Question about Dan ranks

[avatarrules123]

In an effort to not be disrespectful to any teacher/Sensei I encounter while learning karate, I'm wondering if 2nd Dan, 3rd Dan, etc. ranks are shown on the belt/Gi of the one who has attained such status. I know there is a certificate to go along with the rank, but many people I know who do karate are very private about the fact they do karate at all. Is the same true with Dan ranks? Is their status/rank likewise private and usually kept hidden? Because I don't want to be at a dojo one day, see a blackbelt who I am unaware is 5th Dan, and poasibly be disrespectful by calling them "Senpai" or something.

Thank you for your help!

[sensei8]

All ranks, and not just for Dan ranks, are subjective only to that style and/or dojo and/or CI [Chief Instructor] and/or Governing Body; Ranks are pretty much valid within those parameters, one way or another, and not valid anywhere else.

I'm wondering if 2nd Dan, 3rd Dan, etc. ranks are shown on the belt/Gi of the one who has attained such status. I know there is a certificate to go along with the rank, but many people I know who do karate are very private about the fact they do karate at all.

Those identifiers differ as well from dojo to CI to Governing Body. Some insist and require identifiers placed on Dan Ranks, yet others forbid them, nonetheless, it's as varied as the wind is.

Is the same true with Dan ranks?

Yes, and it depends on varying factors across the board.

Is their status/rank likewise private and usually kept hidden? Because I don't want to be at a dojo one day, see a blackbelt who I am unaware is 5th Dan, and poasibly be disrespectful by calling them "Senpai" or something.

Your MA journey is your business, including ranks, and therefore private; albeit, share your information or not, that is yours to decide. After all, knowledge and experience is what any and all MAists should seek after, and never rank.

Anyone and everyone within your dojo will know each others knowledge and experience, as well as ranks, almost impossible to keep to yourself within the four walls of your dojo.

Yes, it's considered a no-no to address a Godan or anyone else, for that fact, incorrectly. However, new students will be able to get away with that mistake faster than the other students who know better, but you will be corrected quite quickly, and might get to do some push-ups for that infraction.

Everything depends on that dojo's CI; best to learn that dojo's Kun [Rules] and Etiquette soon.

Train hard and train well.

[MAD Mike]

I am careful about eye contact.

There are many BJJ Masters whom I have battled, and generally they don't bow- they just look away.

Sometimes they will look upward if they perceive one to be of a higher Art.

Just saying- be careful...

[sensei8]

I am careful about eye contact.

There are many BJJ Masters whom I have battled, and generally they don't bow- they just look away.

Sometimes they will look upward if they perceive one to be of a higher Art.

Just saying- be careful...

Sounds like ego there, but MAD Mike's right...be careful!! You could end up on the bad ending of a roll as some type of punishment...you could.

[avatarrules123]

I am careful about eye contact.

There are many BJJ Masters whom I have battled, and generally they don't bow- they just look away.

Sometimes they will look upward if they perceive one to be of a higher Art.

Just saying- be careful...

So you never want to make eye contact with your master/Sensei? Is it seen as disrespectful/threatening?

[sensei8]

I am careful about eye contact.

There are many BJJ Masters whom I have battled, and generally they don't bow- they just look away.

Sometimes they will look upward if they perceive one to be of a higher Art.

Just saying- be careful...

So you never want to make eye contact with your master/Sensei? Is it seen as disrespectful/threatening?

So you never want to make eye contact with your master/Sensei?

Absolutely you want to make eye contact with anyone and everyone no matter whom they might be. The lack or refusal of any eye contact can be interpreted as fear and/or the like.

Is it seen as disrespectful/threatening?

Depends on the tone of the eye contact. A challenge? A threat? A warning? Insubordinate? Acknowledgement?

State and Defend your position with the utmost respect, if it's warranted.

Imho.

[Fat Cobra]

Wow! A lot of these responses are surprising to me.

