep his Blue Belt, but it would be a long time before he tested for Brown, or I would move him to an appropriate level. He opted to go to a lower rank.

 

If it is the exact same system, and association. I would say let them stay at the current belt. If it is a different system, and association BUT same style...I feel they need to be evaluated, and placed at an appropriate level.

[equaninimus]

My experience has been mostly limited to Wado, Shoto, and now Seibukan, but in general, below dan grades, one usually starts over at white, either until the instructor deteremines where the new student belongs (sometimes this evaluation lasts for a single class, sometimes it is "prolonged"), or the student is allowed to test rather quickly.

 

For holders of Dan grades in the same style, and the same overall organization (i.e, the overall umbrella of "JKA" karate, for example, in its various incarnations of ISKF, ITKF, SKI, AJKA, etc..) a newcomer is usually allowed to wear his rank.

 

For a dan grade student arriving form another styule, the decision is left to the new instructor. Anecdotally, I went from a Wado 2d dan to a new Shotokan school, where I wore a white belt for a year, then "courtesy tested" to Shodan. At my current (Seibukan) School, I wore a white belt for one class, then was told "wear your real rank." I periodically return to my old Wado school to train (one night/week). There I voluntarily put on a white belt until I had recovered most of the Wado material.

 

Every Dojo and student are diferent, so just smile and go with the flow, as it were.

[karatekid1975]

You know what? I did both. I went to a school that dropped me to white belt, then I went to a school that let me keep my rank. But read this http://www.karateforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=8549 That's my opinion I hope I don't offend anyone. But that's just me. Keep an open mind folks

[italian_guy]

As a student I would accept the downgrading. If my skill level is inferior to the same ranks in the new school there is no point to keep the same color which anyway if does not reflect an effective skill is just a 'color'.

[Rich_2k3]

I suppose it depends how dedicated u are. Some ppl would except a lower grade and keep going, others may get frustrated and quit all together; I think is they do, they are obviously not dedicated as a martial artist.

[alanseijas]

"Hey, what kind of belt do you have?"

 

"Canvas! JC Penny. $3.98. You like Daniel san?"

 

"No, no, thant's not what I mean...."

 

"Daniel san, karate here(points to head), karate here(points to heart), karate never here(points to belt)."

 

Too much emphasis is put on rank, and I admit that I, myself, am guilty of this as well. Here is my story: I started training Isshinryu in 1983. I trained at 3 different schools (keeping my rank with each move), and achieved Sho Dan in 1989. With that, I ended up moving, and found a Shorinryu school close to my new home. I started back at white belt there. New style, no problems with that for me. I advanced very quickly until I broke my ankle. I never went back to that school. Now, It was 14 years later (2003); and I had enrolled my 3 year old in an Isshinryu school in 2001. Word got out that I was a Black Belt, and I was kind of asked to come to class. The Sensei even gave me a new Black Belt to wear (I am too large for my old size 4!). There were no problems. I even remembered all 8 empty hand katas which was all that was required back in 1989. Weapons were reserved for BB's, and I moved before ever starting them.

 

I trained there for 7 months, and even went to camp. I was having a blast. Well, one of the head guys in the association decided to try and search out my past to prove that I was indeed a BB. He was unsuccessful in finding my old Sensei that had awarded me my Sho Dan, and I started feeling like they thought that I was lying. I took it upon myself to try and find my old Sensei, and had a phone number to call. Still no answers. They asked to see my Dan Certificate, but I lost all of my old karate notes and awards in a basement flood years back(my wife TOLD me not to leave that stuff down there!) Before I even started at the school, I told Sensei that I had lost my papers; and he said that it was no problem. Now after 7 months, there obviously IS a problem. We're talking about 14 years ago here. How am I supposed to find a guy I haven't seen in that long, and ask him to not only remember ME; but to give me another certificate?

 

To make matters even worse, I was teaching a student; and Sensei saw me show an arm bar. He walked over, and said I should be doing it like THIS! With that, he grabbed my already injured arm, and yanked the * out of it while I was shouting, "That's the one, that's the one!" He was very sorry, and I KNOW he didn't really do it on purpose, but I'm REALLY in pain. I work on cars for a living, and that's miserable enough without adding pain to my job whenever I need to pick up a tool or something. So, I bowed out of class because of my injury; but I am afraid it probably looks like I'm faking it because I couldn't prove my rank. I have 2 boys enrolled at that school (6 and 4), and think it's a great school. I really miss going, but there's no way I can risk hurting my arm worse.

 

Now that sucks.........

[blitzcraig]

Personally I think if the student is up to the new instructors standards of what a certain belt should be then he should be allowed to keep that belt. If not, then he should have to take that specific belts test and see from there.