Is this excessive?

[Jiffy]

Have a look at this advert from our local Yellow Pages...

http://www.yellowpages.com.au/displayads/256/478787158_Y5518256_S00Y_26_1UD_02_120.gif

Now, I don't know a whole lot about Ninjutsu, but if you have a look at the grade, doesn't 14th Dan sound a little excessive? I know "Masters" that have been training for 50 years (or more) and are 8th Dan's. How long does one have to train to be a 14th Dan?

What are your thoughts on this?

Is it justified, or just a case of giving away grades?

Have you come across a similar scenario?

[SoonerJohn]

hmmm....maybe the guy is 100 years old!

[DragonMike]

In traditional MA's 10th Dan is as high as you could go. I don't know much about Ninjitsu, but this seems fishy.

[greenpaulo]

I think its pretty normal. Check this link out http://www.ninjutsu.co.uk/training/graderecognition.html

Cheers

[Fairfax_Uechi]

Like SoonerJohn siad in Traditional arts Dans only go up to 10. Any time I hear anything above that my scam meter goes off the scale. But then again, I don't know much about MMA and the make your own stuff that's out there.

As for the question about how long to earn rank. One general rule is take the grade and multiple the number of years to the next rank (as a minimum).

So from 1 Dan to 2 Dan is 1 to 2 years, 2 Dan to 3 Dan is 2-3 years, etc. As you can see, the higher you go up in rank the longer it takes. So someone who is above 3 or 4 Dan and doesn't have 15 or so years of training indicates something suspecious. And this doesn't include the time in the Kyu ranks which can be anywhere from 2 years for someone exceptional to over 5 years for the "average" student.

Again, all of this is general, and different styles handle things differently but this is what I've seen.

[Menjo]

I think theres some major exageration going on in the add.

[Fairfax_Uechi]

I think theres some major exageration going on in the add.

Ya think?

I didn't read the ad that close before. Not only some exageration, but I'm willing to be even a few OUTRIGHT lies. If I'm not mistaken, the Japanese government is pretty strict about what arts the recognize and something tells me that these folks don't qualify. But I COULD be wrong, but don't think so.

[cathal]

Something else to consider is the wording. Ninjutusu may be recognized, but their dojo may not be; the ad doesn't specifically say that they are recognized.

*edit*

Something else I should mention is that you may want to visit their dojo to get a feel for how they act.

Edited February 6, 2006 by cathal

[Jiffy]

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who thinks it looks a little phony. I mean geez, 14th Dan, that's a bit rich. Considering there is 9 Kyu grades, that's 23 gradings all up. That just seems a bit much to me.

[tufrthanu]

Budo Taijutsu/Ninjutsu/Ninpo has 15 dans.