cross ranking

[progressivetactics]

Have you any students, or have you yourself....
got to a level in 1 system, and started training in another system?
How did you handle the ranking?
Wear your highest achieved rank? Start as a white belt? Cross promote once learning specific requirements?

Just curious, as i'm sure many instructors have come across this.

 

[arnisador]

We've had discussions like this before, but I'm not sure just where they all are! Here are some similar ones:
http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1650
http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=752
http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4232

When I started JKD and BJJ last year, I didn't even ask--I just expected that I'd wear my white belt. In fact, we change belts for the back-to-back classes, wearing the in-school JKD belts then the approrpiate BJJ belts.

Once I studied kung fu with an instructor who taught Modern Arnis after it (Saturdays only). Same deal--I never asked. I just wore my orange sash (or whatever) for kung fu and my black belt for arnis.

I wouldn't think of walking into another instructor's school as a student and wearing anything other than a white belt. If it was a Modern Arnis school, of any organization, I'd expect to be able to wear a black belt since I was promoted to black belt by the Founder. Otherwise, I wear white (and of course inform the instructor that I have previous training). If the instructor were to ask that I wear something else, I'd respect his wishes but frankly would be uncomfortable in most cases.

I can see the logic of taking someone with experience and making them say a green belt--I know the JKD students are sometimes surprised, when we do kali stuff, about my level of skill--but I'd rather start at the start and move up at the pace the instructor allows.

 

[cali_tkdbruin]

Well, as for myself, I just made first dan BLACK in Taekwondo last year, but now my goal is to do the same in Shotokan Karate.

Since TKD has some of its roots in Shotokan, I'm going for it. Also, starting over in Shotokan as a white belt is what I expected since I don't know any Karate-do, and I'm not familiar with that MA's customs, or for that matter Okinawan or Japanese customs. Hey, I'm just barely getting to know Korean customs!!

I must be American huh?

 

[Nightingale]

I made green belt in TKD.
The highest kenpo rank I hold is brown.

If I should ever compete in a TKD only tournament, or train in a TKD school again, I would wear green, since that is my highest TKD rank.

when I compete in kenpo only tournaments, I wear my brown belt, because that is my highest kenpo rank.

when I compete in open tournaments, I wear my brown belt (kenpo) because it is my highest overall rank.

 

[MJS]

3rd Black in Kenpo. However, when I'm training in Arnis and BJJ, I dont wear the Kenpo BB. Like it was said, if I walked into another Kenpo school, then yes, I'd wear the same belt that I have. If I started training in TKD, then of course, I'd want to start with white.

Mike

 

[stickarts]

When i was green belt in one art, i started cross training in another art.
After reaching blackbelt in the 1st art, i added a 3rd art!
this works fine if you get a base in one art 1st, have a good memory, and train all of the time! teaching a lot helps you to remember it too.
Each art in my school has a separate curriculum, however, you do learn a bit of each since each curriculum has some cross over.
Each person has to find the right balance of learning enough new stuff to keep interested and growing, but not spread so thin that you're not good at any of it!

 

[stickarts]

ps. if i am training elsewhere, i prefer not even wearing a belt if i can get away with it!

 

[tshadowchaser]

I'm of the same mind as the others. I have always put on a white belt and placed myslef in the lowest ranking spot in a new class. It's a new area of study and I refuse to let my previous rank in any other system have any bearing.
I have been asked once to stand with the black belts but felt uncomortible there because I did not know the system or what to do. I requested that if I had to place myself there I be allowed not to wear rank till I earned it.

 

[progressivetactics]

good answers! Everyone is on the same page, pretty much.

I Have many part timers from other systems who want to try my club, for a week, month, etc. I always request they wear the highest rank they have achieved, no matter where it was from. We respect rank, regardless of style, and don't critize for not knowing our curriculum.
I myself, will consider myself white belt, until completed proper training, time, and ability to move on.

THERE IS NO SHAME IN A WHITE BELT!!!
Besides, you can get away with alot more if you wear white!!
lol.

bb

 

[Astra]

I don't wear anything

In my first art Judo, I was never formally tested, so OFFICIALLY (not practically) I'm a white belt, and since I left Judo I have no desire to do tests for a piece of cloth.

And my Wing Chun school doesn't have belts

I wouldn't even dream of stepping into a say, BJJ school and expect to wear a belt that compares to my Wing Chun level, that's just silly - start from white belt

 

[jfarnsworth]

Originally posted by progressivetactics
Have you any students, or have you yourself....

Yes, I have.

How did you handle the ranking?Wear your highest achieved rank? Start as a white belt? Cross promote once learning specific requirements?

From the first day I stepped into the kenpo studio I put on a white belt. Neither myself nor the instructor cared one bit. However I advanced at a much faster pace than everyone else.

 

[Galvatron]

I'm a 2nd dan in Tang Soo Do, so I have the obligatory belt with my name embroidered on it and 2 stripes, but I frequently work out in a WTF Taekwondo school though that's owned by an old friend of the family. I have a spare belt I wear there with nothing on it, just solid black.

 

[James Kovacich]

Originally posted by arnisador
We've had discussions like this before, but I'm not sure just where they all are! Here are some similar ones:
http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1650
http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=752
http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4232

When I started JKD and BJJ last year, I didn't even ask--I just expected that I'd wear my white belt. In fact, we change belts for the back-to-back classes, wearing the in-school JKD belts then the approrpiate BJJ belts.

Once I studied kung fu with an instructor who taught Modern Arnis after it (Saturdays only). Same deal--I never asked. I just wore my orange sash (or whatever) for kung fu and my black belt for arnis.

