May I whinge!?!

[DoctorQui]

Well I'm gunna anyway!

Actually this isn't a moan and I'm not angry just a little niggled!

I found out last night that I wont be doing my Shodan in December because of a club rule that there must be 6 months between 1st Kyu and Shodan. Thing is, I've been training for the Shodan (doing all syllabus) since half way between 2nd and 1st Kyu (so I've been doing it for 5 months) and every black belt in the club is saying that I am so ready for it, even the chief instructor has said that I am ready but due to club rules I must wait another 12 months until the next Dan grading because this one is inside the 6 months!!!

I really hope I don't go off the boil!!

I know its about the journey and not the belt colour and am completely comfortable with that its just that I want to start doing the advanced stuff now!!

Rant over!!

[MasterPain]

Structured curriculum, eh?

I don't teach that way. I mean, yeah, you need basics before advanced, but does the belt really matter to get stuff you are capable of understanding? Then again, I got my black 2 years before the rules said I was old enough.

[Dobbersky]

What level are you at now?

In my Dojo its 12 months between 1st Kyu & 1st Dan.

I blame the instructor as they shouldn't have said anything to you about grading IF you don't meet the criteria on time etc.

I understand your point but think about you'll be that much better when you take yours

OSU

Edited November 3, 2012 by Dobbersky

[JohnnyB]

Is 1 month of training really that much important that they can't bend the rules and let u grade even if they say you are ready? Are they afraid you will quit after shodan maybe? Cuz many people do after getting BB.

Imho they should let you grade and if u pass to wear your BB 1 month later if it matters that much.

I understand your frustration and I would feel the same way if not worse!

[Lupin1]

If it makes you feel any better, my instructor just gave me his 77 page black belt guide to start studying for my black belt test and I'm only a 4th kyu, so I'm probably still about two years away (I'm not sure if this is the norm or not since in his 40 something years of teaching he's given out fewer than 15 black belts, so I don't know if there even is a norm or if it varies person to person. I'm guessing the later). I'm going to have a LOT of preparation by the time I get there.

[DoctorQui]

Is 1 month of training really that much important that they can't bend the rules and let u grade even if they say you are ready? Are they afraid you will quit after shodan maybe? Cuz many people do after getting BB.

Imho they should let you grade and if u pass to wear your BB 1 month later if it matters that much.

I understand your frustration and I would feel the same way if not worse!

Its club rules that there has to be 6 months between 1st kyu and 1st Dan for seniors (for juniors 6 months between 3,2 and 1st Kyus then 12 months to Shodan) which means that if grading (and there is only one Dan grading per year which is in Dec) falls inside that period then you have to wait to the next. I will have waited 16 months by the time I grade! Its frustrating!!

I'm in it for the long term, he knows that, I've been doing karate on and off for about 20 odd years and have always got to an advanced level and had to stop for various financial or domestic reasons, or that I have moved to another area. So I am reasonably experienced and not just a BB hunter!!

[andym]

What level are you at now?

In my Dojo its 12 months between 1st Kyu & 1st Dan.

I blame the instructor as they shouldn't have said anything to you about grading IF you don't meet the criteria on time e

I understand your point but think about you'll be that much better when you take yours

OSU

I agree on all counts. Where I train, it's a twelve month gap between first kyu and first dan. Plus the rules should be posted up etc. Perhaps it should have been mentioned at the first kyu grading, so as not to lead to this disappointing ?

[Dobbersky]

What level are you at now?

In my Dojo its 12 months between 1st Kyu & 1st Dan.

I blame the instructor as they shouldn't have said anything to you about grading IF you don't meet the criteria on time etc.

I understand your point but think about you'll be that much better when you take yours

OSU

I agree on all counts. Where I train, it's a twelve month gap between first kyu and first dan. Plus the rules should be posted up etc. Perhaps it should have been mentioned at the first kyu grading, so as not to lead to this disappointing ?

Just to add, 12 months is the minimum timescale and even then its on invitation only. One of my students grading the end of this month has been waiting over 2 years for His (i didn't feel he was "ready" to wear the Kuro Obi, not just physically but emotionally too)

[DWx]

What level are you at now?

In my Dojo its 12 months between 1st Kyu & 1st Dan.

I blame the instructor as they shouldn't have said anything to you about grading IF you don't meet the criteria on time etc.

I understand your point but think about you'll be that much better when you take yours

OSU

I agree, the instructor shouldn't have said anything to you in the first place. And although it's a longer wait, those extra months focusing on the 1st kyu material are only going to make you a better practitioner in the long run so why the rush? Better to be an awesome 1st kyu than a mediocre blacklbelt.

In my school it's the same, there's a time requirement at 1st gup (or you can do it at 2nd instead). It's there to absolutely make sure you're ready but also those extra months are also supposed to about the mental training too. At about that level you should take time to read around more and see more and perhaps even cross-train to get to really understand your style.

[ninjanurse]

Sometimes that is the test.