How far can you take them?

[Spartacus Maximus]

Some governing bodies and schools have certain rules or conventions about how far an instructor can personally judge, evaluate or grade their students. How many here know of such a rule?

Is it half the instructors dan grade(i.e: 6 Dan may only promote up to 3dan) or does every level require a grading panel of several seniors as well as the chief instructor of the governing body?

What are you familiar with?

[Nidan Melbourne]

Ummm as far as i know you should be at minimum two grades above what your students are grading for. Unless you personally have the skills, experience and knowledge of a higher rank when you havent graded for it.

For instance i can grade anyone to Shodan-Ho. But there is no rule regarding it because one of my friends is a shodan-ho helped grade me to shodan

[Spartacus Maximus]

If it is not an explicit rule, is it just the way your governing body has always done it?

[Lupin1]

I agree with the "two ranks below your own" rule. For example, a third dan should be able to promote to first dan, a fourth to second, fifth to third, etc.

For the higher ranks (above about sixth dan) I'd think you'd need a group of seniors to promote. I even think that if you get a whole group, you can promote above the ranks represented in the group (for example, a group of 8th and 9th dans can vote to promote someone to 10th dan).

[Spartacus Maximus]

How are things done in your organization? In mine, I train at the main dojo under the chief instructor who is a 9th Dan. He has graded some of his students up to 8th Dan. A dan evaluation is usually conducted by him and at least two of the highest grades available to attend at the time plus anyone who has had said grade for more than one year. The input of all the observers and panel members is considered, but the final decision is his.

[Wastelander]

We generally follow the "two ranks below your own" rule, as well. That said, black belt tests require a panel of 2 or more black belts. My Sensei is currently a Godan, so he can grade someone to Sandan if he is the highest rank on the panel, but we also have two Rokudans that train at our dojo, so if they are sitting on the panel, we could potentially have people test up to Yondan.

[Luther unleashed]

I am a 3rd dan, run my own school and I am going to promote my first two 2nd dans in February. I'm working on 4th dan and have no problem grading a student to the rank below mine. I can't imagine why a student can only go 2 ranks below an instructor but everybody is certainly entitled to their own way of doing things.

Grading is always done by me and my wife alone, no panel of martial artist sits at a table with me, just my wife who is a 1st dan.

As an example, wastelander... I saw your videos and your instructor who specializes in forms (sorry forgot the name) is outstanding at them. Very crisp technique, very nice to watch. I enjoy forms but I'm afraid I'm just not as good as he is. I'm only 38 years old and not 65 so I'm still working towards becoming that great at them. I could care less what rank he is, if I was a beginner I would certainly want to learn from him even if your particular school called him a 1st Dan and he couldnt grade me to Black Belt, I still want to learn from him. This is where rank itself is not as important to me. It's something else I'm after, greatness! Rank does not always translate to the word greatness.

Side note to wastelander, I was in a martial arts supply store searching for a missing belt for a testing I had coming up because I had made a mistake on my order, I saw a flyer posted and I recognized his name which for the life of me I can't remember at the moment. It was a letter looking for instructors to teach at schools, small world good luck to him.

[Wado Heretic]

I have encountered a couple of different approaches:

1. In Kempo the general rule was up to the grade below the one you held, or up to your equivalent grade.

2. With Kazoku Kai, all Dan gradings (in the UK as far as I recall) were centralised and held at the Hombu or after one of the Association's big Bi-annual courses. Kyu grades were all at the discretion of the club instructor.

3. Currently I am in a nuanced system. At Shodan I could grade up to fourth Kyu, and at Nidan I can grade up to first Kyu. Sandan can issue a Shodan, and Yondan can issue a Nidan, and Godan can issue up to Sandan. However, Yondan and above is currently centralised in Okinawa at the Hombu.

Every grading I have been involved in, or have participated in was by a panel; except my Nidan grading, however, my instructor had essentially gone independent aside from an affiliation with the Kodokan by that point. Also, a private long distance student I have graded to fourth kyu.

I think all approaches have their own benefits; it all comes down to a degree of freedom an association wants to provide. In terms of a multiple style association; I think the kenpo approach is best as it gives the greatest freedom to the individual clubs. Where as a single system association might better use centralised grading to maintain standards reflective of the intended character of the style. International associations though, I think, would make best use of the model I am currently under. Allows enough independence on national levels, but insures your senior instructors reflect the standards you want and expect.

[DWx]

Officially for us the rule for us is that you can award up to half your grade. In practice generally a 1st dan (though usually higher) awards the kup grades and then someone else 4th dan and higher awards 1st through to 3rd. 4th dan and above grading is special in that generally a master needs to preside (7th dan or higher) and the governing body usually advises on who this should be.

[Spartacus Maximus]

It is highly likely that rules about grading are the product of martial arts governing bodies or "style" associations. It seems that the bigger the governing body is, the stricter or more defined the promotion rule.

An independent instructor teaching privately or in a school not affiliated with any association is probably free to evaluate in whatever way works best. In such a case, many seek the opinion of peers skilled in the same system if only for the sake of having an objective view.