Question on grading in Kumdo

[Kaoru]

Hi minna-san!

Hajimemashite!

I am new to this board, and my name is Kaoru.

I practice Kumdo, and in several weeks, I will do my first grading. And, in class tonight, our teacher mentioned something about us 3 beginners doing our Hyung(kata) together as a group for it. Is this commonly done? I'm just curious. I used to do Tae Kwon Do, and I don't ever remember doing our testing as a group-it was all individual, except the one step partner forms and the sparring.

So, in Kumdo/Kendo, is it different?

Domo arigato gozaimasu for any help on this.

Kaoru :)

[Neil Gendzwill]

Typically in kendo the kata portion of the exam is done in groups. If there are too many for one group (more than 5 or 6 pairs) they'll break it up into several groups.

[Kaoru]

Hi Gendswill-san,

Oh, I see. Domo arigato! Ok, so I've another question now that I know this. What if a person has a severe vision impairment in the right eye and doesn't see out of the left? That is me. I read only the top line on an eye chart. I'm corrected to 20/200 with glasses in the one eye I do see out of. I have a terrible time staying with my dojomates when doing kata. Will not being able to stay exactly together with them affect my grading? I try and try and I can't seem to stay with them, unless our teacher counts. I am afraid if he doesn't count, I might not be able to do this. I do try to not rely on his counting, but I find it so hard not to.

Domo arigato!

Kaoru :)

[Nishi]

Hi Kaoru, welcome to kendo world forums...

My advice would be to follow your partners timing for two reasons, first, its where your attention should be in kata, and second, if your eyesight is poor and your really worried about falling out of sync with the group, your partner will be a better indicator than guessing what everyone is doing(i trust you can see your partner a little better?)....i would just do the kata correctly as it involves your partner and turn yourself off to the rest of the room.

I dont think kata have a specific timing, there is a general sort of timing to them, but when i see group kata being done even at high levels, you can see the partners in their own world, i dont think its that important to be in sync...i wasnt in july, it feels like im always the last to finish.

However, i have spent time in hapkido, and watched taekwando and other korean mudo, and i have noticed that they like there group kata in mechanical sync', ....does this apply to your do-jang?

[Kaoru]

Hi Nishi-san,

First, domo arigato gozaimasu!

Well, it is hard for me to see the person next to me, because of constant motion. Things get blurrier when I am moving. So, following the closest person is hard for me. I've been trying though, but it isn't worth it, because I end up turning my head when I shouldn't be, just to try to tell what he is doing. There are three of us going for our first grade in all, However, I am aware there is a person next to me, and take care to remember that.

As to mechanical sync, I don't know. I should ask, now that you mention it. Domo arigato! But, I really hope not...

Kaoru

[Nishi]

Kaoru, how well can you see your partner during kata?

[Neil Gendzwill]

Kaoru, don't worry. You're not expected to stay in lockstep with all the pairs, just work with your partner. There is a person who is directing traffic called the tachi-ai who will tell everyone where to go. When they are all lined up, he will announce "ippon-me" and you'll all do the first kata at whatever pace. When everyone has finished and returned to the starting position he will announce "nihon-me" and you can begin the second kata. Replace with Korean equivalents, assuming they run things the same way.

[Kaoru]

Hi Nishi-san,

It depends on whether or not he is standing still or moving. At two feet things begin to get a slight blur to them. So, since my partner is moving, it is worse. He is at least four to five feet from me to my right. No-one is to my left. Details are hard to get when everything is in motion. Heck, this print drives me crazy, to give you an idea. Usually, I write using large fonts when e-mailing. This is why I have to have someone stand next to me when teaching me new techniques, or I don't get it. It is the little details like blade direction, hand position and proper footwork, that I really can't see unless I get told about it. The footwork is easier to see but I often do mess it up because I didn't see how it really was done.
And, this is with my glasses-not without.

Gomen neh, that I talked so much...

Kaoru

[Kaoru]

Hi Gendzwill-san,

Well, that makes me glad. But, we don't work in pairs in our dojang-at least, he hasn't said anything about that so far. Generally, when we three are told to work on kata together, it usually ends up that I work alone, and the other two pair up together. So, I guess it won't matter.
So far, he hasn't told us anything else about what will happen at grading, which is going to be in our dojang. Thanks for telling me what might happen. Oh, does Kendo have more than one Kata for a beginners first grading? We only have one.

Kaoru

[Neil Gendzwill]

Oh, does Kendo have more than one Kata for a beginners first grading?
Kaoru

That would be an internal matter to your dojang. In our dojo we don't do gradings for beginners, other than one to determine when they are ready to wear bogu. Also I'm not sure whether you are doing a solo kata that is unique to your kumdo style, or whether you are doing one half of a paired kata. All the IKF kendo kata are performed in pairs.

The first formal grading our beginners face is ikkyu. For ikkyu, most federations require kata 1-3. For a kendo grading, you would be expected to know both sides of the paired kata and to perform either or both with one of the other candidates, whom you may or may not have ever practiced with before. But this is all down the road for you I think, don't stress too much.

