Changing belt/rank structure?

[bat in a birdless village]

Has anyone here changed the number or structure of their belt or rank progression after starting their own school?

By that, I mean adding/subtracting belts, changing belt order, changing belt colors, or adding stripes or sub-levels to each belt.

If so, why and what did your instructor (above you) think of the change?

bat

[parkerlineage]

I've thought about removing belts or stripe levels from my system when I start my own dojo...it just seems like there's so much patting on the back, and people think only about their next promotion...I dunno...

[bushido_man96]

I don't know if I would change the belt system so much as I would change the time between testings, i.e., adding more time.

[cathal]

I haven't, but definitely wouldn't. We have no stripes, or anything elaborate. Just a standrad five colours.

[parkerlineage]

I haven't, but definitely wouldn't. We have no stripes, or anything elaborate. Just a standrad five colours.

See, that's what I'd like to go to. White-Yellow-Blue-Brown-Black, or something. If we Americans weren't so needy and always seeking a pat on the back, I'd go to white-brown-black.

[bat in a birdless village]

See, that's what I'd like to go to. White-Yellow-Blue-Brown-Black, or something.

That is exactly how I came up. We went white, yellow, orange, blue, green, brown, black.

There were no stripes or half ranks. In fact, my teacher's teacher broke down green and brown into three stipes each, but my teacher got rid of that and just went to 6 solid colors.

bat

[bushido_man96]

I haven't, but definitely wouldn't. We have no stripes, or anything elaborate. Just a standrad five colours.

See, that's what I'd like to go to. White-Yellow-Blue-Brown-Black, or something. If we Americans weren't so needy and always seeking a pat on the back, I'd go to white-brown-black.

I don't know if it is so much about needing a 'pat on the back,' but more about haveing that many ranks to help with setting short term goals, and then establishing objectives to reach those short term goals. The rank systems make that a little easier to manage. All of the colored belt ranks add up to the long term goal of black belt. Also, if you have curriculum for each of the belts, then no matter how many you have, as long as something is being taught and learned, then it is beneficial.

[White_Tiger]

Weel said Bushido Man!

[bushido_man96]

Weel said Bushido Man!

Thanks!

[Aodhan]

I haven't, but definitely wouldn't. We have no stripes, or anything elaborate. Just a standrad five colours.

See, that's what I'd like to go to. White-Yellow-Blue-Brown-Black, or something. If we Americans weren't so needy and always seeking a pat on the back, I'd go to white-brown-black.

I don't know if it is so much about needing a 'pat on the back,' but more about haveing that many ranks to help with setting short term goals, and then establishing objectives to reach those short term goals. The rank systems make that a little easier to manage. All of the colored belt ranks add up to the long term goal of black belt. Also, if you have curriculum for each of the belts, then no matter how many you have, as long as something is being taught and learned, then it is beneficial.

Exactly. Everyone always says "Oh, the rank doesn't matter as long as you have the knowledge", but everyone loves to bash the belt system. If I had a belt testing every month, people would absolutely SCREAM "McDojo!!". But, if I had 36 different belts and took 3 years to get to BB, what's the difference between 36 belts and 6 belts with 6 stripes each?

Aodhan