Testing

[Chito]

Just curious... how long does it take to achieve shodan in your style or dojo?

 

It takes us about 5 years. And only one person in Canada is allowed to test us for it, Higashi Sensei (and the rank of 1st kyu is done by only one or two people on the provinical level). And it's NOT easy. He's failed a number of practitioners. One, who later became one of the best instructors, failed three times. Same with dan ranking. And we see shodan as a beginner... now having the learned the skills to start "real" karate.

 

I just think sometimes a lot of schools go the quick and easy way which in may cases, not all, results in low quality skills. One school I talked to passed you on to shodan in two years.

 

Any thoughts or experiences?

[Shorinryu Sensei]

Reaching shodan in my dojo depends entirely on the person. Some can do it in 3 years, whereas I have one student that's been with me over 7 years and has at least another year to go...but I suspect longer than that. I can promote my own students up to Sandan level.

 

My personal opinion, and that of my organization, is that the instructor knows his students better than anybody else does, so they allow us to promote our own students rather than a "master" or a certifying board of some sort. Not that that method is wrong, and it does promote a sort of consistency in ranking, but if you can't have faith in your instructors and their ability to determine if someone is ready for a promotion, then what is the point of having them?

 

It's the way that we do it. Okinawan systems in general (not always of course) put their faith in the training of their instructors that they know what they're doing. We don't need to be babysat. Of the various higher ranks that I have worked with, the various belt levels have always seemed to be pretty much right on with each other in skills and abilities.

[snazzed]

At my old Dojo, they told beginners to expect it to take 5 years. If you were naturally skilled and also dedicated you could do it in three.

 

However, that is what they TOLD beginners. I have yet to see anyone do get a BB in less than 5 years... actually come to think of it most seem to take more like 7.

 

snazzed

[Chito]

Oh, i've seen it in about 4. But the course curriculum is very structured. And sometimes it takes a bit longer. The final word on who goes for testing is with the dojo's sensei. And of course, each person is different... I find some who have real natural ability will have to meet a higher standard then those who... well... just don't got it. lol

[June1]

At my dojo, it takes anywhere from 4-6 years. I don't understand this, as I was actually given a stripe early, then told I wasn't going to grade for orange belt after all, since I had not put in the minimum requirement of 3 months per higher kyu.

 

What I don't get is that if you have to put in a minimum amount of time, why is it 4-6? Why does it vary?

 

Could it be that as you get closer to black belt, they start looking at your ability more, and judge you based on that? One can only hope, I guess...

[G95champ]

Assuming the person was ready to test when each testing date came up the quickest one could do it would be 2 1/2 years. With that said most of our people usually drag it out to about 3 or 4 years.

 

We also put age limits on it that no one under 15 will get a Black Belt so in that case longer.

 

NOTE Times change from style to style based more so on the number of belts. We use 8 color belts and or degrees of those belts. Some styles use as few and one or 4 while ive seen some people who use as many and 14 ranks levels before Shodan.

[isshinryu5toforever]

I never liked the pre-brown belt striping idea. I feel like the standard color belt rankings are good enough. If it takes more time for certain people, so be it. I guess it can work as an encouragement tool though, to keep them going.

[karatekid1975]

I have seen, at the earliest, is 2 and a 1/2 years, but that was someone who had previous training (and rare to boot). The longest I've seen was 7 years. I've been traing 4 and a 1/2 years and I'm still a red belt (by choice .... I'm not ready for BB).

[vertigo]

I have heard it takes (on average) 4-6 years to get your shodan.. do people really get it in this amount of time? No clue.. I've only been around a few months.. sounds about right though

[ramymensa]

6-8 years in our dojo.