when i changing dojos should i be expected to start back at white belt after 17 years of training?

Answer 1

Seeing as you have to ask this question yes probably...lol...

No seriously depending on how long it has been since you left your last dojo. If it's been a few years than you should probably let your new sensei know and he should probably let you attend a few sessions and closely watch you to see if you know or remember enough from your stated rank.

If it's been a few days or even months than he will probably just test you to see if you know it or if you just put on a belt to look cool.

I would suggest if it is recent and you are still able to contact your previous sensei/dojo ask them for a letter stating your years as a member of the dojo and your rank. Although the new sensei may test you anyways.

If it is a new style than yes you will. If you watch UFC listen when they talk about the fighters style or training you'll here often that a guy is a world champion wrestler or Judo competitor and a yellow belt in Jujitsu.

Answer 2

That depends entirely upon what you have learned in those 17 years of training. Since you are asking this question my inclination as an instructor would be to hand you a white belt, but I would ask you more questions first.

Is it right that a police officer with 15 years on the force walk into a martial arts school with no former training be given a rank other than white? What if the same class has a 16 year old black belt? What if that 16 year old had been training (truly) for 8 years to get there? What if a 20 year old came in with no experience, but had great natural skill and the proper mental, emotional and spiritual attitudes of a true martial artist? Who truly deserves to wear white or something "more" than white?

Do you see starting back at white belt as a negative thing? why? It's a new beginning, a new journey, a clean slate . . .

Why are you changing dojos?

I could continue this for quite a long time, but something tells me that this is a lesson you will need to ponder on your own for a while to settle upon an answer that works for you.

Answer 3

Wow, a real question, congratulations. Seriously, this is a good question, in contrast to the usual repetitive questions asked here.

The answer depends on the dojo and your training. I have always offered to put on a white belt, and have had one in my bag. Since belts are partly assigned for safety reasons, ie a higher ranking person is responsible for the safety of the lower ranking person they are doing an exercise with, then putting a relatively experienced and potentially dangerous person in a white belt absolves them from any responsibility or care-taking. My attitude is fine, give me what belt you want me to defend, because I am from a traditional background where if I have a white belt and I am sparing or exercising with a higher rank, then I am to do the best I can to hit that person. On the other hand, if I have a student, and the main dojo at the national level says put him/her in a white belt. then I will enter the person in a tourney at the main dojo, and let them deal with it. For safety reasons, good instructors let the person wear their belt and help the person come up to speed, or until they can test for rank (if the person can't defend the belt they are wearing then there is another safety issue, and they need to be tested for rank for safety reasons). I have seen the Japanese test people and give them brownbelts, but never a blackbelt. They seem to figure it is a humility thing, and usually will give them their blackbelts back in a few months.

Unfortunately, not a clear answer but the best that I can come up with.

Answer 4

It all depends on the instructor. If it's in teh same branch that you have a belt in, say, you have a red belt in Tae Kwon Do and move, but you still go to a TKD school, you should just have to take a test. Of course, if you go from TKD to something like Judo, you need to learn that style, but still, if an instructor in the same branch that you hold a belt in REQUIRES you to start over, just don't take it, find another dojo.

Answer 5

Most likely. If you are changing styles then you should expect to start over. If you are not changing styles their still may be some rank adjustment as rank is really only applicable in your own school. Rank varies so greatly from school to school that it really lacks any true meaning.

Rank is only good for organization within your own school.

If you do start over do not be discouraged, after all, do you train for rank or to improve yourself? If your new school says you must be a white belt, will you quit training because of the rank

Answer 6

It depends. Is it the exact same style? If not, you might have to start back at white unless your instructor tells you otherwise. Fear not though, since you'll most likely be able to grasp everything far sooner (or even instantly) than other students, so you'll probably rise through the ranks at a much faster pace.

But why care, though? A belt is just to keep your gi tight. ;)

Answer 7

depends on the style. If you are changing styles then yes. If you are going from a crap version of the style like wtf TKD to a legit tkd school or your 17 years was wasted in XMA then you really don't know more than a white belt, actually you probably know less than an untrained fighter if you have had such crappy training for 17 years.

Generally you should be given some consideration so long as your skills are there and it is the same system.

Answer 8

No, but you should be humble enough to start where the master deems your skills are. Obviously if you are a black belt then you are going to stay a black belt since its recognized by the federation (if its an actual black belt). But dont be suprized if he wants you to learn his own "niche" in the school.

Also... you can go with your old Dobak or Gi and belt ONLY if there is no old school insignia on it... That is not respectful of the new school. Ask ahead of time or bring an blank Dobak or Gi.

Answer 9

I dont think so. When I did it back then, all I had to do was take the tests, and perform the kata and from there they should decide if you go back to a belt under your previous one, or do you stay at your belt. Sometimes you go higher. Depends on your performance. Train hard!

Answer 10

If you are moving to a different school then yes. If you are simply moving to a different branch of the same school (affiliate school of branch school, run from a central main business headquarters) then usually your rank and training are transferable, your current instr5uctor would just ahve to make the arrangements with the noew teacher, but that sort of circumstance us rare. Even instructors, it they go to a different school, or a differnt style have to start over. They can still use their ranking from their old system, but the are also considered to be the lower rank in the new system as well. For example a black belt in Karate is still a black belt in Karate, but when he begins training in an other style, like Judo, he has to also call himself a white belt in judu when he starts. AND susually the former ranking don't carry any weight in the new school.

As an instructor myself, if somone comes to me from one of the affiliate schools in the style I teach, they can retain their former rank, if someone comes from another style, then they have to start over, in the new ranking system.