is your rank forever?

[nordICE]

got a question! When you receive a grading in karate, do you keep it as long as you live or do you actually lose your belt after a while( i doubt but i better ask)?

the reason im asking: when i was 18 i got 1st dan in Traditional Shotokan karate and i was a compete kata\kumite athlete. But since ive been practicing karate since i was 5 i kinda was a bit tired of it(must be all the tournament and stress - and no im not bragging!) so i decided to try something new, i did Tae Kwon Do, Kickboxing and ended up riding snowboard as a career. So i didnt practice karate for 10 years now. But lately i was thinking it would be a cool alternative workout to go back to Karate. But what do i do? I mean I do owe a black belt but im a bit rusty and im sure i'd make a fool outta myself, since i forgot some katas and stuff, I mean im sure i'd get back in shape very fast, but I so dont want to were a white belt during first practices, so what do i do? i mean it would be ok if id be back to the old dojo, but im living now in another country where i didnt have any karate career....

[karatekid1975]

I'm kind of the same. I just quit doing MA (for now). I do snowboarding, but not for a career.

Anyways, my first art is Tang Soo Do. Everytime I go back to my old dojang (when I visit my home town), I remember everything, and I haven't done TSD in 4 or so years (I've been in TKD and various arts since then). So it's possible.

[Fairfax_Uechi]

got a question! When you receive a grading in karate, do you keep it as long as you live or do you actually lose your belt after a while( i doubt but i better ask)?

the reason im asking: when i was 18 i got 1st dan in Traditional Shotokan karate and i was a compete kata\kumite athlete. But since ive been practicing karate since i was 5 i kinda was a bit tired of it(must be all the tournament and stress - and no im not bragging!) so i decided to try something new, i did Tae Kwon Do, Kickboxing and ended up riding snowboard as a career. So i didnt practice karate for 10 years now. But lately i was thinking it would be a cool alternative workout to go back to Karate. But what do i do? I mean I do owe a black belt but im a bit rusty and im sure i'd make a fool outta myself, since i forgot some katas and stuff, I mean im sure i'd get back in shape very fast, but I so dont want to were a white belt during first practices, so what do i do? i mean it would be ok if id be back to the old dojo, but im living now in another country where i didnt have any karate career....

We make blackbelts who haven't been in the dojo for an extended period wear a white belt until they're back into the routine. Once they remember everything, they can return to wearing their black belts. No testing as they don't lose rank, but more a matter of respect to the other black belts who have continued training.

As for not wearing a white belt, I don't know how you feel, but isn't part of the martial arts humility? So could you be a little humble and wear one until you're back up to speed?

[Jiffy]

It all depends on a couple of things. First of all, are you going back to the same club? If so, then yes, I believe they should recognise it and help to bring you back up to speed (which you'd be surprised, won't take that long. It all comes flooding back).

As it's unlikely you'll be going back to the same school 10 years later, the next question is, is the grade recognised by anyone. For example, our grades are recognised by WKF, which means any other school in the world that is certified by WKF should accept our grades and vice-versa.

Failing that, it will be up to the instructor in the club. For example, we have had students that have come to us with a non-WKF-certified grade. We will assess them and allow them to train at the level we believe they are at. Often this will be the same grade they were, sometimes they will need to work a bit to be graded back to that level. It depends on the individual student.

If it's either of the first two scenarios, it should be easy. If it's the last scenario, find a school and talk to the instructors. See what they can do for you.

[bushido_man96]

If you end up at a different school, you may have to start over. The best thing you could do is identify where you want to work out at, and then set up an appointment with the instructor, and talk to him about your situation. You can probably work something out.

[cathal]

In our system if you return to the same dojo, or one still associated with the org you can return at the same rank for a probationary period. For kyu ranks it is 3-6 months and for dan grades it is at the discretion of the sensei but can be a year.

[armanox]

We had at our dojo, about a year ago, a guy that showed up in gi and white belt that I hadn't seen before, and I got the impression from the other students that he was new. A few weeks later, he came in wearing a black belt. He explained that since he had been out of practice for an extended time he thought it appropriate to wear the white belt until he was back up to the level he was when he was promoted to shodan (still his current rank). He had not been a previous student of sensei's, rather, a student that trained under sensei's sensei and in Okinawa - he was able to maintain his shodan rank because the organization is the same(Okinawa Shorin Ryu Karatedo Association). Make sure that you verify with whatever dojo you plan to attend that your rank is recogonized by them.

[legkicker]

I've joined many gyms/dojos over the years and at least half the time it's been a style different then what I have my black belt rank in. I have never even told what rank I held unless I specifically asked that question. I normally just say I trained for a few years in this art and that art and show up wearing a white belt.

What has happened to me is that within a week or two I am asked what ranks I have and am told I should wear my black belt. The bottom line is if you are a quality black belt most clubs will recognize that and will want you to wear your black belt.

[bushido_man96]

I've joined many gyms/dojos over the years and at least half the time it's been a style different then what I have my black belt rank in. I have never even told what rank I held unless I specifically asked that question. I normally just say I trained for a few years in this art and that art and show up wearing a white belt.

What has happened to me is that within a week or two I am asked what ranks I have and am told I should wear my black belt. The bottom line is if you are a quality black belt most clubs will recognize that and will want you to wear your black belt.

That is a great way to approach the situation.

[Jiffy]

Good Advice!