A question about ranks...

[lordtariel]

There's something I've been wondering. At our dojo we start rank at 10th Kyu-Ho go to 10th kyu and then proceed down to 1st Kyu, then go to Shodan-Ho which is a blackbelt, but then you progress to shodan, nidan, and so on. I always thought shodan was the first black belt you got. Are you not officially a black belt until shodan? Is this like a preliminary black belt status?

[AngelaG]

We do not have the shodan-ho rank, but my understanding of those that do is that it is almost like a probationary black belt. Personally I think that defeats the whole pupose of black belt, but that's just my personal opinion.

[cathal]

We do not have the shodan-ho rank, but my understanding of those that do is that it is almost like a probationary black belt. Personally I think that defeats the whole pupose of black belt, but that's just my personal opinion.

I agree wholeheartedly.

[scottnshelly]

At some schools it can be a probationary or conditional Black Belt. In order to advance to the full rank the student can be required to fulfill some prerequisites such as teaching a predetermined amount of classes or completing some other obligations. It depends on the style, but depends more on the organization or Instructor.

The best way to find out would be to ask the Instructor or a high ranking student in the class.

[Jiffy]

I also agree that Shodan Ho should not be used as a probationary rank. If there are some requirements that need to be met for a full black belt, why not just get them to wait till they have satisfied those requirements?

For us, as is traditional in our lineage, Shodan Ho is a junior rank. It is a black belt for those under 16. It is done to signify that while they have reached a certainly level, they will need to re-grade to a Senior Black Belt as an adult and show a greater theoretical understanding that is not possible to expect of a Junior.

[bushido_man96]

At some schools it can be a probationary or conditional Black Belt. In order to advance to the full rank the student can be required to fulfill some prerequisites such as teaching a predetermined amount of classes or completing some other obligations. It depends on the style, but depends more on the organization or Instructor.

The best way to find out would be to ask the Instructor or a high ranking student in the class.

This is how it is done in our school, and in some others I have seen as well.

[Shotokan-kez]

I think its wrong having a probationary black belt. Getting black belt is such an honour and an achievement, i think getting a probation black belt takes all this away.

[Holland]

We use Sho-dan-ho as the rank for Jr. Black Belt.

In my school you can not promote to a full adult black belt until you are 15 years old. I start students at 8 years old...so if a student starts at 8 and progresses normally, by the time they are 12 or 13 they should know everything they need to test for sho-dan. We do not test them for full black belt by rather for sho-dan-ho instead.

The best is one of those black belts with the white stripe down the middle. When that same student gets 15, they test for sho-dan and get the regular black belt.

[parkerlineage]

We use Sho-dan-ho as the rank for Jr. Black Belt.

In my school you can not promote to a full adult black belt until you are 15 years old. I start students at 8 years old...so if a student starts at 8 and progresses normally, by the time they are 12 or 13 they should know everything they need to test for sho-dan. We do not test them for full black belt by rather for sho-dan-ho instead.

The best is one of those black belts with the white stripe down the middle. When that same student gets 15, they test for sho-dan and get the regular black belt.

That's pretty much how we do it. I started at 6, got my Junior Black (which apparently is called a shodan-ho ) at 13, which is the minimum, and then tested for my regular at 16. I'm still not in favor of junior black or probationary black. It may as well be a different color all together.

[Scotty]

It's just not fair. I take my black belt this December, and I will have just turned 17. So I will need to retake my entire grading again a year later! As junior grades are below 18 years.