What do you think should be required in testing?

[bushido_man96]

I am curious as to what you all think should be required at a testing. This is what my school requires:

Form

One-steps for rank

White and orange belts: combinations

hi orange and up: testing sparring

lo brown and up: board breaking

Reccomended black testing for Chodan: ALL low rank material, as well as sparring, board breaks, and currnent material, also an essay on what being a black belt means to you.

Some things I feel should be added are self-defense techniques of some kind. I am also a big advocate of knowing low rank material.

Anything else you all can throw on would be great. I am wanting to know, that way if I ever get to run my own show again, I will be open-minded, and think outside the box, to really give the most benefit to my students.

Thanks a million!

[Sensei Rick]

i've posted about this before. Rather than tell you what i think, I'll tell ya what ya need to know in our organization.

In my style the shodan tests are:

20 kicks (must know 54 min.... )

20 strikes (must know 54 min.... )

20 blocks (must know 54 min.... )

30 self defense (must know 60)

30 one steps (must know 60)

10 kata

These are the things TESTED by a 30-member black belt panel. Obviously the student's must know more, these are just the minimum requirements. Please tell me about your style.

[Zorbasan]

no sarcasm intended at all, but i have been training MA for about 14 years now, and i have a BB in TKD and i would be struggling to know 54 different kicks.

unless you count each leg as a different kick, then different directions from the same stance a different kick.

could you post (or pm me) the 54 kicks, strikes and blocks that should be known

[bushido_man96]

You pretty much have the testing requirements of my style above. We start each class with basics, which consists of floor drills essentially, doing single techniques while walking in stances, and moving up to combinations of kicks, punches, and blocks.

After that, we do forms, then go on to one-steps. After one-steps, we spar.

[Jiffy]

Have a look at our website. There is a syllabus there for 4 different styles.

https://www.aacd.info

Click on "A Good Read" then "Syllabus"

[parkerlineage]

In my dojo, if/when, I ever have somebody test for shodan, I want them to be able to perform and explain:

-All kata (7)

-All techniques (138)

-Any random basic moves or priniples I bring to mind (don't want to count)

-How to instruct at leat the basic moves, and basic techniques

-10 original techniques, within a kata

-At least two or three weapons' basic concepts, with one of those being more extensive in terms of history, uses against other weapons, and modern applications/adaptations

-Explain what it means to them to be a black belt, and explain what it means to them to be a martial artist

-Extensive physical tests/rigors

[jaymac]

I believe you should know and be able to perform all requirements up to that belt level for every testing and be knowledgable of the dojo manual.

[atalaya]

if only there were some way to insure that the character of an individual was fitting for their rank. for example, a good-citizenship requirement, et cetera. it may be just that i am thinking of those teachers from before (the good ones anyway, as we all know that many teachers of the martial practice would advance based on prestige and wealth) who would refuse to advance or even teach students whose attitude was unbecoming a martial artist. in a western society, those intangible qualities or those qualities that we cannot quantify (that may be the most important ones), generally are not acceptable reasons for withholding rank.

[bushido_man96]

atalaya, you make a good point. Perhaps these qualities can be identified by having the students write essays throughout the ranks, dealing with things like integrity, and perserverance, and other qualities that make people who they are.

[Rateh]

Or have other people write essays about them. Say one peer, and one black belt have to write an essay stating why the student should get their black belt, or not. Also get signed notes from parents and teachers, so that you know they are showing good charactor both inside AND outside of the dojo.

Just an idea I had, I've yet to try it out.