How do you apply and achieve ranks in Kendo?

[Flylkorean]

I was just wondering .. How do you apply for ranks ? Are there seminars or grading days that you apply for? What usually goes on in gradings? How long do you have to do kendo to apply for a rank?

[Anime12478]

One way is to apply whenever you sign up for a tournament, you also sign up for the grading session.

[rckenshi]

One way is to apply whenever you sign up for a tournament, you also sign up for the grading session.

That may be true in SEUKF (I assume you're basing your advice on experience in Georgia -please correct me if I'm wrong), however, it really depends on where your dojo is located. I can only speak for northern California (NCKF). There, your sensei will recommend you to test for a specific grade/rank (typically 6 kyu or 5 kyu if you are a beginner). There are two gradings per year; once in May, and another in November. In NCKF everyone grading must be in bogu, since jikeiko is part of the grading process (as is kirikaeshi for 6 kyu through 2 kyu; 1 kyu and above do kata instead).

Best is to ask your sensei, or one of your sempai, how things work in your dojo/federation.

rckenshi/RC_Kenshi