teaching combined Karate styles

[Zaine]

Before Dan, I'm considering an 8 kyu system hypothetically.

My current dojo does something similar. There are 3 kyu ranks in the white belt that is separated by a certain amount of knowledge. Each bit of knowledge gets you a yellow stripe. When you learn the punching drill that we do and can do it on your own count with no reminders, you get a stripe. Learn our blocking drill in the same way, and you get another stripe. Afterwards, once you can do Taikyoku Shodan with proficiency, you get tested for yellow. However, this only applies to the kid's classes. Kids are motivated far more by progress they can see, and the stripes at white belt help them stick through it. It's that easy shot of dopamine that cements the kids into coming back. For adults, there are no stripes. Your first test takes you straight from 10th to 7th. It's a good system.

[sensei8]

There seems to be something quite intriguing about having a 3-belt system, like back in the good old days; White, Brown. and Black. I've also seen White, Green, and Brown before Black.

Might seem ambivalence to consider either of those belt systems especially in today's MA world because students seem to be much more motivated whenever they see a plethora of Kyu belts; something for them to see and to look forward to.

Any decided upon belt system will have their own pros and cons to deal with. As a CI, I decide, and with that being said, the student body has to just get on board with the belt system that's before them...or train somewhere else.

Whether it be a 3 or 4 or 7 or 9 belt system, or of some other creature, as a CI my main interest is in teaching effectiveness across the board because rank isn't why any student should be on any floor to begin with.

I do understand and respect the marketing behind them all. Just pick one belt system, stay with it, create the most effective curriculum and all, then get on the floor and teach!!

[aurik]

In Uechi-Ryu, there is a saying, "All is in Sanchin". This applies to some degree in everything we do. We perform Sanchin in almost every class. Most of our katas are performed in Sanchin-Dachi, and we also apply Sanchin to our belt system.

For adult ranks there is white-yellow-green-brown-black. Three major steps between white and black. At each of those steps, the fundamental requirements for promotion change -- each step has a different rank kata and a different set of yakusoku kumite drills.

Within each belt color we have 3 levels, which correspond to the Sanchin fundamentals of "Mind-Body-Spirit". As a student tests at each of those levels they are expected to demonstrate their kata with memorization, power, and technique as they advance. At the body and spirit levels, the student is expected to learn the bunkai for their rank kata as well.

It's a rank system with 10 kyu grades still, but we break it down into 3's. Because "Everything is in Sanchin".

**Note: I said "adult belt system". For youths (under 13), our CI changed the colors to reflect a traditional color-per-kyu-grade system.

[Nevinyrral]

We all talk about what grade is enough to start teaching, but what about styles that have no ranks like wrestling or boxing to name the most obvious.

I think that even if you teach curriculum of a given style you always add something that is your own. And then your students will take that, and add something theirs. So the style will change.

I understand some peoples need for organisations and lineage. But for me invidual skills of a teacher are more important.

I am sure my karate style is way different from my first teachers style since I added a lot of different styles to it.

[bushido_man96]

With many traditional styles being tied up in a rank/belt hierarchy, it's only natural that people naturally look to higher ranks as those experienced enough to teach.

You make a good point about those styles that don't use ranks. I think usually it comes down to knowing the ins and outs of the style, and knowing who's been around and done things, or coached those who have.

[sensei8]

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, not all black belts can teach. Having to have a certain rank to teach makes sense but then again, it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

If someone can teach effectively, then I don't care if that teacher has any rank or not because the student just wants to learn that which is effective even if an inner tube is teaching.

I'm old school traditionalist however certain ideologies need to wake up in the 21st century including that a CI must be at least a Sandan to open and teach a dojo. Of course, what any MA teacher and/or a MA school owner decides is their business,

[Montana]

I'm not a fan of instructors who have maybe a first dan in multiple systems, then want to start their own system. 1st Dan just means you know your basics, like graduating from high school. There is so much beyond that that you THINK you know, but don't really until you've been working it for years and years.

With that, I myself, started teaching my first class as a Shodan in a small farm town about 60 miles from my sensei. I only practiced one system, and did it as faithfully as I could. My students knew my sensei's name and phone number if they wanted to call him about anything pertaining to me or what I was teaching. Nobody ever did.

I have over 45 years in one art, and have so much more to learn about it, that I never will.

Edited October 14 by Montana