Discrepancies

[kkennedy219]

So I was talking to an accquaintance the other day (someone I just met through my kid's school) and we realized we both study shotokan karate, but at different dojos. She is a 2nd kyu student, and I am 8th kyu. I mentioned that I was testing that weekend, which led us to start discussing requirements for the different grades. The testing at my dojo consists of kihon, kata and kumite, plus a lot of situps and pushups, plus the sensei examines your written notebook. She said her testing was only kata, none of the other stuff, and that they don't do any sparring at all in her class.

She has been training for 2 years and is already 2nd kyu. According to my sensei, it will take at least 5 years to reach this point at our school.

Is it common for there to be such huge differences between schools' requirements? Personally, one of my favorite things about training is that it's hard as hell and really forces me to push myself hard in order to succeed. I don't think I'd get the same sense of accomplishment at a place like hers (but of course not everyone is in it for the same reason). I just thought it was odd that there would be such a huge difference between her dojo and mine.

Thoughts?

[bushido_man96]

This kind of discrepency is not uncommon, and I wouldn't be surprised by it. However, if both of your schools were member schools of the same organization, then I would be surprised if the descrepencies existed.

[dineshm]

5 years to reach 2nd kyu?

That's a hell of a long time, if you ask me.

Usually, kyu ranks tend to grade every 3-5 months.

Training at different dojos are different, as can be expected.

Ranks are not comparable in different orgs, and heck sometimes not even at different schools within the same org, or style.

[Shotokan-kez]

5 years is a very long time to reach 2nd kyu. Our gradings are 3 months between kyu grades, from 2nd kyu to 1st kyu its six months, then anything up to a year for your shodan.

It does seem odd to, we had to do so much more for our kyu grades...especially for the brown belts. We had to do numerous kata, kumite, kihon ect.

But like Brian says, these discrepency isn't uncommon. You just keep up the training and think of all the hard work you are doing.

[Killer Miller]

There are some discrepancies from dojo to dojo, but huge discrepancies are typically organization related. I suspect a totally different organization is the case here.

- Killer -

[marie curie]

Yeh, also Shotokan is widespread, and the more widespread an art is, the more variation there is going to be.

My old system Seiei Kan was based off of Shotokan, and 5 years is about what it took to get your Shodon if you went strait through.

[Zanshin]

I would tend to agree with the majority of other posters here, that 5 years to reach 2nd Kyu does seem a bit excessive.

I am all for not rushing your grades, but also you have to have realistic training goals and objectives.

Of course, it’s not all about grades, and if what you are learning keeps you enthused then there is no problem. Your Sensei may be a perfectionist and that’s great, just as long as the end result does not lead you to become disillusioned and cause you to give up altogether, which by the sounds of it, it won't.

Different sensei, clubs and associations place different values on grading frequency. Sadly many today are driven by the almightily dollar! New belts keep people training and the money coming in. Sad but true.

[ps1]

Yes, the discrepancies are quite normal. As with everyone else, 5 yrs to 2kyu is pretty long. I like the idea however. Afterall, in general, the longer you train (assuming good instruction) the better you tend to be. So I would hope black belts from your school are of the highest skill level.

[marie curie]

Agreed ps1- That's something to be proud of! I would love to be able to claim rank in such a system!

[kkennedy219]

I would tend to agree with the majority of other posters here, that 5 years to reach 2nd Kyu does seem a bit excessive.

Woops! That's a typo, everyone. Meant to say 3 years to reach 2nd kyu, or thereabouts. The shodan typically comes in about 5 years.