Black belt THEN 1st Dan

[DWx]

Not to be a party pooper or anything, but what does it matter? Its unusual in that most schools/styles don't do it this way but seeing as ranks aren't consistent between styles anyway we can't really immediately jump to them being a McDojo.

For all we know, their 1st dans could equate to a 2nd dan in a different style. To quote Shakespeare, "What's in a name? that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet". Does it matter if they have a blackbelt rank and a 1st dan rank? As long as they're learning good Karate, who cares?

In a way you could say that system makes more sense in that you get the belt and then spend years working to add more levels on to it. Seems a bit silly that we all get a blackbelt and immediately have a stripe or bar on it.

[bushido_man96]

This is one of those times when "rank doesn't matter," until it does.

I agree with DWx. We don't know what the set up of the school is like, so we can't jump to a McDojo label right away. Like my school, we have a recommended black belt, but its still called a 1st dan. But if other schools choose to do it differently, then who cares?

[evergrey]

I have a friend who goes to a school where the first 6 months of their shodan is a "trial period" where it's kind of a "shodan-ho." If they behave and perform well, I think it gets automatically upgraded to "shodan" without another test though.

Sounds like that school has, what... an extra kyu then?

[DoctorQui]

I'm not suggesting that it is a McDojo for sure BUT it is part of a very large national franchise. I have made some further enquiries and it seems that you pay (rather heaftily it appears) to do your blackbelt and then to do your 1st Dan 12 months later.

[ps1]

In Shotokan we had "Shodan-Ho" then Shodan.

In Chuan Fa we had a black sash, then a first degree black sash

In BJJ you earn black belt and, according to the IBJJF, get your first degree black belt after 3 years at black belt.

In aiki-Jujitsu we just had shodan

[Gaijin53]

Hmm ... I've heard of this before ... seems like the term used was something like ( Conditional Black Belt or Recommended Black Belt ). Bottom line, I guess, is that it really depends on your instructor and how they manage the grades and ranks. I can't remember if my 1st Dan was conditional or not, but I made 2nd Dan in a little over a year after that.

[DoctorQui]

Interestingly, the same club won't let you grade unless you purchase one their own gis with badge at £60 a pop for adults and £45 children. The same Gi I bought from a retailer for £30.

It works out, for an adult, that your first grading can cost £125 with the cost of a gi and grading fee of £60 then cost of belt £5.

I've never really understood why clubs need to be so prescriptive in order to squeeze as much cash out of you as possible.

[Dobbersky]

Interestingly, the same club won't let you grade unless you purchase one their own gis with badge at £60 a pop for adults and £45 children. The same Gi I bought from a retailer for £30.

It works out, for an adult, that your first grading can cost £125 with the cost of a gi and grading fee of £60 then cost of belt £5.

I've never really understood why clubs need to be so prescriptive in order to squeeze as much cash out of you as possible.

Sorry but it sounds like a typical McDOJO to me

[DoctorQui]

Interestingly, the same club won't let you grade unless you purchase one their own gis with badge at £60 a pop for adults and £45 children. The same Gi I bought from a retailer for £30.

It works out, for an adult, that your first grading can cost £125 with the cost of a gi and grading fee of £60 then cost of belt £5.

I've never really understood why clubs need to be so prescriptive in order to squeeze as much cash out of you as possible.

Sorry but it sounds like a typical McDOJO to me

Me too! I think I may have talked this guy into trying out my own club

[Dobbersky]

Interestingly, the same club won't let you grade unless you purchase one their own gis with badge at £60 a pop for adults and £45 children. The same Gi I bought from a retailer for £30.

It works out, for an adult, that your first grading can cost £125 with the cost of a gi and grading fee of £60 then cost of belt £5.

I've never really understood why clubs need to be so prescriptive in order to squeeze as much cash out of you as possible.

Sorry but it sounds like a typical McDOJO to me

Me too! I think I may have talked this guy into trying out my own club

Or you can both pop over to mine in Wythenshawe