New Requirements For Belt Levels

True2Kenpo

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Fellow Kenpoists,

Good evening to all!

I wanted to post a general question to get some views on current belt requirements and any additional requirements some instructors might have added on top of the known 24, 16, 15 tech. levels with the usual forms and sets in their own schools...

So do many of you require your students to remember addition material, i.e. forms or sets you have created, material from different arts, etc...

Many times I feel in my school/ club, we teach material from different schools of thought, but we never require the students to remember the information. One instance is that I was thinking of requiring my students to learn Mr. Whitson's Counterpoint and some how set it as a requirement at some belt level... or possibly arnis material too.

What do you as an instructor or student feel about this?

Thank you in advance for your thoughts. Good journey!

Respectfully,
Joshua Ryer
UPK Pittsburgh
 

MJS

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I dont see anything wrong with it. Usually, I'd tell the students that it is "something extra"and don't feel as if you have to remember it or that you will need it for your next rank. Usually, its something to just break up the routine.

If its something that will be of use to them, why not teach it!

MJS
 
C

c2kenpo

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Originally posted by True2Kenpo
Fellow Kenpoists,

Good evening to all!

I wanted to post a general question to get some views on current belt requirements and any additional requirements some instructors might have added on top of the known 24, 16, 15 tech. levels with the usual forms and sets in their own schools...

So do many of you require your students to remember addition material, i.e. forms or sets you have created, material from different arts, etc...

Many times I feel in my school/ club, we teach material from different schools of thought, but we never require the students to remember the information. One instance is that I was thinking of requiring my students to learn Mr. Whitson's Counterpoint and some how set it as a requirement at some belt level... or possibly arnis material too.

What do you as an instructor or student feel about this?

Thank you in advance for your thoughts. Good journey!

Respectfully,
Joshua Ryer
UPK Pittsburgh

Joshua,

great post.

I dont think it should be required to rememebr it for a test but definatly practice it during a class time. MR. Whitson just left our school Monday after doing another knife fighting seminar and one comment he made to some of us was " Have you guys been practicing??" and the truth was yes were were. not on a regular basis but 10 - 15 min every other few weeks. We do the same with our ground work. Every once in a while we end up on the ground after techniques and we just start working from there. Not a whole class devoted to a persons certian idea or lesson but touching on from time to time.
I think it is a great idea to find a training partner who has gone though some of that material with you and get together and work those drill for an hour away from the studio so you can come in with questions.
Kinda like homework.

As far as tests go recently I tested for Green in Kenpo. My instructors challence to me was develop a personal form. So I did. Spent hours on it. Days. Then his next challenge was "okay I forgot do it with just the techniques out of your belt rank." I developed the form in 4 days and memorized it.
For me as an assistant I am challenged daily I believe having to help teach and do other things. I think my instructor like to challenge my kenpo thinking on short notice from time to time to see if my mind is focused and can complete the task in the right amount of time.

For other students today I think challengeing them with 1 - 2 small things or just giving them the thought that there might be something extra like
List the equation formulae and give me and example from it."
could be a great one. During a test the student is nervous enough as it is. But getting them to be uncomfortable a little more helps get them out of the safety zone and also show them that they were more prepared then they originally thought they needed to be. SO I like the idea as long as it is kept in check and don't do itevery time,;)
You have to keep your students guessing also.

:D
David GUnzburg
 

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