What should i do? grading question

[24fightingchickens]

Grading question

Hello this is my first post so any feedback would be much appreciated.

I have recently went back to my old karate club after an absence of nearly 15 years. This is the same club I went to as a child and reached the grade of first brown. I have now went back and have started my training again however – this is the dilemma when I first went back my sensi told me (as I had my old grading book as a record of my grades) that I will start over as a white belt but when i have reached the level I was I would be allowed to ware my brown belt again without having to go through all the gradings but now he has said that I should go through them all again but do double gradings. Im not sure if I want to do this again. The time element does not bother me even if it takes the same amout of time with or with out the gradings to reach that level again. Could some give me some advice?

Thanks x

p.s love the forum finally can chat with people who love karate as much as me!!!!!

The important question is this: How much to the tests cost? If they cost a lot, he's perhaps looking for a revenue stream from you. If there isn't much cost, maybe this is a gentle hint from him to you that you're progressing really slowly and that you are far worse off than he thought you were, but he doesn't want to chase you off.

If you get fixed on what rank you are, you will miss out on enjoying your training. Don't focus on the benchmarks, focus on the skill improvements and from there the benchmarks will be met.

[karate carolyn]

hi 24fightingchickens

Thanks for the post valid point but as for the gradings they will not cost me any extra as i would be attending the course (which i pay for) that runs before the gradings so i know for a fact that my sensei really has my best intrests at heart and not just trying to make money out of me. even by my own admission i have a long way to go yet even just in the fitness stakes but i knew that it wouldnt be easy if it was i wouldnt enjoy it so much!!

ta much tho

x

[Mike Flanagan]

So just go with the flow. As long as you're getting appropriate training that's all that counts.

Mike

[Brandon Fisher]

I would probably suggest double gradings also.

[ff100]

I restarted after a long layoff. I double graded some but not all. I think it just depends on how hard you retrain, how quick it comes back to you and how you adjust to any changes that may have taken place since you left.

Don't be discouraged... for example, I double graded the 1st two gradings (so from 10th to 6th) then on the 3rd grading attained 5th Kyu then one Kyu again to 4th then double graded again to 2nd kyu. Your sensei will know whats best and when... Keep at it and good luck.....

[KarateK]

You are in the almost exact same position I was in 12 months ago. I got to purple 4th kyu when I was 11, last year at 23 I decided to return. I graded back from white (no double grades) and went through everything my fellow students did. I found it extremely beneficial to me especially now I remember all kata and combinations where a lot of my fellow 5th kyu karateka are stumbling. My next grade is back to 4th kyu where I started, however due to injury this has to be postponed. I hope you find your way - these guys are always up for a bit of advice giving so feel free!!

[username8517]

I think I'm going to have to disagree with the majority on this. You should be able to keep your current rank, especially if you have documenation to prove your last rank. That brown belt you have is a rank you earned. It wasn't just given to you (hopefully), but something you put your blood, sweat, and tears into. For your sensei to make you start from the beginning is something I completely disagree with.

If you were starting a new system, even one similar to your old one, yes; start from the beginning. But to start over in the exact same system is basically stating all your previous work and achievements don't count for squat. Now I'm not saying you should be able to leap in with full responsibilites as such. No, not at all. Sure your techniques won't be perfect, sure you'll find that you've forgotten some stuff--but there will be plenty you remember. Maybe start you at the basic material and give you informal testing before proceeding to more advanced stuff, sure. This would allow you to keep your rank while still being limited on what you're allowed to work on until you proved you have it to the brown belt rank you are.

Lets use this example. Let's say you have a Bachelor's degree in Business. You go out into the workforce. 15 years later you return to college to pursue your Masters. Does that mean you no longer have your Bachelor's degree? No. It simply means you may be rusty and need some refresher courses to you back on your feet, but the college is not going to make you start over as a freshman.

As I stated above, you should be able to keep your rank as you've earned it in this system under this sensei. You should be able to return with your brown belt worn with pride, but still go through the basics of a white belt until you grasp what you need to. Trust me, as someone who has taken some time away from MA, only to return down the road, you'd be amazed at how quickly you're going to pick things up.

Just my two cents.

[24fightingchickens]

You should be able to keep your current rank

I don't see any reason to take someone's rank away from them, either. I wrote an article called Recognition of Rank a long time ago espousing exactly the position you take above and even using the same line of reasoning.

The reasoning behind removing rank seems to be:

* I want my students ranks to represent their skills.

Which doesn't work once you get old and your own skills go downhill and yet you receive another dan rank. Try convincing your instructor after he is seriously injured in a car accident to give back his rank and start over and see how he likes it. LOL!

* I want the test fee money

Usually the real reason, which is why I asked about cost

But you have to remember that most martial arts instructors are a bit unreasonable, and there is always going to be some sort of compromise required to enjoy martial arts training. Few karate instructors are leading corporate executives with 200+ IQ's who are completely rational about everything they do.

Most are blue collar guys or regular folks who just do what their own teacher did and don't really think about how to do things differently. They just assumed that every tradition has a good reason behind it and don't mess with what they believe works.

[cathal]

In my system we wear the same belt when we return, regardless of the absence. After all we did earn it through determination, hard training, and honest effort. When it comes to the gradings, we hold off until we mutually agree with eligibility on a re-grade or a standard grading.

[username8517]

I agree with everything you've said. However I wonder what the sensei's reply would have been had it be a Dan rank rather than a kyu rank