4 day black belt testing.

[d1jinx]

I'm always interested in what others do and how to see if I can better myself. Found this and thought it was an interesting. Not saying I like it / or dis-like it.

http://www.mookas.us/media_view.asp?news_no=1622

but then again.... 68 x $$$ = $$$,$$$,$$$

Now I am not saying its about the money in this case, just saying I cant imagine ME having 68 Black belts testing at once (or even having 68 at one time period)
maybe one day.
CHA - Ching

 

[Twin Fist]

must............struggle.................to............hold in.............comments................

 

[jks9199]

Am I seeing Twin Fist and d1jinx actually nearing agreement?

Has anyone else noticed a distinct drop in the temperature, and some rather extremely ruddy folks on ice skates?

 

[ralphmcpherson]

I'm always interested in what others do and how to see if I can better myself. Found this and thought it was an interesting. Not saying I like it / or dis-like it.

http://www.mookas.us/media_view.asp?news_no=1622

but then again.... 68 x $$$ = $$$,$$$,$$$

Now I am not saying its about the money in this case, just saying I cant imagine ME having 68 Black belts testing at once (or even having 68 at one time period)
maybe one day.
CHA - Ching

we dont test over 4 days , our grading takes about 6 hours. We do , though , regularly have more than 68 grading for black belt or their next dan on grading day as we have over 4000 members . Its a huge day , only our GM or 7th dans and above can grade students so the logistics are massive. Afterwards we go out for korean food and soju , its always a great day.

 

[ATC]

I have hear of some school owners having 30+ schools. I could see 68 people testing at a time if you have many schools. If you have one schools and are testing 68 members for black then I am not sure what to think.

With 68 people testing I could see the test lasting 3 days. It would take an entire day just to check poomsae for 68, unless you are not really checking.

 

[goingd]

Interesting. I just would've liked to see higher kicks during the poomse...

 

[dbell]

we dont test over 4 days , our grading takes about 6 hours. We do , though , regularly have more than 68 grading for black belt or their next dan on grading day as we have over 4000 members . Its a huge day , only our GM or 7th dans and above can grade students so the logistics are massive. Afterwards we go out for korean food and soju , its always a great day.

If you read the site, their "4 day" event is about 9-10 hours in total. Each day is about 2 hours until the 4th day, which is 4 or 5 hours.

I'm not sure how you can test that many people at once and see all of them actually do the correct moves, with the correct form, power, etc, unless there are multiple graders looking at a set number at one time, and each grader only has a small handful of people to watch.

I'm also not sure about the "pre-test" to qualify for the "final test". The pre-test should be the months of training up to the point you show what you have learned. If you are working with your class close enough, you will know if they know their content needed for belting and know if they are ready to go before the GM (if you aren't belting them to the next level), why the pre-testing? (Especially because the schools I've seen do the pre-testing charge money both for the pre-test and the final test!)

 

[d1jinx]

I'm not saying it isnt possible to have that many at once. If you have more than one school or a large school, anything is possible. Its just I couldn't picture myself with that many BB, let alone a school or schools of that size and magnitude. I am too dependant on my current salary, that I could never picture myself giving it all up and going full time all out teaching. Many people do it, But I dont feel and dont want to be dependant on a TKD school. Sure if I ever hit the Lotto, I'm walking out of my job.... and gonna teach full time and have a big school, but financially I am not willing to give up the current luxuries I have and Hope I can make it... you know what I mean? Its really tough out there for a small business to succeed. Its more than possible, but I just aint willing to chance loosing my house over it. Totaly my choice and I know others who are living comfortably teaching only.... but I have a good thing now with my career, that I just dont see it in My future....

 

[d1jinx]

If you read the site, their "4 day" event is about 9-10 hours in total. Each day is about 2 hours until the 4th day, which is 4 or 5 hours.....!)

I hadnt read that part. I am a bit dissapointed to hear that. And I thought there was some hope there, even though the video didnt show much. I have had tests that lasted about 6 hours for 2 people....(not so much now days ever since I installed that conveyor belt...

)

I guess I still believe in testing people and making them feel as if they earned it. the last of a dying breed i guess.

 

[d1jinx]

Interesting. I just would've liked to see higher kicks during the poomse...

That many people testing and the cameras always seem to find the "least" impressive person.... ever noticed that?

Like on the news when a someone gets interviewed.... they seem to grab ned the wine-O to interview on what happened and we get to see him drool and sler his words when a respectable human being is standing in the background!

 

[d1jinx]

Am I seeing Twin Fist and d1jinx actually nearing agreement?

Has anyone else noticed a distinct drop in the temperature, and some rather extremely ruddy folks on ice skates?

I'm "usually" rude when provoked... and not to change the thread but I have no problem agreeing with anyone.... when they see it my way

:rofl:

just kidding. I try not to be biased. I try to see everyones point of view even if I dont agree.

