Stopping at Brown belt

[sensei8]

In my experience those that quit after achieving brown belt or Ikkyu, quit for two reasons when asked. One they do not feel that they can pass the Shodan test or feel that it gets too hard to train for the test.

We have our student candidates perform the entire curicullum from Hachikyu to Shodan, all kata, bunkai, oyo bunkai, kumite (yakusoku, ippon, sanbon, and Jiyu with 10 students of the same rank and 10 yudansha), tegumi, tuite, self defense, kihon, terminology, and history of the art. They have to write an essay for acceptance to test and they have to teach on their own, twice while their instructor scrutinizes them and once for the board of instructors.

This all takes two days of testing. Most of my students that quit, when asked, they stated that they did not feel that they would ever be prepared and the others said they just thought it would be too hard to train for this.

Personally this does them and the MA community a favor. The MA is all about overcoming obstacles and meeting challenges. If they do not have it in them to meet the challenge and over come their fear then they were never meant to be a Yudansha or to teach and pass on the art.

However in my experience most students do not quit at brown belt but rather at the lower ranks or after they acheive their Shodan.

I think that the MA community has put so much hoopla in becoming a Shodan that they forgot to tell students that this is nothing more than the beginning of understanding the art.

Most people look at Shodan as if it were the ultimate test and the pinnacle of achievement rather than just another rank in the life long pursuit of perfection of onesself.

In my experience Shodan is the number one drop out grade not Ikkyu. I believe this is because we have made becoming a black belt the end all to everything. The ones that stay are surprised to see there is a lot more to learn and the studies go more indepth than the mudansha ranks. The ones that don't, sadly leave feeling like they got the best out of the art and either quit all together thinking they have achieved some momentous goal or begin a new art.

It always makes me laugh to see those that have had training in one or more arts. 95% of the time there last rank was Shodan. These are the people that then go out and make their own art because they are ranked in two or more and think they are now an expert. Little do they know they have only scratched the surface of any of the arts that they have studied.

This is why we stress that Shodan is no more than another stepping stone along the path of the way and not an ultimate goal.

Don't get me wrong Shodan is an achievement but it's not what everyone makes it out to be.

Some even quit because they thought somehow they were going to become bullet proof and be able to jump over buildings and fight off hoards of opponents when they reached Shodan. When they figure out that they have only just begun they get discouraged and quit.

Solid post!!

[ps1]

This is common. This dropout rate is also seen early in white belt, while everything is still very awkward, and around the middle rank, when the learning curve begins to level a bit.

One of the best ways to avoid this is to forecast it a bit. As an instructor, warn the student that it's coming. I tell my blue belts that they should prepare to be there for a while. They will have alot of learning to do before getting to purple. It helps.

I recommend this for most instructors. You know it's coming, your job is to guide them. Tell them there is likely a plateau coming and they will need to work harder to get through it.

[sensei8]

This is common. This dropout rate is also seen early in white belt, while everything is still very awkward, and around the middle rank, when the learning curve begins to level a bit.

One of the best ways to avoid this is to forecast it a bit. As an instructor, warn the student that it's coming. I tell my blue belts that they should prepare to be there for a while. They will have alot of learning to do before getting to purple. It helps.

I recommend this for most instructors. You know it's coming, your job is to guide them. Tell them there is likely a plateau coming and they will need to work harder to get through it.

Solid post!!

I'm also a firm believer that students need to be challenged in ways that will stimulate their learning/training as well as promoting their natural curiosity in a helpful way. Of course, students will quit no matter what we instructors do because training is the students choice and not a requirement; it's a want, and not a need, and the student has to want it.

[Nidan Melbourne]

It is a shame to see students stop before reaching black belt & continuing their training.

yes training does get harder but students who stop because it is too hard, can't see the bigger picture that you just have to practice and persevere to get over that hurdle.