From our friend Sensei Sergio Sanchez in Las Vegas NV
(this applies equally to adults)
Ryoku Judo Club has a pretty straight forward policy when it comes to belts promotion. Anyone receiving a rank should deserve the rank, we don’t promote if you don’t deserve it, no matter how long you trained. It is sad to see kids holding ranks without the minimum knowledge required. Why are instructors promoting these students? Why lie to them or their parents? Ranks need to be earned, a reward to hard work, knowledge, attendance, perseverance, performance.
Applying this rule to children upholds the integrity of the rank. It also reinforces the idea of putting skill above rank. Regardless of what belt a student wears around their waist, the skill is what holds value. Many martial arts schools promote their students without the knowledge required, without the time on grade, just to make their students and parents happy and retain students. This is not only a watering down of the rank, it sends a message of lowered expectations and a false sense of security for the person who achieves these types of rank. Then you students compete against students from other dojos that hold lower ranks and they get destroyed, this is not good for your students.
I can’t believe how students and parents live with the lie of a rank they don’t deserve. Ryoku Judo Club respects our students and the art and we promote based on many requirements, we want our students to be proud of their ranks and to perform according to the color of the belt tied around their waist. This mindset also teaches younger practitioners patience, hard work and increases the appreciation for the eventual promotion.
Rank can be said to have its place in any traditional dojo, but it is NOT the goal. It is nice to have a sense of accomplishment and progression along one’s path. It is good to have a general idea of the skill level of your uke based on rank, even if you haven’t worked together before. However, the need to show off what rank you are is opposite the philosophy of Ryoku Judo Club. The instant gratification culture is one that does not belong in the dojo. Students put in the work, the effort and the time. A byproduct of their training is rank. By the time a student of the dojo achieves Shodan (black belt), the elation related to the promotion is less apparent. This is at least partially due to the teachings of our Senseis who keep the focus on the training required to achieve this milestone and the letting go of the ego and pride. Not to say that when a student does reach this level that there isn’t a sense of pride and appreciation for the work done, it’s just that it is not the emphasis of the rank itself.
Next time you hear a conversation about someone’s 9 year old child achieving a high rank or a Black Belt in a martial art, realize that this is in itself an indication of what is really being taught, and that while the rank may sound impressive, it is by all means misleading and does not represent what the rank is supposed to indicate. If you are seeing increased focus, skill and attitude in your own child then you know that they are truly progressing, and that along with the physical skill there is also a mental fortitude that is being developed. A mindset that does not worry about the immediate reward of an action, but knows that through consistent training and a resolute persistence that anything can be accomplished. In the case of learning self-defense, it is the ability to defend yourself. Think on this.