 

[ralphmcpherson]

The way my school does it is we have the GM plus 5 7th dans all sitting on a panel. On the floor we have 6 crosses taped onto the floor. Each member on the panel only watches the student on their corresponding cross on the floor. Six names are called at a time and each student walks to the marking on the floor and does their poomsae and is graded by whichever 7th dan is watching them and them only. Any mistake in form is an instant fail and poor form loses 1 point. If a student loses 2 points over the entire grading (form , sparring , timber breaking and self defence) , they fail. The most time consuming part of the day is the sparring , we have 4 separate courts set up thus 8 students are sparring at any set time.

 

[goingd]

That many people testing and the cameras always seem to find the "least" impressive person.... ever noticed that?

Like on the news when a someone gets interviewed.... they seem to grab ned the wine-O to interview on what happened and we get to see him drool and sler his words when a respectable human being is standing in the background!

Oh, I've noticed. But in this case, even when there were only a few at a time doing the black belt forms the kicks barely went above the waist.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Interesting. I just would've liked to see higher kicks during the poomse...

If the poomsae is done correctly, the kicks generally do not get all that high. With the exception of a couple who's kicks were simply mailing it in and never got above knee level, most of the kicks looked like they were about at the correct levels.

My only real criticism was a general lack of snap to a lot of what I saw.

Daniel

 

[garrisons2]

My personal opinion, and I have no where near the experience on such matters as some of the regulars is that a 4 day BB test is unnecessary. If your GM can not test you in a 2 to 3 hrs span, he/she has not been paying attention to the previous few months. My GM watched me more closely in the months leading up to BB test than he did at the actual test, as he was focused on the more marginal testers

 

[TKDHomeSchooler]

My personal opinion, and I have no where near the experience on such matters as some of the regulars is that a 4 day BB test is unnecessary. If your GM can not test you in a 2 to 3 hrs span, he/she has not been paying attention to the previous few months. My GM watched me more closely in the months leading up to BB test than he did at the actual test, as he was focused on the more marginal testers

I agree. Our instructors have said, when it comes time to test for Black Belts they already know our skill level or we would not be progressing from Black Belt candidate to testing. The goal of our Instructors at the Black Belt test is to evaluate heart and dedication, their goal is to make us quit the test. If we don't quit and do what they know we can do, we will pass.

 

[dbell]

My personal opinion, and I have no where near the experience on such matters as some of the regulars is that a 4 day BB test is unnecessary. If your GM can not test you in a 2 to 3 hrs span, he/she has not been paying attention to the previous few months. My GM watched me more closely in the months leading up to BB test than he did at the actual test, as he was focused on the more marginal testers

I pretty much have to agree with you. In watching the video, I'm not sure many would have passed if that was how they really performed!

 

[phatbway]

I pretty much have to agree with you. In watching the video, I'm not sure many would have passed if that was how they really performed!

I have to agree with you guys on this one. those kicks were pretty poorly executed and the stances, oh my - let's see............questionable?

 

[Miles]

I agree. Our instructors have said, when it comes time to test for Black Belts they already know our skill level or we would not be progressing from Black Belt candidate to testing. The goal of our Instructors at the Black Belt test is to evaluate heart and dedication, their goal is to make us quit the test. If we don't quit and do what they know we can do, we will pass.

I don't have a separate "Black Belt candidate" rank-that is usually just 1st guep and I require a minimum of 6 months between 1st guep and 1st dan/poom. When the student is ready, I tell them they will be testing in 6 months. I have a lady who has been a 1st guep for 2yrs and she was told last week she should be ready to test in June 2010. My view of the test is that it is done day in and day out on the training floor so that by the date of the test, the only thing remaining is essentially a demonstration of the knowledge and skills accumulated over the course of the student's training...and a paper.

 

[Wey]

My personal opinion, and I have no where near the experience on such matters as some of the regulars is that a 4 day BB test is unnecessary. If your GM can not test you in a 2 to 3 hrs span, he/she has not been paying attention to the previous few months. My GM watched me more closely in the months leading up to BB test than he did at the actual test, as he was focused on the more marginal testers

In the old system I trained, even though it is not Tae Kwon Do, our GM is not there to train with us. Purple Dragon spans many countries, thus for the Black Belt grading Professor Don Jacob holds it at his dojo in Trinidad. That may be why Purple Dragon grading is 3 days long as well, and more than 4 hours a day. That may be another aspect for you to consider about black belt gradings. No disrespect intended.

On to my point. I... am quite saddened that was a black belt grading. It seems a couple of you agree with me as well. The kicks, the strikes, and the sparring all seemed lack luster. Black belts need to be strong and confident, and I did not see much of that in this video. However, the self-defense techniques seemed spot on.

Maybe it was a bad day for some or the only ones that were high lighted were not performing their best. Whatever the case, I am disappointed. I know that if I performed like that and got my black belt, I would not be a black belt. No disrespect intended, just voicing my opinion.