trainig with lower/higher ranking students

[PlasmaShock]

ive seen "choosing a martial art school" articles that say to look for one where certain ranks train together. example: black belt classes, green and purple and so on. it doesnt matter. its actually good to train with mixed ranks because then you can learn from the higher ranks and help the lower ranks. you can even learn stuff from lower ranks which is not uncommon. i think training with mixed ranks is better than just training with your own rank but its good to occaisionally train with your own ranks in seperate classes. what do you think?

Edited September 16, 2006 by PlasmaShock

[Myth]

I always train with other belt colours. It appears to me that it would otherwise be a bit boring also?

I learn stuff from higher belts quite a lot yes, you can look how they do it and not adapt the wrong style of someone else your colour. But that's just an idea.

[ThePhenom]

and the higher belts are usually better and you get good experence from them

[cathal]

My dojo is fairly small so we all train together. I find it's a much better learning experience.

[unknownstyle]

in our school we have classes with all ranks, but there are also classes set aside for different ranks to learn more advanced techniques

[ps1]

I think most schools have mixed classes. However, it is also important to have classes that are somewhat rank specific. This allows more personalized attention. You are correct in that you will always learn alot from working with higher and lower ranks. But someone's time is always sacrificed in these classes. Most of the schools I've been in have two mixed classes per week, and several beginner and intermediate classes. Then there's usually an advanced class for brown and black belts.

[PlasmaShock]

my dojo has a class for brown and black belts. i will be in it if i pass my brown belt test in december.

[Abraham_lincoln]

Our classes are mostly mixed rank. (Except arnis, that's usually black belts. In our dojo, arnis starts around 3rd kyu.) Usually, about half 9th-6th kyu students, and then the other half is 2nd kyu - 2nd dan. The higher belts usually partner with the lower belts for most of the class, and then the lower belts split off to work on basic techniques and the higher belts practice whatever kata they're on.

[Shotokan-kez]

All our classes are mixed. then we have black and brown belt courses. I think it's great to train with lower and higher grades, it's a whole learning experience for everyone.

[bushido_man96]

I think that training with mixed ranks is beneficial, but I also feel that beginner/intermediate/advanced/black belts should also get the opportunity to train with people of only their rank, in order to better focus on things more specific to each level.