Hot Lunch
Master Black Belt
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- Apr 25, 2023
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That depends. If there's a time in grade or training hours requirement needed to participate in the next test, the student will know where they stand. Hence, no need to ask the question.That depends on whatever system your dojo has in place concerning tests and how much time is in between tests but even if your dojo does have regularly scheduled tests, that doesn't mean that every student will be testing whenever they schedule one so in that case it might make sense to ask (if you do want to work on earning belts.)
My last dojo wasn't like that. One of the (many) reasons I left. At one particular kyu grade, I needed both Naihanchi Nidan and Naihanchi Sandan for the next test. I already had about two-thirds of the hours needed, and I hadn't even started Naihanchi Nidan yet. The test was in less than a month. To add further context:From my experience you're usually taught your next kata right after you get you're next rank, if you pass a rank test and get promoted than usually by the next class or so you're taught the next kata. That's just my experience.
Each class at that particular dojo had a specific focus. I.e., a class might be dedicated to kata, another might be dedicated to sparring, another might be dedicated pairing up and practicing ippon kumites, etc.
And you didn't know ahead of time what it was going to be. There was no "Monday is kata, Tuesday is this, Wednesday is that" - and it was like that by design. They didn't want people only showing up for the days they need.
Furthermore, even on kata day, everyone does the lowest kata together and goes up to the next. And depending on how much time is spent on katas lower than the ones you need, the class may not get to the one you need in time before class ends.
So there were plenty of classes where you went home pissed off.
And even if you begin the kata, they only teach about three steps at a time.
Look up the katas on YouTube? Don't let them find out you're doing that.
Back to that particular kyu grade - eventually lost patience and asked one of the instructors, but one that I was particularly cool with (there's only one other black belt I would have asked, and none of the others). And he obliged.
Unfortunately, even though I had the hours for the next test... I wasn't able to get all of Naihanchi Sandan in time.