Grading requirements: your thoughts

[Peter West]

About a year or so ago I posted a question basically asking people who are in a school that has gradings what they were working on and what they thought they needed to achieve to pass the next grade. I know my perception has changed a great deal in that time. I'd be interested to hear what you think you need to achieve for your next examination, and particularly if you responded previously, how your perception of what is required has changed.

Some of you may have successfully passed the previous grading in that time. So please share how your perception matched the reality and what you now think you need to achieve for the next.

[Andy_Watson]

I don't think my perception of my 6th dan has changed much although I am of course still working on it and it is still over a year away.

I think the requirements are:
1. To demonstrate that I understand the technically correct format of Seiteigata even if I can't do it very well. That is, I will pay token gestures to the bits I am not too good at to show that I realise they should be there even if they're not that evident.
2. To demonstrate an appreciation of the koryu forms I will demonstrate that I understand the riai and have selected a version which fits my physical state.
3. To make the entire embu one form and join each kata with a demonstration of zanshin tailing into seme.
4. Obviously to keep all of the "easy" bits in line: chakuso, reigi etc.
5. To do all the above calmly and controlled.

For myself I wish to:
1. Show a change in what I do in Seitei from my 5th dan grading.
2. Do my best to eliminate bad habits in all my iai.
3. Maximise merihari in my kata thus demonstrating an understanding of the riai.

[MarkW]

It is an interesting question.

Personally, I am not focussed on the question: how do I pass my next exam? The fun part for me is in just getting better. Focussing on exams i.m.h.o. sets a goal for you and it is very easy to shut out other things you could learn. I often get thoughts about my iai and want to test them during practise. But it is iai in general. Either techniques or something from the darkside (Like Mansfield sensei once said).

Next to this it also puts pressure on my training. Knowing that I have to learn something (either technique or mindset) and not quite getting it is frustrating when you know it is a requirement. Sometimes the answer is obvious but because of the “pressure” it is hard to see. Finding it out naturally, for me, is much more pleasant. Again that is a personal thing. Some people like the pressure.

I like to see exams as a milestone along the path. If you pass the exam you have reached it, otherwise keep walking.

Makes me wonder: are the people here very nervous before they start their exam??

[Kokoro777]

I'm not sure I really understand the question, Peter. But, I personally wish to improve since my last grading and achieve, at least, the minimum standard as set out by my examiners, preferably to be well beyond their criteria. I would like my improvement to facilitate my next stage of learning due to having a solid basis upon which to work. Beyond that I don't really know!

[still learning]

I don't think my perception of my 6th dan has changed much although I am of course still working on it and it is still over a year away.

I think the requirements are:
1. To demonstrate that I understand the technically correct format of Seiteigata even if I can't do it very well. That is, I will pay token gestures to the bits I am not too good at to show that I realise they should be there even if they're not that evident.
2. To demonstrate an appreciation of the koryu forms I will demonstrate that I understand the riai and have selected a version which fits my physical state.
3. To make the entire embu one form and join each kata with a demonstration of zanshin tailing into seme.
4. Obviously to keep all of the "easy" bits in line: chakuso, reigi etc.
5. To do all the above calmly and controlled.

For myself I wish to:
1. Show a change in what I do in Seitei from my 5th dan grading.
2. Do my best to eliminate bad habits in all my iai.
3. Maximise merihari in my kata thus demonstrating an understanding of the riai.

Thanks to Andy for a fairly comprehensive answer that iterates my thoughts/feelings [& preparations]

I would add;
Develop greater smoothness;
Develop more evident softness;
[Both points allude to managing/losing 'power' manifestations]
Show more defined 'Kan Kyu' elements/facets

Further points for [personal;] consideration;-
Try not to shake like a leaf;
Try to avoid evacuating at inappropriate moment;
Sell my soul to whichever Devil-Hachidan[s] will make the bargain;

[Kokoro777]

Oh, I see. Well in that case its smoothness that I'd like to achieve. Coming from a Kendo/Karate background, I tend to be 'digital' in my movements-sudden sharp, precise movements punctuated by stillness rather than being 'analogue' and having movements that flow seamlessly into each other, something I see in experienced practitioners. This is a constant battle for me.

[Peter West]

Oh, I see. Well in that case its smoothness that I'd like to achieve. Coming from a Kendo/Karate background, I tend to be 'digital' in my movements-sudden sharp, precise movements punctuated by stillness rather than being 'analogue' and having movements that flow seamlessly into each other, something I see in experienced practitioners. This is a constant battle for me.

Maybe you could be digital with a higher sample rate!

[Kokoro777]

Yeah but its never quite the same and you can get all that aliasing and quantisation noise. I need the warmth of analogue, valves, warm beer and gate-fold albums!

[Peter West]

I think most of us have some quantisation noise in our iaido, it depends considerably what dithering algorithm you are using. But if you are increasing the sample rate it should be fine. Decreasing is what causes most distortion.

[Peter West]

If anyone wants to know what we're talking about see here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dither
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourier_transform

[ender84567]

sounds like both of you should actually read nyquist's paper...

[pgsmith]

However, I've noticed that most tend to get confused and increase their clock speed rather than their sample rate which leads to increased aliasing and more error introduction.

I actually passed my last test in Mugai ryu since you asked your question Peter. However, I tend to not focus on what needs to be achieved for grading. I instead focus on pushing forward my practice. This may be due to the fact that there are no set criteria for grading in our art. The requirements are very vague ... perform five kata (two of which are specifically required depending upon which grade you are testing for), recite ryuha members duties, answer questions. The panel decides if you are performing at an appropriate level to the grade you are testing for. Therefore, my focus is on simply improving my overall performance, and dealing with the adrenalin boost that always comes with performing for an audience.

[Kokoro777]

Nyquist? I spit on his works!

Anyway, back to Iai...

The movements are curious in Iai because they are both sharp and smooth. I suppose the sharp, decisive portions are the actual cuts themselves whereas the foot work and body shifting etc seem to be performed as if one is in a viscous liquid- not slow per se just building up to a crescendo. Its quite beautiful to watch and its this I'd like to achieve in my progression through the grades.

[Peter West]

... The panel decides if you are performing at an appropriate level to the grade you are testing for. Therefore, my focus is on simply improving my overall performance...

This is what I'm referring to.
One tries to improve generally in relation to what is being taught. This doesn't have to be grading orientated, but:

My contention is that gradings are like navigational way points. But way points have to be recognised to be useful. Therefore I'd say that what the grading panel considers to be "an appropriate level to the grade you are testing for", what you are being taught and what you are trying to achieve should all be the same thing. Therefore my question is relevant, what are you trying to achieve (in order to progress, in order to achieve the level of the grade you are testing for, and therefore to pass the grade)?

[Peter West]

sounds like both of you should actually read nyquist's paper...

Nyquist is useful in audio processing to a point. His work is mainly relevant to telecmmunications. However the conclusion that bandwidth must be less than 50% of the sampling rate is relevant to prevent clipping of overtones in high frequencies and fold back frequencies that can cause difference tones. It's basically the same problem as the stagecoach wheel in an old film. The frame rate of the film is the sample rate in this case. As the frequency increases (wheel goes faster) the clipping occurs. In this case the wheel appears to move backwards until a harmonic threshold at which it begins to go forwards again.

In the same way, when I do kata very fast in a brightly lit room, because of the alternating current powering the lights, my custs sometimes seem to slow down and even go backwards.