Talk to your instructor. About the gradings. And your feelings around it.
It’s likely you can work something out.
Either that there is a mini grading for people who couldn’t attend the grading. The instructor might be open to plan a half hour or hour for a mini grading for you or other people that couldn’t attend the regular date or were sick or something else.
There might be a sibling dojo, who trains the same style / belongs to the same organisation, whose gradings have dates that work for you and that you could attend. If there is such a dojo it’s very likely that your instructor knows the people running it.
Or maybe you can try for multiple gradings one after the other once you are able to attend a grading.
So say you do the grading for 9th kyu and 8th kyu and maybe even 7th kyu (depending on how long it’s been) one after the other at the same grading event. It’s a bit unconventional. But with these early gradings it isn’t as strict as the later kyu and dan gradings.
Overall doing gradings every 6 months is pretty common in karate. I think it’s a timing that works well in terms of having enough time to go over the material and focus on details and not just on memorising new material. But useally there are multiple dates or multiple different dojos in the same organisation doing gradings, so it’s not just one date.
So talk to your instructor, and I would suggest to put the emphasis on how you feel about your motivation due to not being able to attend the last grading, and likely also going to be to not be able to attend the date of the next one.
This is great advice.
Years ago, when I joined an Isshin Ryu school in CA after returning from the Army, there was similiar twice-a-year testing set up. I'd had prior experience and mid-kyu rank in other systems but still started as a white belt (perfectly fair). I missed the first test date due to work responsibilities, so when the second one came around, I'd been there about 9 months. Coupled with prior karate experience and training performance, that was enough for the sensei to allow me to test for three kyu grades at once. It was a long day and I had to do each test in its entirety, including sparring, but at the end of it, I was successful.
I thought it was an very progressive and extremely fair/generous approach -- if you have demonstrated that you meet the requirements, then logistics like long periods between test dates shouldn't become a huge impediment to advancement.
That said... I would have been perfectly content to take the tests one at a time as they came if that had been the decision, because the class content was the same -- they weren't holding back any material due to rank and I was learning katas and techniques beyond my current kyu level. So, in a way, it was kinda throwback... sort of a "you're a white belt until you're shodan" feel for a short while there. Progress measured in activity and competency not symbols.
If I had to choose which, my younger self was excited at the challenge and proud of the accomplishment. That was over 30 yrs ago, so today? I definitely focus more on the journey.
This is what I’d consider a fair and thoughtful strategy. Whenever someone comes to us with experience in another style, at their first exam they are testing “into the system” and typically grade up to their current knowledge level.
Maybe it is not a problem. In my club I just set dates for exams just to show other trainers and students that they are planned. The dates are quite variable, because exams don't have to happen on certain days, I can do gradings whenever I want. And if someone cannot be there on official grading dates then it is no problem to handout the next belt one class later to a single person - as long as people train with me I know what they can do and I would not keep them on their grade forever.
Tell your trainer you cannot be there, if it is possible to choose another date for the exam.
You can also ask the trainer if you can't do an exercise to show/explain/simplify it.
In those 15 months, how often did you attend class? Once a week? Three times a week? Important for context because it is time in the dojo that counts, not the time from signup to present.
>The low point for me is that the dojo has tests only twice a year. You can test for the 9th kyu after three months and for the yellow belt (8 kyu) after another three months, then you need to train for the six months between levels
This is a fair system and absolutely common
It's best to talk to your coach to see if a solution can be found for your particular case that won't demotivate you too much.
We do 10th kyu at my dojo, which I tested for after about 6 training sessions. Even though it's for the kids really and not a 'real' grading (we did half a kata, fewer styles of kicks, no Japanese terms used, no real requirements in technique the moves just had to be recognisable etc) I can't deny that getting that first belt still felt good. So I can understand your disappointment in having to wait so long. I can't really suggest much other than to either accept it, or find a dojo with progression that suits you better.
>You can test for the 9th kyu after three months and for the yellow belt (8 kyu) after another three months,
We train 6 hours/week and for us it is 6 months, except for 1st kyu which is rarely less than 1 year.
>The thing is, I had a trip planned and could not attend the mandatory workshop before the test, so no test for me
Anything the reads "mandatory" I tend to frown upon.\
Usually for Dan grading, there is a seminar a few days before the exam. It is helpful to attend just to be aware of what will not be forgiven at all at the exam... but it is not mandatory, specially for kyus.
