Just get on the floor and execute said techniques to your best ability and forget about the test…just execute. If you fail, you fail; the test will take care of itself.

Of course, everybody tests differently.

For myself, I test my students EVERY SINGLE CLASS , starting when they walk thru the door, until they walk out the door.

As for an actual belt advancement test, I don't warn them beforehand. I watch them every class and know what they know more than they do on what they can, or can't do.

There is no specific syllabus of what is going to be tested on except their 9th kyu test. Basics and Pinan Shodan. Every other test, whether kyu or dan rank, is their latest kata, possibly more, and whatever I ask them to show, or explain to me. They don't know beforehand what I'll ask.

And here's the biggie! Most often, I don't tell them they're being tested. I will randomly ask a student to show me their kata, and to do the best they can. I've seen them do it in class dozens, or hundreds of times, made corrections or adjustments, and look to see if they are doing those. If I like what I see, they have good attendance and train hard, they pass. If they don't, I make comments and corrections, NEVER SAY THEY FAILED A TEST, then continue with class.

Basically, I don't make testing a big deal. No physical fitness test. No written essay. No rung them through the ringer. No torturing them. Either they know it and pass, or they don't and move on. In general, I don't test them unless I know they can pass and are at the level I want them to be at.

That seems to be very similar to the BJJ way of attaining rank. You don't realize until they tell you. I must say, there are some things I appreciate about this approach.

On 8/4/2026 at 12:30 AM, bushido_man96 said:

That seems to be very similar to the BJJ way of attaining rank. You don't realize until they tell you. I must say, there are some things I appreciate about this approach.

Stress free testing. Sometimes, I'll do a more formal test, but those are rare, and more for the higher belts because I want to see more things, especially if they've been struggling with something.

I had a 3rd brown belt, LOOOONG overdue for his shodan, that could never get a particular kata correct. We'd make corrections every class, then check them the next class "anticipating" he'd get them right, which he normally would, but do something else, that he normally got correct, wrong! I had a black belt for over a year in my desk drawer, ready to give him, but never did. I probably should have.

I think your process there is right on. As an instructor, I think it's important to be able to demonstrate things competently like that. Did he not stick around to finally earn the belt?

On 8/10/2026 at 3:29 AM, bushido_man96 said:

I think your process there is right on. As an instructor, I think it's important to be able to demonstrate things competently like that. Did he not stick around to finally earn the belt?

I ended up "retiring" because of physical problems that didn't allow me to teach any longer without possibly doing major harm to myself. My senior student, a 3rd Dan, very competent, didn't want to continue the class, so we disbanded. All those 30+ years I taught, and not one of my students went on to continue what I taught them.

On 8/10/2026 at 3:29 AM, bushido_man96 said:

I think your process there is right on. As an instructor, I think it's important to be able to demonstrate things competently like that. Did he not stick around to finally earn the belt?

I'm sorry to hear that, @Montana.

7 hours ago, bushido_man96 said:

I'm sorry to hear that, @Montana.

I too am sorry, @Montana!!