Essays for Black Belt

**Eddie Hardon** · Posted On: 6/16/2012 6:31pm

Originally Posted by slamdunc

This isn't always possible; there are those unscrupulous individuals out there who may actually have someone else write a paper for them.

The [Trad] British Ju Jitsu Association Governing Body (BJJA GB)
retains all essays for 3 years. The coaching qualification is renewable at 3 yearly intervals.

Part of the reasoning will be:

To identify the lunatic
- To show the potential coach's train of thought
  - To check on copying/plagiarism etc
    
    Anyway, you get the idea. I can say that one of Coaches did say that he was off to Hampshire as he had concern for one chap who had stated that the 'samurai showed no mercy' etc. Christ. Now there's a worry....

**italian judoka** · Posted On: 8/11/2012 8:53am

In Italy sensei are allowed to rank their students up to 1st. Kyu. To get the shodan (and other dan) a pratictioner has to be ikkyu for at least one year and has to pass a test with a FIJLKAM (Italian Federation of JUDO, Wresling, Karate and Martial Arts) commission (the test fees are about 40 Euro).

It is also possible for young athelts to reach the shodan rank winning points in national and international competitions.

When I did my test, I was asked to perform the Nage no Kata, and many techniques on commission's request, like tomoe nage, uchi mata, pins, chokes and submissions. I was also asked to explain how to performe a harai goshi and something about the history of Judo, but there was nothing to write.

We attended the test in the big facility of the italian police sport center near Rome and there was many judoka from all part of Italy, so I think it was unpractical for the commission to read and correct hundreds of essays.

In Italy the shodan rank dosen't allow automatically to teach. To become a trainer a pratictioner must be black belt for almost two years and has to follow a federal course to learn how to teach, and has to pass the final test.

**elchupacabra** · Posted On: 9/15/2012 6:57pm

When I got my Shodan our style head was a kineseology professor at Louisiana Tech. So I think that is why we had to do some writing.
Adults and highshoolers had to do research papers on an approved topic. Kids that got a Jr. Black had to do a generic essay.

**slamdunc** · Posted On: 9/15/2012 7:17pm

Originally Posted by elchupacabra

When I got my Shodan our style head was a kineseology professor at Louisiana Tech. So I think that is why we had to do some writing.
Adults and highshoolers had to do research papers on an approved topic. Kids that got a Jr. Black had to do a generic essay.

I think this is a decent concept; it helps to round students out a bit.

The ITA now requires an essay for each grade and rank. From 9th to 6th gup, 2-pages, from 5th to 3rd gup, 3-pages, from 2nd to 1st gup, 4-pages, and from 1st gup to 1st dan, 8-pages. This doesn't encompass any instructor certification.

http://www.itatkd.com/promotegup.html#9th%20Gup