Insight on Double Promotion

[Ben Martin]

In kickboxing when i went fpr my second (orange) belt i did so will that i skippied it but they didn't give me double promotion they gave me a grade and a half and i was a temp yellow. i was well happy but little did i know that in the next grading i had to work from the yellow and the green syllabous which i passed and now im a temp green.

[unknownstyle]

im helping a tkd black belt do a self defense routine for his 4th degree test, but he being double tested. hes been a 2nd degree for about 10 years so when he is in tournaments its not fair to the other competitors. but i disagree with the way they do it sometimes.

i went to a tournament and a instructor that was going to test a white belt for a double kyu a week after the tournament, the purpose was so they could fightin a lowere division. in that case i tottally disagree with double testing

[Master Jim Bonesho SR.]

you must test for each belt or if you skip a belt you must have the skills & time in for each belt

[Jay]

i have seen someone be tripple promoted i thought this was weird

[kivikala]

Yes, intersting topic... I'm going to say I have no problem with the exceptional and rare double promotion. I think the persons skill reflects their rank. Not the other way around.

[trustkid1]

I believe double promotion has the pros and cons. For an example if the kid is really good and you see that he can perform better than the othesr I will double grade him. But for another part is bad because some parents will complain and will ask why my son doesn't double grade. I think is up to the sensei.

[White Warlock]

Hmm, well, how about if i touch it from my perspective... a person who has no belt whatsoever (except for two honorary 'gifts' that sit in storage) and who holds to a belief that belts are, 'the devil.'

If the goal is to ensure people are ranked according to knowledge, mindset and skill, rather than merely on how many 'political hoops' they've jumped through, than providing to someone a rank that is comparable to their presented skill level and mindset is entirely appropriate... assuming you're into that whole belt thing. pfft

If, however, the goal of the belt rankings is to define who is 'better' than whom, based on seniority, on how many tests they paid for, or on how amenable they are to the head instructor... then we're off on an unhealthy path. Unfortunately, this latter seems to be the more common when such things do occur and so the concept, when performed appropriately, is tainted by the prevailing instances of abuse.

This is similar to many other issues that present hardship to legitimate martial artists. Keep it in perspective and treat each case individually. There is no 'single-sweeping' answer to this, nor is it truly important whether such abuse is rampant or not. The belt is merely a symbol and if that symbol is inappropriately obtained or utilized, it is on those who give and those who receive, not on those who spectate.

[orion82698]

I agree. The place I'm at now told me that I could even skip a belt, if I showed that I was good.

Sour taste man...... Just a plain sour taste!

[rhoonah]

Ouyr school has double promoted a few times that I can think of. These instances are VERY rare, but they happen. I have been personally double promoted and I can only think of a few other times that it has happened. The reasons for double promotion is that if someone has the matieral and skill of a higher rank, why hold them back? Is it to say that someone shouldn't be able to graduate college in 3 years even though they have all of the classes and knowledge? Of course not. If you don't believe in double promoting, that is fine. But in my opinion, there are certainly times when students deserve it. I think that it also shows the other students that some hard work and practice can be rewarded with an extra promotion.

But like I said, they should indeed be rare and help only for special cases and special students. I was double promoted because of my previous experience in the martial arts... no reason to make me go through all the ranks when I had the material and knowledge.

[Sensei Rick]

I have not read the entire thread but I understand this and do this many times. Our system for children has 27 "belts" white to black. It leaves you room for error as an instructor. First know your curriculum. If the student meets YOUR requirements, then is it fair to hold them back because of tradition or of your personal rank development as a student. If a student doesn't pass a test, it's because you haven't trained them properly. Know your goals at each phase of your teaching. You should have your end result always in mind yet; know all of your immediate goals at each phase. I always teach ahead of my goals so I can challenge the students that have been studying longer at the phase that they are in. I know curriculums should be a living thing in a constant state of change but you should know what a black belt is supposed to look like, even when they are on the path. If a student meets YOUR goals for a particular rank, and they should be skipped, then skip them. Be fair and honest with your students. Do you have a printed curriculum and a detailed lesson plan? Why should your dojo be any less organized than a college or any school? If your one child was a genius..... Would you want him to attend every grade in school, or would you want his genius fostered and nourished. Do the students the same service in your dojo.