Free your mind and dont care about belts

[strangepair03]

Hi, I also study Isshin Ryu and was wondering what your requirements for brown belt are, always interesting to see what other dojo are doing.

Thanks,

John

Ranks are not equivalent for sure...Brown belt requirements are pretty tough at my school, but less so at others. My brown belt may not be equal to yours...but within the same school my brown belt is better than your yellow belt.

Its a measure of work and effort. Too many sanctimonious types like to come on here and elsewhere and talk about how unimportant belts are...well good for you. Go train without them.

As for me, I like the color rank system and employ it at my school.

[patusai]

I like the ranking system. I think that it is somewhat important too. I like the older kyu belting system where there were fewer colors and students wore the same belt for a longer period of time (White, Green Brown...) but I can see the need in these times for more belts in-between.

[Holland]

Brown Belt Requirements at my school are:

Seisan, Seiuchin, Naihanchi, Wansu, Chinto, Kusanku, Tokumine No Kun, and Kyan no Sai.

most brown belt candidates also know kusanku sai.

Fighting on the brown belt test is rough as well...usually 20 plus minutes worth. The test is also very bunkai oriented with a goodly amount of time explaining moves.

Upper body basics, kicks, and rolls and falls are also included.

For more about my place check here https://www.capefearisshinryu.com

Also, once you reach brown belt at my school you are eligible to start taking the advanced weapons class (non-isshinryu) where you can learn Eku, kamas, nunte-bo, tekko, jo and more.

[strangepair03]

Brown Belt Requirements at my school are:

Seisan, Seiuchin, Naihanchi, Wansu, Chinto, Kusanku, Tokumine No Kun, and Kyan no Sai.

most brown belt candidates also know kusanku sai.

Fighting on the brown belt test is rough as well...usually 20 plus minutes worth. The test is also very bunkai oriented with a goodly amount of time explaining moves.

Upper body basics, kicks, and rolls and falls are also included.

For more about my place check here https://www.capefearisshinryu.com

Also, once you reach brown belt at my school you are eligible to start taking the advanced weapons class (non-isshinryu) where you can learn Eku, kamas, nunte-bo, tekko, jo and more.

Cool, very close to my school also. we also require sanchin at ikkyu.

Thanks

[Holland]

After getting brown belt (san-kyu) we finish off kusanku sai and teach sanchin for ni-kyu....then we teach Sunsu for Ik-kyu. Most people stay at brown belt at least a year.

[italian_guy]

Belts are not a bad thing if properly hadled by the person who wear it. Expecially belt exams help you to focus on your program and train harder for the final price you get. I think that the grade itself does not mean a lot, just a measurement of experience and time spent training. In my school we train all togheter and most of the time we do the same thing... only when we study new katas we split in ranks... and the BBs help with the teaching.

[KarateK]

I think that the grade itself does not mean a lot, just a measurement of experience and time spent training. .

Couldnt have put it better myself. Its not the colour that matters - its the achievement in itself. Attaining a higher grade that your sensei thinks you are worthy of means more than the certificate and belt.

[NinTai]

This agument can be used for anything.

I'm better than you because I wear Armani and you don't.

People can say, "I know such and such kata and you don't"

The person who will obsess over belt color will find something

else to obsess over if you take that away.

When I went to see my current instructor for the first time

I wore a white belt. He found out that I was a shodan in another

system and said to wear my black belt next time.

So I did, no big deal I'm still me. I would learn the same things

at the same pace because of who I am and because of the way

my instructor teaches me. No more, no less.

Making a big todo about not having a rank system is just as bad

as making a big deal about having one.

Just wear what you instructor gives you and keep training.

[daikento shukokai]

I disagree with dojos who charge excessive grading fees in order to progress their students to higher belts as this is not what martial arts should be about. It could also mean that you are buying your grades and not actually reflect your ability. (Gradings for commercial gain)

However, belts can be used as a means of setting yourself goals within your training. They will also act as a measure of your personal achievement

When you first start martial arts, your ultimate aim is to achieve your black belt, but their is no better feeling when you've had your black belt for so long that it starts turning back to white.

[kivikala]

I think ranks/belts are a good thing. Why? Well, they provide a yardstick for self-measurement. They give some standard within a school to help the beginner keep on track or a least focused. They are a problem when they become THE reason for training. Here I think the focus would be all wrong. Rank systems work well within a specific school or organization. Outside of that things break down rather quickly.

Comparing ranks between dissimilar schools is a pointless exercise. A rank-a-holic attitude has grown in dramatic magnitudes since I began. Case in point, when I was at my peak inter-dojo visiting all ranks across almost every style was very very close to one another. Be it a Goju, Uechi, Shotokan, Shito, Shorin, or any other Japanese/Okinawan style (even some kenpo and Taekwondo too) The ranks and their requirements were so similar it was a trivial matter for a student to train in multiple schools and keep things straight. Outside of some different kata (which "different" is a relative term) there was no big wooptido about it. The reality was a brown belt in school X was every bit as good as one in school Y and all black belts had an amazing degree commonality to them. It was what I refer to as good. Measure for measure people were relatively equal. This made tournaments fun. Cross training in styles easy and everyone knew where they stood in the world. There was no central governing organization, just people being honest and working in their respective art.

But something changed. Now it seems there is such a divide between ranks and schools that nothing matches up anymore. Some schools set their standards lower to get more back belts faster, Others set their standards so high to promote high turnover or keep a sustaining cash flow. Whatever the reason a brown belt here is not the same as a brown belt there. But I still think ranks/belts are a good thing. At least now there are so many pretty colors.