ranking question

[Keezel]

This would not apply to me, but I have wondered several times about how this works. Let's you earn a 2nd degree black belt in one form of martial arts and then begin taking another form of martial arts. How would you be ranked when you begin studying the new form? Would you start as a white belt and progress much more rapidly than the usual student, or would you start out with some middle rank, or would you just start with the rank that you attained in your other form of martial arts?

[Shane]

This can vary!!!! By this I mean some schools might let someone come in and be at a mid level rank where others require them to start at the begining levels. I will tell you how I run my school. If I have a black belt from another style come in to do a seminar or workshop then I want them to wear the rank of their style. Now one joins my class they must start at my white belt rank. This individual may progress faster than some or maybe not but I still have a minimum time in rank requirement, that must be met and there is techniques for each belt that each student must know to standard before being allowed to advance. Once these requirments are met to STANDARD then the student is promoted. If I bring a black belt into my program as a blue or green belt they still will not know the program for the belt below them at my school, regardless of what they know from outside my program.

 

Also rank is only good within a school, because it means nothing on the street. So putting in your time at my school is a major factor and of course being at the proper skill level.

 

Remember you dont loose your black belt your just working towards another.

[karatekid1975]

I started in Tang Soo Do as a beginner (of course, because I had no previous training). When I moved and started TKD, I started at white belt. BUT I progressed faster to about green belt level. I could have progressed faster after that, but I chose not to. To me, I thought it was too fast. If I were ever to go back to my old TSD dojang, even after recieving my BB in TKD, I would still where my old rank or start over.

[busling]

I have never switched styles, however I have seen a few people from different styles join our school.

 

A few have started at a mid/low rank, these guys didn't stay long at all.

 

The vast majority start at white belt and progress from there. When sparring/wrestling people from other styles it is quickly evident if they have training from elsewhere. Some of them seem to progress quickly and others fall by the wayside.

 

There are definete(sp?) time requirements between many of our belts and this stops the "other style" guys from jumping ahead.

 

My guess is that your "other style" experience will give you a great foundation to build on in your new style.

[AngelaG]

If you start at our dojo and have previously trained in the same style you are allowed to come in at whatever grade you reached prviously, but you will not be allowed to grade again until you reach the standards needed for the next grade (which would also obviously mean the missing knowledge from earlier grades).

 

If you were from a totally different style I guess it would mean back to white belt again.

[Master Jules]

When I owned my dojo, this situation presented itself a few times.

 

If the new student had earned a Black belt in a different style at another dojo, I would grant them the courtesy of wearing their BB, but not lining up ahead of my lead student. I would expect them to progress faster than someone with a "clean slate", since the have learned already how "to learn" martial arts....if you know what I mean.

 

If the new student was a color belt from another dojo, they would have to start at white belt, but again, I would expect to see a faster progression.

[wingchunner]

at my school. We don't have ranks. Everyone is at a different level with regards to knowledge and skill.

 

Marty

[47MartialMan]

If it is too different schools, per methods, you have to be expected to learn at "ground level".

 

Look at this way, you go to a school for mechanical drawing (drafting). Later on you go to a machine shop. Although you can "read" the drawings, doesn't mean you can go straight at running a machine to produce the item.

[Master Jules]

I agree MM.....however...since they have trained before...they already understand how to "learn martial arts" so to speak....I would only expect a faster progression through the ranks, meaning...I would expect them to "get" new techniques a little faster than someone with a clean slate.

[Keezel]

That makes sense. What about sparring? If a black belt comes into a new school as a white belt - who will he/she be paired with? Hopefully not another white belt...