[Kaoru]

Hi Gendzwill-san,

Hai, it is a solo kata, but I think we are all doing the kata at the same time. I think it is interesting that Kendo has paired kata with two parts. I'd like to see that. Ah, I see, so up to Ikkyo, there is no grading then?
Oh yeah... the first grade we test for is, I think he said, 8th gup.

Hai, I won't worry about it then. Domo arigato!

Kaoru

[Neil Gendzwill]

Ah, I see, so up to Ikkyo, there is no grading then?

In our dojo. Under CKF regulations ikkyu must be tested by a regional grading committee. Lower ranks are awarded by the dojo and most of them just skip them, although many do kyu gradings for kids. I don't think anyone requires any kata for any ranks below ikkyu.

[Nishi]

In our dojo. Under CKF regulations ikkyu must be tested by a regional grading committee. Lower ranks are awarded by the dojo and most of them just skip them, although many do kyu gradings for kids. I don't think anyone requires any kata for any ranks below ikkyu.

Same with the BKA, but we do kyu grade exams to get students through the nervousness on the ikkyu approach, some need it, some dont...it helped me though, im a wreck at gradings...lol!!!

[Kaoru]

Well, I don't think now, I'll be too nervous at my grading.

Thanks guys!

Kaoru

[A P]

Well, I don't think now, I'll be too nervous at my grading.

Thanks guys!

Kaoru


I am sure that I freak out a lot more than you Kaoru, when it come to

grading. I remember that when I use to take karate in Stillwater and every

time that took a karate test, I always feel stomach ach and my leg were

shaken. I worry that I wasn't going to past the test. But I did pass it.

My highest belt is green belt. Then shortly after I have to Move to Mpls

to go to college. Those were my confusing time of life and did find time

for any martial art class.


But now things are different.......I am changing little by little..

for the better of myself. Now thing are much more clear in my head

in what I want to do in the future.

I feels like a Million Grand....And I am looking forward in to my future.

[Ben F.]

Hi Gendzwill-san,

Hai, it is a solo kata, but I think we are all doing the kata at the same time. I think it is interesting that Kendo has paired kata with two parts. I'd like to see that. Ah, I see, so up to Ikkyo, there is no grading then?
Oh yeah... the first grade we test for is, I think he said, 8th gup.

Hai, I won't worry about it then. Domo arigato!

Kaoru

Kaoru,

Where do you take Kumdo? What is the name of the pattern you will be doing? I ask because I am a Kumdo instructor in Minneapolis and didn't know there was anyone else other than myself and my instructor, Master Ralph Truesdell, teaching kumdo in Mpls.

Just curious...

[Ben F.]

Hi Gendzwill-san,

Hai, it is a solo kata, but I think we are all doing the kata at the same time. I think it is interesting that Kendo has paired kata with two parts. I'd like to see that. Ah, I see, so up to Ikkyo, there is no grading then?
Oh yeah... the first grade we test for is, I think he said, 8th gup.

Hai, I won't worry about it then. Domo arigato!

Kaoru

Kaoru,

The kata Neil-san has been talking about is called the Kendo no Kata in Japanese and in Kumdo it is called Bbon (sounds like "bone"). You should get to them probably around 4th gup or so. They are very challenging and very enjoyable to practice and will add a whole new dimension to your training.

Enjoy!

[Kaoru]

Kaoru,

The kata Neil-san has been talking about is called the Kendo no Kata in Japanese and in Kumdo it is called Bbon (sounds like "bone"). You should get to them probably around 4th gup or so. They are very challenging and very enjoyable to practice and will add a whole new dimension to your training.

Enjoy!

Hi Ben,

Please see my thread called "Anybody in Kendo/Kumdo heard of this?" in the Bogu, ect. forum. That will explain everything. I don't do Kumdo anymore. I practice Kendo now. For very good reason I switched. I love the Kendo kata. Thank you for the information, anyhow. I appreciate it. Oh yeah... you asked where I took Kumdo. There is a link to the school I went to, in that thread.

Kaoru

[Ben F.]

Hi Ben,

Please see my thread called "Anybody in Kendo/Kumdo heard of this?" in the Bogu, ect. forum. That will explain everything. I don't do Kumdo anymore. I practice Kendo now. For very good reason I switched. I love the Kendo kata. Thank you for the information, anyhow. I appreciate it. Oh yeah... you asked where I took Kumdo. There is a link to the school I went to, in that thread.

Kaoru

Kaoru,

Yup. Neil-san clued me into that. Should have done my research first before posting.

Glad to here your new club is working out. Enjoy!

[Kaoru]

Kaoru,

Yup. Neil-san clued me into that. Should have done my research first before posting.

Glad to here your new club is working out. Enjoy!

Hi Ben,

That's ok. I forgot I had put up this thread. Thanks, too. :)

Kaoru