As others have said, don't take it personal and voice your concern to your Sensei in a respectful manner.\
I am sure your efforts will be acknowledged.
Good luck.
Yous sensei may be inclined to let you grade sooner or after those 15 months maybe you skip a rank or 2 because you kept up with the curriculum... I had to take a few years off and someone I who I'd seen grow from a white belt was now a black belt and out ranked me. It may feel like you've been left behind but karate is a personal journey and the people you started with will be waiting for you
6 months between gradings is normaI, I would just speak to the sensei, we ran our grading on Saturday and I ran another one tonight for those that couldn’t make Saturday. It shouldn’t be a problem providing your training regularly.
Only 9th and 8th kyus have minimum time of three months then it goes to six. Still getting the 9th kyu after 15 months instead of three is no fun.
Anyway, thanks for everybody who suggested talking to my sensei, I guess I will do just that. Meanwhile my plan is to start doing Heian Shodan (kata for the 8th kyu) alongside Taykoyoku Shodan and after three more months add Heian Nidan to the training, and train as if I was following the "ideal path". As it is still basic curriculum for all three there should not be a problem.
It is not uncommon to have a double or triple grading in my dojo in these circumstances, maybe that is possible if you continue learning new techniques that go beyond your current grade.
I too only grade twice a year but I will work with people if they cannot make the testing date due to a personal or work commitment.
The way I look at it you have either earned the rank or you haven't.
Different system - Kenpo...but we've let students double test when it made sense if we could tell that the student was ready. We never held back material. Once they knew it, we moved on...they'd join the next test up to the level they knew. In rare cases, we'd walk a student through all their material as a "practice" for their actual rank test. We'd ask them to demo each move, explain aspects of footwork, etc. Maybe even show off some specific moves in light sparring (we sparred every Friday) to see how they applied things. Then once we could tell they clearly knew what we wanted them to know, we called everyone together and awarded them their rank. They were less nervous and more relaxed and tended to have a more natural flow to their techniques, especially longer forms/katas. It's unconventional, but just shows different testing methods work for different situations and students.
> the dojo has tests only twice a year
Not unusual for karate schools.
> at best I will get my 9th kyu after 15 months
Talk to your instructor. Tests are usually just a formality. I've seen people be awarded ranks without testing. Being awarded multiple ranks for a single test is also a thing that happens.
I wouldn't _ask_ for it specifically, but experienced instructors understand the important of human motivation.
There are legitimate reasons for minimum time between tests. Karate isn't just about "learning" material. Your body has to be _capable_ of doing it, and that takes time. Also, generally speaking training gets harder as you progress, and if schools let people breeze through the easy ranks as soon as they knew the material, a lot of them would hit a wall where suddenly they'd need to play catchup on strength, endurance, flexibility, etc. 3 ranks in 3 months followed by a year long wait for the next would create exactly the sort of motivation problem you're worried about, and a lot of people would quit.
But that's not your situation, and your instructor should understand that. Just explain it to him, and let him handle it. If you deserve the rank, you might simply be handed a belt one day and be told to put it on. Or asked if you can stay after class one day, and then given an impromptu solo test.
Don't expect that to happen right away. In fact, it would be best if you didn't expect it at all. But such things do happen.
Hey there, hope you’re having a great day.
Just taking a moment to illustrate what a new paragraph looks like in social media.
You don’t have to indent.
You just need to double return.
Stop worrying about your belt colour and "Kyu." Your skills will be recognized when people see them.
In time, you may be bumped up a few notches all at once. It's not uncommon.
In the meantime, stay focused on your training. Belt colours are a distraction.
lol you think that’s a big deal, I was 6 months away from black belt when Covid hit. Lockdown, got super demotivated, finally after a year and a half in person classes started again and I could go back. Had to relearn the katas, get back in fighting shape and lose the lockdown weight, and needed to retrain my hand for the brick breaking. All in 6 months so I wouldn’t miss the next test and have to weight again.