In Ryukyu Kempo, we do not wear stripes on our black belt to indicate Dan rank. In fact, we usually don't wear a traditional black belt per say. All Yudansha wear a modified version of black hakama pants, so their is a belt built into the pants to tie it. We wear a black Gi jacket (or just a t-shirt). If we are in a formal ceremony, we will wear our white Gi jacket, which has your rank sewn in on the left chest side of the jacket.

That being said, it is expected that you learn the ranks and titles of the Yudansha and address them as such. However, you can look them in the eye and talk to them as normal human beings. We are not super formal that way.

[Spartacus Maximus]

In Okinawan styles it is usually very simple in that everyone shodan and above will wear the exact same plain black belt. The belt may or may not have embroidery on either end with the style/dojo name and the wearer’s name.

Unless the dojo has the traditional wooden name and grade tags, there would e no way for a new person to know except asking. In that case it should be done at the appropriate time and not in the middle of training. Either before starting or at the end is the best time for such questions. In some styles and dojo, the assistant instructor/s and those who have a godan and above might wear belts with different combinations of black, white and red. A solid red belt means a ninth or tenth dan, someone who is the most senior in the karate system they teach and the headmaster of a particular lineage as it was awarded by the founder. Usually this person will be over 60 years old with several decades of training behind them.

They maybe called Hanshi as their teaching title, but in common conversation they will be called sensei....by everyone. One simply cannot make a mistake if all due respect and courtesy is applied to anyone who has been there longer.

Be kind, and respect everyone and appreciate whatever help or attention to be had. Everyone had to start somewhere and at the bottom. Sensei is the instructor leading at the front and centre by example everybody else is your peer or your senior. All of them will help you get where you must go if you allow them your time and pay them back by doing your best to take in what they give.

[aurik]

As others have said, this is highly dependent upon the style, the organization, and the school. I've belonged to three different Okinawan/Japanese schools so far, and they've each had three different conventions for addressing black belt ranks:

In my first school, 1st-4th degree black belts wore plain black belts, 5th-8th degrees wore red/white belts, and 9th/10th degrees wore red belts. (We had one 10th degree visit for a seminar once). We referred to the 1st-4th degrees by "sensei ", the 5th-8th degrees by "shihan ", and the 10th degree was our head of style, who we called "soke".

In my second school, all black belt ranks wore a plain black belt except for formal occasions (test boards, seminars, etc), when the masters would wear red/white or red belts based upon rank. We referred to our CI as simply "Sensei", and all other black belts were "Mister ".

In my current school (uechi ryu), 1st-5th degree black belts were a plain black belt, 6th degrees wear a belt with one gold stripe on each side, 7th/8th degrees wear two gold stripes, and 9th/10th degrees wear three stripes. Our CI is referred to as "Sensei", while we call the other black belts by their given names. To a certain degree things are informal, but we're always expect to show respect to everyone in the dojo, regardless of rank. Periodically we'll have high ranked (9th/10th degree) visitors, and we'll refer to them as "Master" so and so, or just "Sensei".

As a general rule, if you go into a school and act in a respectful manner everyone there, especially those senior to you and the black belts, then you shouldn't have any issues, and you'll pick up on their conventions soon enough.

[sensei8]

aurik wrote:

In my current school (uechi ryu), 1st-5th degree black belts were a plain black belt, 6th degrees wear a belt with one gold stripe on each side, 7th/8th degrees wear two gold stripes, and 9th/10th degrees wear three stripes.

Those stripes for the most are Shogo Titles. 1 stripe is Renshi. 2 stripes is Kyoshi. 3 stripes is Hanshi. These titles are far and away from Dan stripes because Shogo Titles are bestowed upon whereas Dan stripes are earned through a Testing Cycle; can't earn a Shogo Title through any Testing Cycle.

aurik wrote:

In my first school, 1st-4th degree black belts wore plain black belts, 5th-8th degrees wore red/white belts, and 9th/10th degrees wore red belts. (We had one 10th degree visit for a seminar once).

For the most part, in Okinawa, everyone wears a plain black belt while training, therefore, the other belts are worn only for ceremonial reasons.

For the most part.