I wouldn't think of walking into another instructor's school as a student and wearing anything other than a white belt. If it was a Modern Arnis school, of any organization, I'd expect to be able to wear a black belt since I was promoted to black belt by the Founder. Otherwise, I wear white (and of course inform the instructor that I have previous training). If the instructor were to ask that I wear something else, I'd respect his wishes but frankly would be uncomfortable in most cases.

I can see the logic of taking someone with experience and making them say a green belt--I know the JKD students are sometimes surprised, when we do kali stuff, about my level of skill--but I'd rather start at the start and move up at the pace the instructor allows.

I've put a white belt on time and time again and in several arts, so it is a very long road. When I trained under my brother-in-law we changed belts for each class which in theory made sense.

When he added an Aikido class he gave us a choice if we wanted to where our belts or not. Most evryone put on a whitebelt except 2 of us. A Shodan wore his Black and I wore my Brown. I guess we were thinking like students but we were already learning Karate, Judo/Jujutsu, Kobujutsu and then starting Aikido.

My point is at higher level it is easier to put on that white belt but in the Kyu's its not as easy. So when a new student comes to me with experience that is obvious I give them a green belt which is a 5th Kyu but they don't get the certificate until it is earned. The only acception is I gave one student a Brown because he was already a well trained Thai fighter and I already trained him for about 10 months. But I have not yet given him his San Kyu certificate because I have a curriculum which dictates what exactly I expect from each of them.

:asian:

 

[James Kovacich]

Originally posted by progressivetactics
good answers! Everyone is on the same page, pretty much.

I Have many part timers from other systems who want to try my club, for a week, month, etc. I always request they wear the highest rank they have achieved, no matter where it was from. We respect rank, regardless of style, and don't critize for not knowing our curriculum.
I myself, will consider myself white belt, until completed proper training, time, and ability to move on.

THERE IS NO SHAME IN A WHITE BELT!!!
Besides, you can get away with alot more if you wear white!!
lol.

bb

I have a cross rank from Hanshi Lou Angel and the National College of Martial Arts. I was promoted to 5th Dan from Hanshis former student and I am also a student of Hanshis in Goju Kai. Soon I will test in Goju but for now he backs myself and my school.

:asian:

 

[OULobo]

When I start a new art, I never even mention rank in a first art. It may bias opinions and taint the learning process ("Oh, don't mind him, he's an FMA guy.").

I almost never wear rank at all. I know some of my instructors hate this, but they accept it as part of my philosphy on martial arts. My thoughts are that if new students can't tell that I am of higher rank by my abilities, then I really don't deserve the rank anyway. The only time I run into problems are when a new student needs to ask a question and doesn't realize I may be able to help or when a lower rank wants to instruct me. In the latter case, I just let the lower rank teach and keep his mistake to myself. Sometimes I learn more that way. The only time I wear rank is at formal events.

 

[James Kovacich]

Originally posted by OULobo
When I start a new art, I never even mention rank in a first art. It may bias opinions and taint the learning process ("Oh, don't mind him, he's an FMA guy.").

I almost never wear rank at all. I know some of my instructors hate this, but they accept it as part of my philosphy on martial arts. My thoughts are that if new students can't tell that I am of higher rank by my abilities, then I really don't deserve the rank anyway.

I agree with that!

:asian:

 

[arnisador]

Originally posted by OULobo
when a lower rank wants to instruct me. In the latter case, I just let the lower rank teach and keep his mistake to myself. Sometimes I learn more that way.

Absolutely. I learn a lot by shutting up and letting other people talk. Even if they know less than me they may know something different than I do.

 

[cali_tkdbruin]

Originally posted by OULobo
When I start a new art, I never even mention rank in a first art. It may bias opinions and taint the learning process ("Oh, don't mind him, he's an FMA guy.").

So OULobo, what do you do when you go looking for a new school that teaches a style that's is different from the style where you earned your highest rank. Inevitably the master instructor will ask you if you've ever trained in any martial art. What do you say?

Do you tell them I reached X color belt rank, or I'm an X dan BLACK in such and such art, or do you avoid the question or lie?

I've seen BLACK belts in styles different from my art come into my dojang and train with us and they just wear a WHITE belt. When we start doing drills and the like, these BLACKs from other arts just rise to the top. Even though they weren't trained in my art, just by watching them one can tell that they are well experienced martial artists. I think it's just the way they behave and carry themselves with confidence. Most novice white belts act like they have 2 left feet, however, if you've trained in any MA for a good while you usually don't come across as a newby IMHO... :asian:

 

[OULobo]

Originally posted by cali_tkdbruin
So OULobo, what do you do when you go looking for a new school that teaches a style that's is different from the style where you earned your highest rank. Inevitably the master instructor will ask you if you've ever trained in any martial art. What do you say?

Do you tell them I reached X color belt rank, or I'm an X dan BLACK in such and such art, or do you avoid the question or lie?

I've seen BLACK belts in styles different from my art come into my dojang and train with us and they just wear a WHITE belt. When we start doing drills and the like, these BLACKs from other arts just rise to the top. Even though they weren't trained in my art, just by watching them one can tell that they are well experienced martial artists. I think it's just the way they behave and carry themselves with confidence. Most novice white belts act like they have 2 left feet, however, if you've trained in any MA for a good while you usually don't come across as a newby IMHO... :asian:

I do try to avoid the question. Usually I just say I have trained a little. Most instructors don't push the subject. I try my best to not flat out lie.

Usually it is an exercise of will to not use techniques I know from other systems, but that are not common or just not taught to me yet in the new system. I will say that, in time, as I have progressed in the new system it seems to become obvious to others that I am trained in someway. About this time I come clean if asked, as it is past the initial bias. I have never had an instructor mad at or distrustful of me for this policy.

 

[progressivetactics]

sounds dis-respectful, and dis-honest.