Brown Belt courses

[Jiffy]

Does it just go for one weekend or something?

[KarateK]

We call them pre-dan assesments. Basically ours are intensive 4 hour classes which go through entire syllabus in great detail. They are intended to prepare you for your black belt grading. You must attend a minimum of 4 classes between purple (4th kyu) and 1st kyu to be elligible to grade to black. Thats why we have so few black belts at our clubs. We feel it takes a lot of commitment to achieve your dan, taking these assesments also adds to the proof of your commitment. They are absolutely exhausting though!!

[parkerlineage]

That's really cool! I like that.

[Shotokan-kez]

Yep thats right Alsey. With some clubs they vary on how long they last...some clubs do them for four hours, i think i would collapse if that was our club lol. Basically they are for black and brown belts and they concentrate on a set thing. Sometimes it will purely be one advanced kata ie unsu, kanku-dai, jion ect. I think the last one our club did was soley on Unsu. I'm not sure what we'll be doing on sunday. Other times it will just be kihon basics or kumite. I'm also pleased to announce that our courses are free!

[bushido_man96]

We call them pre-dan assesments. Basically ours are intensive 4 hour classes which go through entire syllabus in great detail. They are intended to prepare you for your black belt grading. You must attend a minimum of 4 classes between purple (4th kyu) and 1st kyu to be elligible to grade to black. Thats why we have so few black belts at our clubs. We feel it takes a lot of commitment to achieve your dan, taking these assesments also adds to the proof of your commitment. They are absolutely exhausting though!!

This sounds like a great idea. Do you do things like bunkai and stuff? Or does it just depend on the course?

[Shotokan-kez]

Depends on the course really Bushido, all clubs are different, depends on what the sensei has decided to do. If we concentrate on one or two kata's then we will do the bunkai as well. I've no idea what he has in store for us tomorrow though, just know i'm looking forward to it.

[cathal]

We have something similar though we don't have a name for it. We do it over a training weekend every 3-4 months. It is officiated a master who travels to the session, and watches over it for the entire weekend. The Brown & black belts will train together over the entire weekend. The other coloured belts are welcome to join in only during certain training sessions.

[bushido_man96]

Depends on the course really Bushido, all clubs are different, depends on what the sensei has decided to do. If we concentrate on one or two kata's then we will do the bunkai as well. I've no idea what he has in store for us tomorrow though, just know i'm looking forward to it.

That is really cool. I feel like I need something like this in addition to my regular classes. I have been thinking about bunkai training for my forms, and I will keep this in mind.

[Shotokan-kez]

Woohoo the course was great today. It was totally on take downs and kumite. Brilliant! I even got to work with one of the sensei's and i had great pleasure in taking him down lol. I have taken an injury though to my left wrist, it has swollen and i can't even softly touch it. I'm wondering if there is a sensitive spot on your wrist, the swelling is near the knobbly bone of the wrist (sorry best i can explain it), the soft part just under that bone.....it's very sore. I didnt win my kumite bouts but overall it was a great session....bring on the next one!

[bushido_man96]

Glad to hear you had a good time, kez. Hope your wrist gets better soon. That little bone can be a sensitive spot.

Our association has a yearly black belt clinic that is offered on a Saturday in June or July, but if you are under 3rd dan, they charge you $300! Think I'll wait until I am a 3rd dan to attend one of those!

Last year, everyone got a uniform that went to the clinic. I would say they were free, but not if you were one paying the $300.