kevin kilroe
Orange Belt
What are the requirements for black belt at different schools? I know different schools require different numbers of techniques, forms, etc.
Thanks for the input.
kevin kilroe
Thanks for the input.
kevin kilroe
TheBattousai said:Well, you need to do a pretest and a mondo first. A pretest showing all the previous techniques you should know so you could show those lower ranks a technique if needed to. The mondo, is a list of questions that you take home write your response and then comeback and sit with the headmaster and discuse the answers with him. This is to see how your developing mentally and spiritually. The questions for first black are always the same:1.What is your relationship with God? 2.What can you do to improve that relationship? 3. What can God do to improve that relationship? After you do this, you can take your test. First black consists of 3 throws, 2 blocks, 3 hand techniques, 3 kicks, 2 chokes, 2 counterjoint techniques, a weapon kata (tonfa being the weapon for first), a weapon embu, a hard fist kata, five animal kata, a kicking kata, a sanchin (hard ki) kata, a tai chi kata, and an empty hand embu. The Katas last for one minute long each with a one minute break in between them. The katas change gradually threw the black belt ranks though and when testing for fifth black, your pretest changes to where you have to show the headmaster or soke, 300 different techniques before you can test, and if he disallows a technique and you only have 299, you fail and will have to try again later.
teej said:Keeping in mind that in American Kenpo the rank of 3rd degree blk blt is our "full instructor rank" this is what I am experimenting with.
I have cut the number of techniques required for blk blt down. Now I do teach all of the techniques. The way I am currently teaching for 1st blk, all of the forms up to form 4 are required. I have cut the number of techniqes in half. The reason being, I would rather have a greater number of students proficient in fewer techniques. In other words, more students that can do what they need to do. Keep in mind it is not the number of techniqes knows that makes someone a blk blt.
From 1st to 2nd blk I require the rest of the techniques and form 5, then for 3rd blk I require the extensions and form 6. So by the time my students reach 3rd blk, full instructor, he or she will have the full commercial system.
I may change my approach, but this is what I am doing at the moment. I was taught and promoted the old way where I had to know all of the techniqes for 1st blk. There is nothing wrong with this approach. I am experimenting with trying to get more students, specifically working moms and dads that want to learn to defend themselves while juggling everyday life, to black belt level.
Yours in Kenpo,
Teej