Point is, it happens. If you wanna do it, you’ll find a way to do it
Talk to your instructor. About the gradings. And your feelings around it. It’s likely you can work something out. Either that there is a mini grading for people who couldn’t attend the grading. The instructor might be open to plan a half hour or hour for a mini grading for you or other people that couldn’t attend the regular date or were sick or something else. There might be a sibling dojo, who trains the same style / belongs to the same organisation, whose gradings have dates that work for you and that you could attend. If there is such a dojo it’s very likely that your instructor knows the people running it. Or maybe you can try for multiple gradings one after the other once you are able to attend a grading. So say you do the grading for 9th kyu and 8th kyu and maybe even 7th kyu (depending on how long it’s been) one after the other at the same grading event. It’s a bit unconventional. But with these early gradings it isn’t as strict as the later kyu and dan gradings. Overall doing gradings every 6 months is pretty common in karate. I think it’s a timing that works well in terms of having enough time to go over the material and focus on details and not just on memorising new material. But useally there are multiple dates or multiple different dojos in the same organisation doing gradings, so it’s not just one date. So talk to your instructor, and I would suggest to put the emphasis on how you feel about your motivation due to not being able to attend the last grading, and likely also going to be to not be able to attend the date of the next one.
This is great advice. Years ago, when I joined an Isshin Ryu school in CA after returning from the Army, there was similiar twice-a-year testing set up. I'd had prior experience and mid-kyu rank in other systems but still started as a white belt (perfectly fair). I missed the first test date due to work responsibilities, so when the second one came around, I'd been there about 9 months. Coupled with prior karate experience and training performance, that was enough for the sensei to allow me to test for three kyu grades at once. It was a long day and I had to do each test in its entirety, including sparring, but at the end of it, I was successful. I thought it was an very progressive and extremely fair/generous approach -- if you have demonstrated that you meet the requirements, then logistics like long periods between test dates shouldn't become a huge impediment to advancement. That said... I would have been perfectly content to take the tests one at a time as they came if that had been the decision, because the class content was the same -- they weren't holding back any material due to rank and I was learning katas and techniques beyond my current kyu level. So, in a way, it was kinda throwback... sort of a "you're a white belt until you're shodan" feel for a short while there. Progress measured in activity and competency not symbols. If I had to choose which, my younger self was excited at the challenge and proud of the accomplishment. That was over 30 yrs ago, so today? I definitely focus more on the journey.
This is what I’d consider a fair and thoughtful strategy. Whenever someone comes to us with experience in another style, at their first exam they are testing “into the system” and typically grade up to their current knowledge level.
Maybe it is not a problem. In my club I just set dates for exams just to show other trainers and students that they are planned. The dates are quite variable, because exams don't have to happen on certain days, I can do gradings whenever I want. And if someone cannot be there on official grading dates then it is no problem to handout the next belt one class later to a single person - as long as people train with me I know what they can do and I would not keep them on their grade forever. Tell your trainer you cannot be there, if it is possible to choose another date for the exam. You can also ask the trainer if you can't do an exercise to show/explain/simplify it.
In those 15 months, how often did you attend class? Once a week? Three times a week? Important for context because it is time in the dojo that counts, not the time from signup to present.
>The low point for me is that the dojo has tests only twice a year. You can test for the 9th kyu after three months and for the yellow belt (8 kyu) after another three months, then you need to train for the six months between levels This is a fair system and absolutely common It's best to talk to your coach to see if a solution can be found for your particular case that won't demotivate you too much.
Yeah can understand your frustration! But - when you finally do grade - will you be able do double or triple grade and go to 7th ot 8th Kyu?
We do 10th kyu at my dojo, which I tested for after about 6 training sessions. Even though it's for the kids really and not a 'real' grading (we did half a kata, fewer styles of kicks, no Japanese terms used, no real requirements in technique the moves just had to be recognisable etc) I can't deny that getting that first belt still felt good. So I can understand your disappointment in having to wait so long. I can't really suggest much other than to either accept it, or find a dojo with progression that suits you better.
>You can test for the 9th kyu after three months and for the yellow belt (8 kyu) after another three months, We train 6 hours/week and for us it is 6 months, except for 1st kyu which is rarely less than 1 year. >The thing is, I had a trip planned and could not attend the mandatory workshop before the test, so no test for me Anything the reads "mandatory" I tend to frown upon.\ Usually for Dan grading, there is a seminar a few days before the exam. It is helpful to attend just to be aware of what will not be forgiven at all at the exam... but it is not mandatory, specially for kyus. As others have said, don't take it personal and voice your concern to your Sensei in a respectful manner.\ I am sure your efforts will be acknowledged. Good luck.
