The standard of karate exams

[bushido_man96]

Thief: the major issue with requiring tournament competitions as a part of ranking is you put more of an emphasis on winning/losing during the performance, and not what is learned. It also starts up the whole sport/self-defense debate. And we still haven't dealt with the point-based tourney issue, or more of a knockdown style of tourney. You also end up with an age bias, as younger, more athletic participants are likely going to have an advantage over older participants of the same rank. It may be easy to look past these if you are younger and stronger, and already good at point competition, but for those that are older, have other comittments, and don't want to commit to a competition schedule, puts a damper on what they can attain as a Martial Artist.

[sensei8]

anyway, can you guys answer the following, honestly and to the best of your knowledge:

1. throughout your karate "career", did you ever fail a Dan exam?

2. did you ever fail a kyu exam?

3. do you know somebody who did?

And for instructors:

4. what is your pass/fail rate when you are giving exams? For colored belts and black belts?

1. Yes, I've failed more than my share of Dan exams...more than I care to remember.

2. Yes. I've failed more than my share of Kyu exams...more than I care to remember.

3. Yes. I know many. Nobody within the Shindokan family has been spared their share of exam failures.

4. My standards and the standards of the Hombu are quite high across the board. Without boring anyone with reading the entire Hombu's 2011 Testing Cycle Report, which is quite lengthy...

8.7% Passed [6.3% were Kyu and 2.4% were Dan] out of 212 testing candidates approved to conduct in that years cycle. Scores of Shindokan candidates weren't approved to attend that years cycle for one reason or another, and in that, 738 applied to be tested at the Hombu that year, out of the thousands of Shindokan karateka's.

[sensei8]

Forget about test. Forget about the pass/fail. Both have taken care of themselves; they always have and they always will....it's the training that one should be concerned with...IMHO.

Still...it's a great topic and I thank you for it. Also, welcome to KF!!

[shadowspawn]

1. No

2. No

3. Yes

In the school I trained in before migrating to my current, we did have exams etc. to determine rank. I never liked it one bit and never came forward to take the exam (whether it be written, kata, etc.). In fact, I was a blue belt for years until my sensei finally approached me and told me to take the promotion exam. Because of this, I was likely performing on a black belt level while still a blue belt (7th kyu in the school I was attending at the time) but rank was never something that concerned me. That said, I agree with the above. It is the training that one should be primarily concerned with.

[sensei8]

1. No

2. No

3. Yes

In the school I trained in before migrating to my current, we did have exams etc. to determine rank. I never liked it one bit and never came forward to take the exam (whether it be written, kata, etc.). In fact, I was a blue belt for years until my sensei finally approached me and told me to take the promotion exam. Because of this, I was likely performing on a black belt level while still a blue belt (7th kyu in the school I was attending at the time) but rank was never something that concerned me. That said, I agree with the above. It is the training that one should be primarily concerned with.

Solid post!!

[Ueshirokarate]

Forget about test. Forget about the pass/fail. Both have taken care of themselves; they always have and they always will....it's the training that one should be concerned with...IMHO.

Still...it's a great topic and I thank you for it. Also, welcome to KF!!

Mr. Miyagi popped into my mind when I read your post. Pass fail no matter, only training matter. You are correct: It doesn't matter. The only reason I wish to advance in my system, is to be able to officially train more advanced stuff.

[BarbedTerror]

I agree, the standard of gradings/exams is very poor in many styles. In my style, no one ever fails unless they display a poor amount of enthusiasim or progress, even then, everyone passes. I once saw a 6 year old girl, who was very undeserving of her blue belt. (5th kyu) As she could not even complete first kata! (Taigyoko Shodan)

[sensei8]

I think that those schools of the MA that pass everyone at every testing cycle should write their certificates on a one dollar bill; for that's where their ethos seems to lay upon.

[Evil Dave]

In the system where I came up you only failed a test if you completely boomed it. But the 'formal' exam was done in front of family and friends and was actually more of a demonstration and formal promotion to your next rank. Before a grading individuals had a pre-test and this was the actual test, and this is what you could fail. Interesting to note, more people were nervous of the grading then the pre-test.

I've seen many people fail the pre-test, even for Dan ranks, and only one person fail for their black belt. Come grading night one young lady completely refused to spare. She had a mental block, as she was good at sparing and loved it. Next year she nailed it, but had I moved on by then.

In the school I am at now they have had tournament requirements for a few years. Basically you need to attend 4 tournaments before you test for Brown Belt. There is no tournament performance attached to the requirement, it is there because we are a small town at the end of a single road. The tournament requirement is intended to get people out and see that there is more to Karate and MA then provided in our little town. There was great excitement a couple of years ago when they added a third stop light...

One thing I would like to see with my new school is a requirement to attend a MA seminar, unfortunately that would require a travel expense and some people can not afford that.