Need some advice...

[Isshinryu_heart]

Ok...so there's this guy in my dojo who was a jr. brown belt when he was a kid but quit (at age 9 0r 10). A few months ago, he came back to train again (he's in his 20's now). My sensei made him start back at white belt, but he was given a little more kata since he already knew some of it.

He did work really hard, made it to classes about 3 nights a week, and everything came easily to him (then again, he's one of those natural athletic types).

Well last week we had testing and promotions, and he was testing (we all assumed for yellow belt). But when it was time for promotions, my sensei promoted him to 2nd kyu (the same rank as me). Now I'm happy for him and his accomplishments and all that, but Ive been training hard for 6 years. I worked really hard to achieve my rank (everything is much more difficult for me because of my medical conditions). I feel kind of cheated out, because he came back to the dojo for a few months (not more then 5 or 6 months) and is already the same rank as me.

Of course, I respect my Sensei's decisions, and I would never try to second-guess him. I guess this sounds kind of selfish...but I barely know the guy and I'm going to test with him for black belt, and I really don't want to. There's a good chance that he will pass me in rank when we test for black belt, and I don't see how that's fair. It makes me feel insignificant.

[JusticeZero]

Dude.. it's a strip of colored cloth. GET OVER IT. The color of your belt doesn't affect your skills. It doesn't change who you are. I trained for six years without getting a belt of any kind, and when I got one, for various political and geographical reasons, it was the "We're pretty sure you aren't going to hurt yourself if we stop looking at you for a moment" rank. I know several people in Karate styles who don't test. The only way they'll accept a change in rank is if the instructor just hands them the new belt. They think testing for rank is a bad tendency in the arts that detracts from the practice.

[P.A.L]

No he won't pass you, this kind of skipping doesn't happen everytime, it's kinda normal,he was a 9th kyu for 6 months to refresh his memory it didn't mean he was a 9th kyu, you may know more kata but he also has the knowledge of style. i tested as white belt in a shitoryu dojo after 6 months and they gave me 3th kyu while my total test score was like 80 many more scored around 84 and passed one level. i didn't even do the kata in thier way, i did it my way and sensei asked the pannel judges to score my kata only based on technique and timing but he told me that was the only time and there won't be anymore skipping rank,and i have to change all the katas to his way if i want the next belt,and that he will demot me if i don't fill the gap.

remeber you are not competing against your sempai , you are competing yourself. i really think it was unfair for the other guy to get less than his original belt back. just trust your sensei judgment for time being.

[Jeet Kune Do]

A belt is a piece of material, a brain is more than that

[bushido_man96]

This is easy for me to say, but I say don't worry about him. Worry about your level, your training, and where your goals have you going.

[Dlove]

I'm alot like what you have described, I was involved in martial arts at a young age and tested for my 4th kup and passed, before my lesson my intructor simply dissapeared, his family was still there he just left and never came back. Now 20 years later I'm making my return to martial arts(Tong il Lo) with both of my daughters and I insisted that I start all over from a white belt with both of my daughters, that way I could help them and get there technique where it should be, I have been offered to test for two belts at a time all the way up to brown belt and have refused, out of respect for my other classmates and my daughters.

But you should not feel cheated in any way when you both test for your black belts you will both have to know the proper techniques, or you simply shouldnt pass..

[Blackbeltblonde]

Martial arts is hard because you are fighting yourself. You are supposed to go at your own pace and try hard not to compare yourself to others. So... Stop comparing yourself to him... Trust me it will help you.

~BBB

[Brandon Fisher]

His past experience really has a lot to do with it. Simple fact is if someone comes back after ebing gone for awhile I do not make them start over. The belt is nothing compared to the knowledge.

[jaymac]

Just focus on you only. Instead of worrying whether this guy is going to pass you, take extra classes. Train hard, and achieve your black belt with the thought behind that you worked very hard to earn that rank and you deserve it.

[CheekyMusician]

I agree with the idea that this is YOUR personal journey and its got nothing to do with that guy. So what if he ends up outranking you? There's plenty of other martial artists in the world who already outrank you and there always will be. I can understand that you might feel a bit upset since this guy stopped training and just came back, but obviously he knew the stuff and was the correct standard or your instructor would never have passed him.

As everyone says, belts shouldn't be important, it should be LEARNING that counts. Belts are a sign of what you have achieved and what you have learned within your own club, and you should be proud of your rank as an indicator of your own personal learning and progression. Unfortunately, over the years they've come to be viewed in the martial arts as a status symbol that marks you as better or worse than your peers and I think you are annoyed at the fact that this guy who hasn't been as dedicated as you have been now suddenly has the same status as you within the club. I think its best if you forget about that. Thinking like that can only ultimately hold you back in your training.

Just remember, regardless of your belt colour you will always have something new to learn whether that be in technique or in attitude. This is also true for the guy who has just been promoted. As you said, he's a natural athlete, and as such it is natural that he will be able to retain his previous rank, or higher than his previous rank, with very little effort. Maybe you're not such a natural athlete as him and had to work long and hard to achieve that rank. However, as you progress in your training, progression will depend more and more on refining the finer points of your training and you will have to pay meticulous attention to detail and it takes a mentally strong person to persevere when training becomes more and more intense, but with less noticeable results. You've already learned to be dedicated and to persevere where this other guy has not, and those mental attitudes will serve you well in your future training.