Hi guys! Do any of you practise a martial art where 'gradings' are seldom 'done'/disregarded?

Question

How do you feel about it/does it worry you that you have no belt/grade to 'show' your experience? Thanks for sharing your views.

P.S. please read the question carefully before you answer. Thanks again.

Answer 1

When I trained in Karate, sensei didn't do formal testing - he was always testing you and on occation, he handed you a certificate with your new rank on it and a new belt if it was necessary.

This kept the pressure to improve low, but ever-present.

In Aikido, which I train in now, testing is a very formal event with formal etiquette and Japanese terminology. The senior students, when they think you are ready, will start to indicate in their own way that you should test. Then you ask sensei for permission to test - if sensei thinks you are ready, permission is given but only if they think you have already passed - if you perform at the level you do in normal training, you will pass the test.

This keeps the pressure high, but only during the test - adrenaline, stress and worries - that's what the test is about - how do you handle the pressure?

Informal grading is like a push, formal grading is like a punch. Same energy output - one is just more concentrated than the other.

I prefer the formal testing when it comes to the situation itself - I enjoy the challenge, being tried by fire in front of a critical public audience. Doing your best and pushing yourself to the limit as a thank you to everyone in the dojo for their part in helping you learn. Heck, last two tests for rank I took made me puke. lol

From a philosophical view, I prefer the informal grading - you think about rank less in that it becomes less of a future goal and more of a marker of past progress.

I've never really cared about rank much though so if I had to choose, I'd have formal rank tests. The belt I wear just keeps my gi closed and helps hold up my hakama. Either way, its not up to me - its up to sensei.

Answer 2

Hi,
Try Wing Tsun Fung Fu. Far more practical than other martial arts if you are in a situation where you might have to defend yourself. You can find them (Look for WT or NWTO) on any good search engine. I've been practising for about 8 years now and only ever took the first grading as it really is about your ability as a martial artist not how mean you look with a black belt or certificates on the wall.

Answer 3

First two Muay Thai gym I train at, they have sash. However most people doesn't take them seriously and hardly wear them. Many even try to ditch the testing because they doesn't want to deal with sash/ranking. In fact most people doesn't even know their own sash color and few has even got much higher level simpy because they forgot their sash color or order of color and pick wrong color.

At my current gym, there's no ranking system of any kind. I like it much better this way since there's no pressure to test for the belt and newcomer quickly realize who they should learn from and work with. Since the gym is very new, most students have less 6 months of experience while I have four years. They usually can see I'm the most experienced one and come to me for help. That's how it should be. Anyone can learn enough to pass the test but not everyone can learn enough to actually know what they're doing.

Answer 4

I can understand the sentiments of various people re belts however please remember that a black belt in Karate only means that you have learned how to learn. From Shodan on veryone wears the same colour of belt regardless of grade and experience. The problem comes when people who do not understand karate believe that a black belt is a statement of expertise. Nothing could be further from the truth, it is only the beginning of the journey

Answer 5

I am a member of a school that has the traditional coloured belt grading system, and I am a fan. It tells the instructor what to expect of your abilities, don't have experience of anything else so my opinion is limited by that. Taught Yoga previously no grading there but some snobbery between what school qualified you.

Answer 6

I don't need a belt to tell me how much I know. As for showing someone - I really don't care what other people think. I know what I can and can't do and thats all that matters. As my teacher always says "belts are for egos and holding up your pants"

Answer 7

We are very slow to test for rank in our school. We only have four ranks and it takes many years to reach the advanced levels.
Please do not put emphasis on rank, it has no meaning. It is just a system of organization within and organization.
You should train to improve yourself, not to obtain rank.

Do not be concerned with outwards signs of rank like belts, patches and sashes. They are for people's ego. Inwardly know what you are capable of and have faith in your training, nothing else matters.
Also, try not to speak about rank. Those that go on about their rank have a big ego and have learned nothing from their training.

Answer 8

boxing muay Thai and kickboxing don't put much if any emphasis on grading more on winning fight

Martial arts that have lots to learn such as jujitsu kung fu belt systems are good gauge of how much knowledge the person has acquired in kickboxing u learn all the techniques in a year but it takes allot of training to perfect them in kung fu the are many move and techniques which take longer to learn

i a little drunk so excuse my bad grammer

Answer 9

Yes, I was in Tae Kwon Doe for a while. But it was only at the local Ymca, now they don’t over it. I took it for one year. They only provided classes. But it was free. I learned a lot, but I didn’t know how much more I needed to learn and I didn’t know what my progress was.

Answer 10

Thats materialistic and not very humble to need a belt to satisfy your ego.

White belt or Black neither really indicates much prowess, its more about the individual.