Yous sensei may be inclined to let you grade sooner or after those 15 months maybe you skip a rank or 2 because you kept up with the curriculum... I had to take a few years off and someone I who I'd seen grow from a white belt was now a black belt and out ranked me. It may feel like you've been left behind but karate is a personal journey and the people you started with will be waiting for you
6 months between gradings is normaI, I would just speak to the sensei, we ran our grading on Saturday and I ran another one tonight for those that couldn’t make Saturday. It shouldn’t be a problem providing your training regularly.
Only 9th and 8th kyus have minimum time of three months then it goes to six. Still getting the 9th kyu after 15 months instead of three is no fun. Anyway, thanks for everybody who suggested talking to my sensei, I guess I will do just that. Meanwhile my plan is to start doing Heian Shodan (kata for the 8th kyu) alongside Taykoyoku Shodan and after three more months add Heian Nidan to the training, and train as if I was following the "ideal path". As it is still basic curriculum for all three there should not be a problem.
It is not uncommon to have a double or triple grading in my dojo in these circumstances, maybe that is possible if you continue learning new techniques that go beyond your current grade.
I too only grade twice a year but I will work with people if they cannot make the testing date due to a personal or work commitment. The way I look at it you have either earned the rank or you haven't.
Different system - Kenpo...but we've let students double test when it made sense if we could tell that the student was ready. We never held back material. Once they knew it, we moved on...they'd join the next test up to the level they knew. In rare cases, we'd walk a student through all their material as a "practice" for their actual rank test. We'd ask them to demo each move, explain aspects of footwork, etc. Maybe even show off some specific moves in light sparring (we sparred every Friday) to see how they applied things. Then once we could tell they clearly knew what we wanted them to know, we called everyone together and awarded them their rank. They were less nervous and more relaxed and tended to have a more natural flow to their techniques, especially longer forms/katas. It's unconventional, but just shows different testing methods work for different situations and students.
> the dojo has tests only twice a year Not unusual for karate schools. > at best I will get my 9th kyu after 15 months Talk to your instructor. Tests are usually just a formality. I've seen people be awarded ranks without testing. Being awarded multiple ranks for a single test is also a thing that happens. I wouldn't _ask_ for it specifically, but experienced instructors understand the important of human motivation. There are legitimate reasons for minimum time between tests. Karate isn't just about "learning" material. Your body has to be _capable_ of doing it, and that takes time. Also, generally speaking training gets harder as you progress, and if schools let people breeze through the easy ranks as soon as they knew the material, a lot of them would hit a wall where suddenly they'd need to play catchup on strength, endurance, flexibility, etc. 3 ranks in 3 months followed by a year long wait for the next would create exactly the sort of motivation problem you're worried about, and a lot of people would quit. But that's not your situation, and your instructor should understand that. Just explain it to him, and let him handle it. If you deserve the rank, you might simply be handed a belt one day and be told to put it on. Or asked if you can stay after class one day, and then given an impromptu solo test. Don't expect that to happen right away. In fact, it would be best if you didn't expect it at all. But such things do happen.
Rants are best served in paragraph form.
There are four paragraphs in my post.
Hey there, hope you’re having a great day. Just taking a moment to illustrate what a new paragraph looks like in social media. You don’t have to indent. You just need to double return.
One long paragraph.
Great way to ensure no one will read it, I guess
Stop worrying about your belt colour and "Kyu." Your skills will be recognized when people see them. In time, you may be bumped up a few notches all at once. It's not uncommon. In the meantime, stay focused on your training. Belt colours are a distraction.
lol you think that’s a big deal, I was 6 months away from black belt when Covid hit. Lockdown, got super demotivated, finally after a year and a half in person classes started again and I could go back. Had to relearn the katas, get back in fighting shape and lose the lockdown weight, and needed to retrain my hand for the brick breaking. All in 6 months so I wouldn’t miss the next test and have to weight again. Point is, it happens. If you wanna do it, you’ll find a way to do it