How do you pursue rank/promotion in your marital art of choice?

**Krijgsman** · Posted On: 2/27/2013 12:21am

Recently I approached my new Judo coach to ask about testing for my Yellow Belt. I was essentially already that rank in my previous school, but that school only used white, brown, and black belts for ranking adults, so I was still a white belt.

My coach listened to my story and basically said that, after I get some more competition experience, they would just test me for green or brown belt.

I was torn by this. On one hand, I appreciate that they think I am good enough to test for this higher rank soon. On the other hand I still have a childlike fascination with getting a pretty new colored belt... even if my rank would literally not change in the eyes of USJF. On a third bizzar mutant hand I should be worried a lot less about rank and promotion and a lot more about getting better a Judo, especially after a rather lengthy layoff that has obviously dulled the few skills that I had developed so far.

What is your opinion of rank, and what training philosophy do you try and adhere to when it comes to rank and promotion? Do you strive to earn a new belt or rank (depending on your martial art of choice) or do you ignore rank and let the promotions come as they may?

For those without formal rank in their martial arts: do you think having a measurable progress that acknowleges your mastery of certain techniques at a particular level or a particular degree of competition success would be helpful?

tl;dr: Whatch think about rank in martial arts?

**Cuddles** · Posted On: 2/27/2013 1:09am

When I did mma, we didn't have ranks. We only knew how good everyone was by how they spar and seniority, which was great because we all respected one another GREATLY as such. (Where, being 13 at the time, would be referred to as "Sir" by my adult training partners I was calling "Sir". Over time it became "bud", "mate" or "little man".)

In Karate Kempo, I personally never aspired for the next belt (to the point where I'd call my sensei and tell him I couldn't make the testing cause I didn't want to go.) However, I've met students who crave that next color as a sign of prestige.

I most likely lost the desire for a new belt after the Bullshido McDojo Kung Fu place I practiced longer than I care to admit at, where a belt gave you prestige, rank, honor, etc, but said nothing of your skill as an actual fighter.

A higher rank could tell you to do whatever he wanted in relation to martial arts, only because he's been in the dojo longer. I noticed this when I came in at Yellow Belt (You don't spar as a white. Only at yellow and up) and had to regularly spar against Brown Belts because of my fighting "prowess".

(Really, they were just bad as I'm not great at fighting, and I was unnaturally aggressive so I always attacked first. To give you an idea of how it was, the sifu told us to stand in a DEEP cat stance with the weight on our back leg and to stay "on the tracks" meaning you move in a straight line.

Of course this is how you DON'T want to fight so those who did got whomped by everyone who didn't. Being young, immature, and stupid as I still am, I didn't listen and fought by slugging it out as I saw on Dragon Ball Z and tv. Not to mention that at the tender age of 8, being almost 4 ft means you're a giant.)

In the end though, each to their own. My tkd friend cares about rank and is trying to hit black belt as fast as he can (it's been a little over a year and he's one belt away from it.) while I cared more about the sparring aspect of it. I feel as though you "earn" your "rank" when you spar (and more importantly, get beat up), instead of having it be hand-fed to you.

**baby_cart** · Posted On: 2/27/2013 1:11am

how do RANT/promote MARITAL arts of choice?

post babes.

Lots of 'em.

**doofaloofa** · Posted On: 2/27/2013 1:34am

my main reason for working towards my judo green belt was so I could be elligable to start a level 1 coaching coarse

Not long after getting green a coarse came up, so I applied only to be told that blue is now the lowest level for the coarse

I was disapointed, but green is my favourite colour

**alex** · Posted On: 2/27/2013 1:35am

when i did an ma that was ranked i remember a lot of times thinking "how is this ************ ranked above me when i could whup his ass?"

that doesnt happen in arts without ranks. i like that.

**doofaloofa** · Posted On: 2/27/2013 1:36am

Originally Posted by baby_cart

how do RANT/promote MARITAL arts of choice?

Ha ha

You fucked that up Krijgsman!

**Chili Pepper** · Posted On: 2/27/2013 9:21am

Originally Posted by alex

when i did an ma that was ranked i remember a lot of times thinking "how is this ************ ranked above me when i could whup his ass?"

that doesnt happen in arts without ranks. i like that.

Yep, I can appreciate that.

I give out rank, starting with black belt, and then it's a strict time-progression - been this many years since your last belt? You're up a rank.

And, it should be noted, nobody in my club actually wears a belt or any sign of rank.

***jnp*** · Posted On: 2/27/2013 9:29am

I spent 11 years with the same instructor and left for personal reasons a few months before he would have awarded me my black belt. Things had deteriorated between us to the point that I decided I wouldn't accept a black belt from him even if he gave it to me. By doing this, I know that I will have to wait at least another year to move up to the next rank.

But I don't care about rank that much anymore. As I have stated in my training log, I find myself less concerned with the color of the cloth I tie around my waist, and more interested in going to class to get better.

So, to answer your question, I pursue rank by attending class as often as I can and focusing on improving while I'm there.

**Diesel_tke** · Posted On: 2/27/2013 9:43am

I like being in a martial art that doesn't have belts. Every time I've train one in the past, I've noticed a bit of a preocupation with the belt color. Now, I enjoy getting to tell who is better by sparring it out. There is a lot more self reflection now which I think has made me a lot better. It makes my training feel free because all I have to think about is my game and improving it. And it is up to me to do it. I like that.

**Escrimator** · Posted On: 2/27/2013 10:07am

I dont know,common denominator with related experiences seems to center on the aliveness in the training indicating true status quo and not awarded rank.That can happen even in sistems with ranks, Judo and BJJ for instance.

Do people obcess over status? yeah.Do some schools and instructors cash in on that,yes. But but ultimatly its about the training,just because a sistem doesnt have clear ranking sistems doesnt mean its free of pecking order\petty politics **** either.

Edit: Oh yeah,Id rather have the skill over the belt anyday. Belt only covering two inches of your ass and all that...