What Is The DIFFERENCE?

[sensei8]

To "YOU", I ask the following question...

What is the DIFFERENCE from Godan to Rokudan?

What is the DIFFERENCE from Rokudan to Nanadan?

What is the DIFFERENCE from Nanadan to Hachidan?

Godan=5th Dan

 

Rokudan=6th Dan

 

Nanadan=7th Dan

 

Hachidan=8th Dan

Please avoid the answers that say tenure and the like because, imho, that's not a good enough reason. And let's please avoid the reasons being political within said governing body. I tested for ALL ranks, and I never earned anything on a "just because" basis.

[ShoriKid]

To me, I suppose most of the defence would come from the students they have produced. Not so much the number, but the caliber. Forgive me for the short and general answer, but my experience with such high ranks is limited. To me a godan should have all of the technical ability a system requires. Much of the rest is polishing the blade.

[bushido_man96]

Every style, and even schools, will vary on this matter. As for me, it will be a tough one to answer, because I am not close to that rank yet.

[inventor]

I know you don't want how long from rank to rank but I think time is important. I train seven days a week, study all aspects of the martial arts, teach several classes a week, and live my life as a martial artist adhering to all aspects of the DO. My time in grade from Nanadan to Hachidan was twenty-three years.

[andym]

Years and years of continuous training, as both the art and the martial artist mature.

[IcemanSK]

I'm not sure what I have to add is helpful or not. But here goes. I've heard the phrase, "Your first 5 Dan ranks are for for you, but the next 5 are for others." I take that mean, the last 5 are for what you give back to the Art & your students. While being able to perform one's Art is large part of rank advancement (even at the higher ranks), I'm not sure what one does for the greater advancement of the Art can be completely divorced from rank advancement. Some Americans might look at it as "sucking up" to one's instructor, but I cannot see how having a strong connection to one's instructor is anything but vital to one's advancement in rank. To put it another way, why would an instructor promote someone to 6th-9th Dans if that student wasn't an important part of the organization?

I'm a Kukki-Taekwondo guy. People can go to the Kukkiwon and test for BB rank. In fact, 8th-9th Dans are required to go test at Kukkiwon. Yet, even testing there, one has to have the recommendation of a higher ranked person in order to test. No one tests alone or on their own merit, but in connection with others. Rank is always tested & not just given at Kukkiwon.

I guess I don't see it as an "either rank is on your physical abilities or its political," but rather an both/and type of thing where both physical ability & what the tester has done for their instructor/organization.

[hammer]

I've heard the phrase, "Your first 5 Dan ranks are for for you, but the next 5 are for others." I take that mean, the last 5 are for what you give back to the Art & your students.

I've read something similar to this before and it pretty much sums up what I think of at the master's level ranks.

[CredoTe]

I'm not sure at the moment... Those ranks are so far in the future for me, I haven't really thought about it...

[BlackKnight]

When I tested for godan I had to be a minimum age and had to have a certain amount of years training. Then I had to know everything in our curriculum including kobudo and we fought.

When I tested rokudan, see above, but I had to better then a godan.

When I tested for Nanadan, see above, but I had to be better then a rokudan.

There was nothing 'new' to learn. By that I mean there wasn't a new kata, drill or kumite to learn, but you do see a better understanding of the candidates as they go up in rank.

My sensei always pretty much followed his sensei's requirement even to this day.

[bushido_man96]

I've heard the phrase, "Your first 5 Dan ranks are for for you, but the next 5 are for others." I take that mean, the last 5 are for what you give back to the Art & your students.

I've read something similar to this before and it pretty much sums up what I think of at the master's level ranks.

I think there is a lot of merit in looking at it this way. Think about one's age by the time one reaches those levels. More than likely, one is fast his or her physical prime, or has plateaued physically. It gets to a point where its harder and harder to improve physically, and when you do, its less and less noticable; diminishing returns. So, although a physical test may be attached at these higher levels, what one can expect physically at that level, both as a tester and as a judge, is going to be much different than watching a 21 year old testing as a 1st or 2nd dan.

Basically, I'd look for someone at those ranks to be able to regurgitate the curricullum of the style/school, be able to teach it and apply it, and then talk about what and how to move the school further along, as well as the students. That is what those levels should be about, I think.