Jo practice drills..?

[Peter West]

I've just noticed this thread for the first time and read it with interest. It's interesting how the kyu system in some countries is such a big issue. In my personal opinion kyu grades are for children who are not old enough to to take dan grades. Ikkyu only purpose is to gain a real life grading practice and ensure that your direction is not totally wrong. Beyond that they have no value. Shodan is exactly what it says: initial step. no more.

Andy referenced a lesson I had from Haruna Sensei. In fact it was Morita Sensei, but no matter. I was trying to persuade a Swiss high grade that their 3 months between each of 6 kyu grades, then 6 months from ikkyu to shodan was nonsense. Morita Sensei said to look at the wall opposite and imagine the top of the wall is 8th dan. Half way up the wall is 7th dan, a quarter of the way up 6th dan, one eighth of the way up a godan and so on. In this way shodan is about an inch (2cm) from the floor. How can you meaningfully divide that into 6 sections?

[Harry Jones]

In my personal opinion kyu grades are for children who are not old enough to to take dan grades.

Hear Hear!

[Luc Defraeye]

just took my 2nd kyu last month

[Andy_Watson]

just took my 2nd kyu last month

Luc

This explains why you are often mistaken for a 3-month old baby.

[still learning]

Luc

This explains why you are often mistaken for a 3-month old baby.

A 3-month-old baby armed with a big stick - - - a dangerous combination.

[Kaa]

A 3-month-old baby armed with a big stick - - - a dangerous combination.

sounds to me like men in general...

[Luc Defraeye]

I don't mind, I love the pampering

[Sandra S]

Sorry for the late reply Jklak, I had to spend some time worrying about my own gradings. There were many issues for just one post, so I will just take a few at each time.

So, Andy practice jodo at least 55 hour in month. In four month period, Andy did approximately altogether 220 hours practice for ikkyu grading in jodo.

Yes, and when we establish grading systems we cannot assume all people have the same level of progression. We cannot always base ourselves only in the average progression of the normal individual who has many interests in mind and may initially not commit himself fully; we must also take into account the people who knew from the start what they wanted and are ready to work above the average to reach it or those who have a natural talent or a long experience in other arts that will make them evolve faster.

Whenever one teaches beginners, one will encounter a whole range of experiences, backgrounds and aptitudes which along with motivation and the environment the student is subjected to, may produce different speeds of progression.
A teacher has to make these students reach the basic level which is the Ikkyu/Shodan. Some will get there faster, others slower, the important is that they all reach this basic knowledge from which they really can start learning.

Shodan is exactly what it says: initial step. no more.

When the arts we practice where created, there was one good reason why you’d want to practice hard and be good at it: your life could depend upon it.

Nowadays, there is no such pressure. So gradings and taikais where introduced as motivational and learning tools. If they are tools, then the teacher should be able to use them when he feels the student is ready to face them. If a grading is not challenging enough, what is the student going to learn from it? True, a sure pass may give a nice comfortable feeling, but

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” Martin Luther King Jr.

We must not place the hurdles way too high but we must not place them way too low either.

If the IKF has already established guidelines regarding the minimum credible time they feel it should exist between gradings, why add long minimum times for Ikkyu and sometimes, even extra time between gradings than what has been prescribed by the IKF?

Whenever the minimum time for grading subject is brought up people seem to forget this: minimum time for grading does not mean that every single teacher will be proposing every single student for grading in that minimum time. The teacher is the best place person to judge how much time that particular person needs to be able to challenge a grade. Whatever the teacher establishes as needed time, that should then be the time that person should wait to present himself/herself for a grading. In most EKF countries, one still needs ones' teacher's permission to present himself/herself to any grade, am I not mistaken?

Why then should a country’s national body be imposing a sub-system and minimum times up to Ikkyu? Does it not trust its own teachers?

[Satsuma]

just took my 2nd kyu last month

Are you going for your 1st kyu next month?

Valentin Vervack

[bravo22]

I've just realized I've fallen irreparably far behind in jodo.

nothing says "You miss way too many jodo classes" like using your jo as a fishing pole.

Caught a dace fingerling today.