Who thinks testing is really hard to get to?

[bginop]

Now it seems like to me that testing happens every 6 months or something like that. Which is fine it gives up kenshi plenty of time to practice and hopefully succed at becoming a higher rank. What i do not understand is, why are they always located in other states that are usually incovient to get to. I mean geeze i live in arizona and the testing is coming up (not like im ready for it but) its going to be in oaklahoma city. And its like 90 dollars to pay all of the fees to join a federation and its like anohter 200 bucks just to test.

MY god doesnt this seem a little pricey just to test? Granted my test prices my be off, but i know it cost 90 bucks just to join the federation. Like i said it seems like 2 possible things are happening here. 1) they are trying to cut down on the demand of high ranking people. Really who wants a buch of hachi dans running around, it just wouldnt be as special. Or 2) is it because kendo is not broad enough or large enough for everyones needs?

Frankly i just wanna hear you guys opinions on the subject.

[Will]

is that 200 bucks for testing include travel expenses? cause if it doesn't, uh...... yeah, something seems fishy...

oh, to answer your question, it's inconvienent b/c kendo's not really that big or broad.

oh, and if you didn't know, hachidan has a .3% pass rate or something, so I doubt there are gonna be hachidans running around.

[DCPan]

Now it seems like to me that testing happens every 6 months or something like that. Which is fine it gives up kenshi plenty of time to practice and hopefully succed at becoming a higher rank. What i do not understand is, why are they always located in other states that are usually incovient to get to. I mean geeze i live in arizona and the testing is coming up (not like im ready for it but) its going to be in oaklahoma city. And its like 90 dollars to pay all of the fees to join a federation and its like anohter 200 bucks just to test.

MY god doesnt this seem a little pricey just to test? Granted my test prices my be off, but i know it cost 90 bucks just to join the federation.

To put things in perspective...the average cost of a karate/TKD dojo is roughly $70 to $100 per month. I pay $50 a quarter (3 month). So, I pay roughly $200 a year to train. At your standard karate/TKD dojo, that's $840 to $1200 a year.

Now, while not all dojos are like this, some TKD/karate I see, you start from 10th kyu, and some even have subdivisions of jo, chu, ge between each kyu. So, that's 30 tests to shodan. At $30 to $50 a pop, think about how much it costs to get to shodan?

As for Federation costs, it cost me $60 total for my local federation and AUSKF fee...which includes accident insurance and the right to the open-door policy to train at other dojos.

As for where the test is located, you could always wait until they are testing in LA again. That's like what, an 8 hour drive? I use to drive 1 hour one way just for practice. I know people who drive or commute 2 to 3 hours one way just to train. It's not everyone's cup of tea, but it all comes down to how much do you want it? I don't think anyone is requiring you to test....

FWIW

[Neil Gendzwill]

Part of the problem is the requirement for a high-ranking grading committee. In Canada we need to put together a panel of 5 judges, each rokudan or better, to award up to godan. That means Vancouver or Toronto, otherwise we have to start flying sensei around. I've flown to Vancouver for every one of my gradings, and that's a $400 hit plus hotel/meals each time. Eventually, the seminar we hold each year in Saskatoon has gotten big enough that we are able to put together a grading committee for up to sandan, which has saved a lot of prairie people money. Nobody wants to buck up airfare and hotel to get ikkyu, and many of them are headed to our seminar anyways, so it's a twofer.

FWIW the grading fees in Canada are pretty cheap - for ikkyu, it's $20 to take the test and $20 if you pass. The fees go up with rank but the total of the two doesn't even pass $100 until you try sandan. And that's Canadian bucks, not real ones.

[bginop]

ohh yeah no one is requiring me to test, i justed wanted to hear you view points on it, and see if you agreed or disagreed. LOL i didnt know they had testing in los angelos. That will make it wicked easy to take tests.

[Curtis]

Testing fees for the OKC seminar and the SW federation are: kyu 17 and under $10.00; kyu 18 and over $20.00; dan examination $30.00. Certificate fee is additional.

Southwest registration fees are 17 years and under $10.00; 18 years and over $25.00. They have a one-time $5.00 initiation fee for new members. Add to that US dues which are $25 for junior kyu and $40 adult kyu and all dan.

To test in LA, unless you are a member of the CA federation you must get permission from your federation. This goes for testing in all federations for which you are not a member.

The AUSKF testing fee is $50 plus certificate fee. They usually only offer the test from ikkyu and up at the US kendo camps and tournament. Normally they only test for 5 dan to 7 dan.

[Kirin]

Testing fees for the OKC seminar and the SW federation are: kyu 17 and under $10.00; kyu 18 and over $20.00; dan examination $30.00. Certificate fee is additional.

Southwest registration fees are 17 years and under $10.00; 18 years and over $25.00. They have a one-time $5.00 initiation fee for new members. Add to that US dues which are $25 for junior kyu and $40 adult kyu and all dan.

To test in LA, unless you are a member of the CA federation you must get permission from your federation. This goes for testing in all federations for which you are not a member.

The AUSKF testing fee is $50 plus certificate fee. They usually only offer the test from ikkyu and up at the US kendo camps and tournament. Normally they only test for 5 dan to 7 dan.

Curtis Sensei,

Thank you for infos.

