Examination Percentage Values!

[sensei8]

The three K's in Karate are used in the examination of a practitioners promotions. In such, certain Examination Standards and Percentage Values vary from one style of the martial arts to another.

I'm no math wiz, but, I know it's impossible to divide 100 by 3. Whenever I try glint the math, it just doesn't compute. Nonetheless, a grade has to be given to the examinating candidate. So...

Examination criteria shall be given weight via percentage values. Please look at these percentage values and tell me...

What's wrong with these?:

KATA = 50% of overall exam (Karatedo & Kobudo)

 

KIHON WAZA = 40% of overall exam

 

IPPON and/or JIYU KUMITE = 10% of overall exam

I see the above percentage values more often than I don't. These are not the percentage values that Shindokan uses, btw. Something smells because something is fishy about these type of percentage values.

Do you see it yet? It's right there in big bold and bright hues of attention. Do you see it yet? Wait...it'll come to you...about....right...NOW!!

Kata is important, Kihon is important, and Kumite is important to say none the least. In karate, having 1 out of 3 or 2 out of 3 isn't good enough. It'll be like having a 3-legged stool with one or 2 of the legs at different length; the darn thing will wobble, therefore, it'll be unstable.

Do you see it yet? That's right...

IPPON and/or JIYU KUMITE = 10% of overall exam! This percentage value, imho, is way to low. Yet, this is what I've seen in many martial arts schools across the good old US of A.

How can one be teaching Karate, and this is what this topic is about...Karate, when the percentage values of Kumite/Sparring are this drastically low? Well, imho, they can't and they aren't teaching an effective style of Karate. Here's my reasoning.

We learn the kihon so that we have some tools. We learn the kata so that we can learn how the tools work. Then we have the kumite so that we can see the tools work in action.

10% sparring and that's it!?!

Imho, Karate wasn't suppose to be about belts and trophies, but, I suppose that's what it's slowly being reduced to. We, instructors, have a far greater responsibility to our students other than the tangibles. It's the untangibles that we, instructors, must be providing and supplying and this is with teaching an elevated, if need be, emphasis of kumite. This translate into being more effective in defending oneself.

If I had the power then I'd change the three K's into the 4 K's: Kihon, Kata, Kumite, AND Krappling [grappling with a K]. But, since I can't force a change or make all of the karate-do styles adopt the 4 K's; I'll teach the 4 K's at the my dojo. That's possibly for another time and another topic.

10% sparring and that's it!?! HELP!

[ps1]

I agree with you. I suppose the most fair way to do it would be to give each portion of the test equal weight. Otherwise, what's the point?

[DWx]

I agree that if they're equally important they should have equal weighting.

You can make them equal with the maths though. Just have to normalize the marks for each section and make it worth 3/100 of the final grade. Or a simpler way would be to make each section worth 33% and then award 1% for something completely unrelated and easy so that each candidate can get it, like for turning up on time or something. Or bring in other components like theory, breaking, etiquette etc. which could also warrant marks.

[Rateh]

Our tests have 7 sections, 8 if you are advanced.

Mental (general knowledge and oral questions)

Basics

Sport combinations

Forms

Self Defense

Weapons (Advanced students)

Sparring

Board Breaking

All areas are given equal weight, though we don't use percentages.

If you fail 1 or 2 sections, you get a conditional pass, which means you must re-test on those sections in private with your instructor in order to receive your rank.

If you fail 3 sections then you fail the test and must retake it.

Unfortunately I had to fail a student on 5 sections at the last test, I hate having to do that.

Black belt tests are judged differently, I'm not sure how the sections are broken down specifically because I do not judge at black belt tests.

I personally think that whatever areas of training are done in ones particular style, they should all be given equal weight in testing. If it is not important enough to hold equal weight, why test on it?

[mr_obvious]

25%) KATA (Karatedo & Kobudo)

25%) KIHON WAZA

25%) IPPON and/or JIYU KUMITE

25%) Fudge factor. Award points in this section, for whatever reason.

[quinteros1963]

KATA = 50% of overall exam (Karatedo & Kobudo)

 

KIHON WAZA = 40% of overall exam

 

IPPON and/or JIYU KUMITE = 10% of overall exam

It should be equal by rating each out of 100 and then dividing by three:

Kata 80/100

kihon 75/100

kumite 85/100

240\300= 80%

[Shizentai]

Personally, I think more often not enough attention is paid to Kihon.

If a person has sloppy basics, then their kata and kumite are going to be sloppy as well.