a simple question on teaching qualifications.

[Nidan Melbourne]

In my current organization, the rank of instructor is 3rd dan. At that point, you can branch out under your current instructor.

what about opening your own school and not branch out under your current instructor?

[Spartacus Maximus]

3rd dan sounds like the norm to me for starting a branch dojo under your current instructor. The idea is you teach as a representative of your style and teacher while pursuing your own training.

Becoming independant would imply being the head of your own organization. This would require a mastery of skills and a very deep knowledge of your style's techniques and function. In okinawan and Japanese martial arts this is at least 7th or 8th dan. In other words, minimum of 30 years of training. I know many sensei who only went on their own when they were asked to take over or when their teacher passed on

The rest depends on the ability to understand how a technique is performed and how to effectively explain it so that others can reproduce it. Personally I would be suspicious of a dojo headed by an independant below 7th dan even more if this person claimed to have founded their own style.

[kensei]

I would not worry about "Rank" exactly. For me its competency. can they teach? have they the "proper" knowledge and time in? I know of a Nidan that has been training about 27 years! I also know of a Rokudan that has only been in it 18 years! The Nidan actually knows much more about Karate and teaching than the sixthdan, but the Rokudan has a great athletic ability and a wonderful ability to kiss up to the seniors.

It also depends on your organization! Now you kind of suggest you are leaving your group and not "branching out"...well then all rules are out the window now arnt they! You can grade yourself to 27th Dan and just go for it....but you will look a tad silly when people ask you questions you can not answer or show up and make you look like a rookie! The best thing to do is to stick to tradition. Find a great and supporting Dojo, put your time in and when you are READY you will know. Your instructor will have faith in you and that is ten to fourty times more important than rank!

You will always be a tad slower or less able than some students physically are, your best defense in this case is to be smarter and to put your time in so you are legit. and you have to love karate for the right reasons to open a club. If its for the money...well you will not be making much really. if its for power...well that tends to be very fleating....if its because you really love Karate...it will show and you will be a success if you have 100 students or 1.