If you pass your testing rank, you need to pay following menjo fee to AUSKF. Kyu 17 and under $10(English) $20(Japanese), Kyu 18 and over 20(E) 30(J), Shodan 30(E) 40(J), 2 dan 40(E) 50(J), 3 dan 60(E),70(J), 4 dan 80(E) 90(J), 5 dan 100(E) 110(J), 6 dan 150(E) 160(J), 7 dan 200(E) 210(J).

[bginop]

but the point i am trying to get at, is why is it so expensive? I dont nto understand why are all of these fees allocated?

[Neil Gendzwill]

It costs money because there is an organization which is granting these ranks which has expenses and must be maintained. There is a cost to maintaining the registry and issueing the certificates. Furthermore, because most people want to get rank, this is an opportunity for the organization to raise money to support it's other activities. Such as seminars, national championships, world championship team efforts, etc etc.

Compared to other martial arts, grading costs in kendo are nothing. It's not uncommon for commercial TKD dojang to charge $500 or even $1000 for "black belt". And as pointed out before they will have a dozen little coloured belt gradings leading up to that, each with a grading fee and certificate fee and probably a sale of an overpriced physical belt too.

Suck it up and pay, and be thankful you're in a sport run by volunteers or it would be way more expensive.

[Curtis]

but the point i am trying to get at, is why is it so expensive? I dont nto understand why are all of these fees allocated?
If you think this is expensive then you have no concept of what things cost. Go try skiing for a day. One of my members pays more for his RC plane membership than kendo dues. And as Neil said, go to one of these commercial outfits.

As an instructor I donate my time, vacation time I could use for family time, personal expenses and the list goes on and on. Go to a commercial outfit and ask them to teach you for free or test you for close to nothing as we do.

[jmarsten]

but the point i am trying to get at, is why is it so expensive? I dont nto understand why are all of these fees allocated?
So let me point out of few little realities about this test in OKC. I will be the head examinar. I get to use a day of my vacation to fly to OKC. I get to spend 12 hours on an airplane + 4 more minimum sitting in the airport. I get to use my Saturday and Sunday teaching and grading kendo for free. I get to fly home Sunday night and get up and haul my butt to work Monday morning. SW pays my airfare and hotel + meals. IKF regulations require a examination board of 5 of at least 5 Dan, so how many 5 Dan do you have in Az.? zero thats how many. We had a hell of time just getting 5 examiners together to give up their weekend. BTW I belong to PNKF.
You of course can remain a zero kyu indefinately and save all that money. Instead of spending a couple hundred $'s on your kendo by going to the seminar, you instead remain practicing with the same few people week end and week out.

[bginop]

ok well thanks for the answer, that truely clears things up. I didnt mean to seem like i was attacking why it cost so much i was just curious why? Of course i could of read things wronge as well.

[Kirin]

ok well thanks for the answer, that truely clears things up. I didnt mean to seem like i was attacking why it cost so much i was just curious why? Of course i could of read things wronge as well.
Unless you are in west or east coast, we lack 5 dan or above examiner testing panels. In southwest, we only have 3 5dan up senseis. So we have to invite out of federation senseis. As both Marsten sensei stated above, those examiners must sacrifice thier time and devotion for free. Only thing we can accommodate is thier airfair, hotel and other expenses..... thats where most of our testing fees are spent.

But most of all, at these seminar/testing weekend, I enjoy meeting old and new kendo friends.
...... this is priceless :)

[GBN]

Suck it up and pay, and be thankful you're in a sport run by volunteers or it would be way more expensive.
I've got to agree with Neil here. I've been part of commercial martial arts schools and the total costs of attending are 5-10 more then the costs for my kendo fees now. Where I'm at no one is compensated for their instructional time, all the fees go to the federation or to pay rent for the gym, period. No financing of teacher's benders, etc. If you think your kendo is expensive, go take a trip to the local karate school and get their rates. I think you'll find that overall you are getting a huge bargain.

Brian

[Sir Percy]

My wife and stepdaughter just finished their black belt testing for TKD at a commercial dojang. I analyzed family expenses for martial arts (quicken) and then broke it down. Testing and instructional fees for TKD were more than my bogu in the past year (and the latter is a sunk cost which will be amortized over several years if not decades) and kendo club dues and fees. Our club in Idaho is similar to your situation in Arizona and we have arranged to have high ranking sensei's come to our dojo for instruction. We cover their airfare and put them up with club members. They donate their time out of a love for kendo. This is the martial arts bargain of the century!

[Hai_hai]

...MY god doesnt this seem a little pricey just to test? Granted my test prices my be off, but i know it cost 90 bucks just to join the federation...
Most martial arts federations have some sort of annual membership fee. Call around.

...Like i said it seems like 2 possible things are happening here. 1) they are trying to cut down on the demand of high ranking people. Really who wants a buch of hachi dans running around, it just wouldnt be as special...
Not really.

...Or 2) is it because kendo is not broad enough or large enough for everyones needs?...
You answered your own question. Take a look at the AUSKF directory. It's pretty limited when you look at a map of the US. Hundreds of cities, villages, and towns are without kendo. No preparation for a nationwide ninja attack.

[not-I]

Hundreds of cities, villages, and towns are without kendo. No preparation for a nationwide ninja attack.
Oh man, another terrorist threat. Do you think Condeleeza Rice knows about this?