Does your school use belts?

My traditional school does have a belt system, but I learn at my college campus so we don't worry about that. I'm not very experienced as I've worked up to a blue belt, but that means I could have had my white, orange, and purple, (plus the ranks between each) but I'm not worried about it.

When I get my certificate I'll buy my black belt. Can't see myself wearing it, however.

Mine uses sashes however the rank is almost never mentioned at any point in the training.

When I trained in Australia, we had coloured sashes reflecting skill level. When I train with Master Wan in HK, we have white shirts for students and black shirts for instructors.

My school doesn't have belts, but we do have a ranking system. We get a booklet when we join (Wah Lum Tam Tui Northern Praying Mantis) and the grading levels start at 10A to 10B and so on until 6. (no letters @6) I think you would be an instructor past that.

Hi Seiji, welcome from a fellow Wah Lum'er -- how about dropping by the Newcomers Forum and introduce yourself?

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"Pain can be a great teacher of compassion and humility."~ Unkotare-san

"Whatever the case, it proves that countless disasters can be prevented by simply assuming everyone you're working with is a moron." ~ Adam Brown, 5 Tiny Mistakes...

When I get my own dojang I would love to change a few things. I would love to change the art name and distance myself greatly from all the massive drama and politics in the Hapkido community. It would only be with the O.K. of my GM and we would have no problem acknowledging our Hapkido history, but soooo tired of the BS.

But the point is, the koreans seem to all have to attain Grandmaster at one point or another. I would love to change the belt/ranking system so as to have only 1. Anyone and everyone could potentially achieve Subum (teacher) but only one Grandmaster.

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Daniel W. "Gigagei Waya" McCullar, 4th Dan

Oooh, look the Korean stylist used Chinese
http://www.dragonslist.com/discussio...read-ever.html

When I studied Haedong Gumdo in Australia our teacher was a 4th Dan but he had already assumed the title of "Grandmaster."

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"You must be brutalized to become brutal." - ClaytonOT

wow

Now thats kinda extreme.

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Daniel W. "Gigagei Waya" McCullar, 4th Dan

Oooh, look the Korean stylist used Chinese
http://www.dragonslist.com/discussio...read-ever.html

He said he was Australia's Grandmaster. Now considering the highest rank is 9th Dan, how does 4th Dan make one a Grandmaster?

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"You must be brutalized to become brutal." - ClaytonOT

Grandmaster isn't even really a "rank" in traditional MA. It's used in a more familial sense -- you are a grandmaster (really, "grandteacher" if you have a student who has become a sifu and has students of his/her own.

Does it drive anyone else nuts to see a guy wearing a karate gi (with lots of patches of course) and calling himself "Grandmaster Soke Si Jo Sensei Johnson" or some such nonsense?

__________________
"Pain can be a great teacher of compassion and humility."~ Unkotare-san

"Whatever the case, it proves that countless disasters can be prevented by simply assuming everyone you're working with is a moron." ~ Adam Brown, 5 Tiny Mistakes...

[quote]

“	Originally Posted By: Sammygirl Grandmaster isn't even really a "rank" in traditional MA. It's used in a more familial sense -- you are a grandmaster (really, "grandteacher" if you have a student who has become a sifu and has students of his/her own.	”

Interesting. I know that is how it is often used. It is not used that way in the Plumblossom Federation as near as I can tell.

The founder of my schools has the title of Master (not Grandmaster), even though the 6 of the 7 Sifu's under him all fit the qualifications you gave above. He was given that title by Great Grandmaster Hu Yuen Chou, one of GM DFW's teachers. (He actually prefers to be called "Tai-Sifu" instead of master though.) I know there are a couple of teachers up in San Francisco that also have the title "Master" but GM seems to be reserved for DFW. And we call his three teachers (2 of whom are deceased) Great Grandmaster.

Actually, the 7th Sifu, who runs the Mira Mesa location, was brought to Sifu level by the Sifu at my school. So, technically by your definition, he could be called a Grandmaster too! However, we all refer to him as Sifu.

I like that the terms are not given out too easily in my school system.

“	Does it drive anyone else nuts to see a guy wearing a karate gi (with lots of patches of course) and calling himself "Grandmaster Soke Si Jo Sensei Johnson" or some such nonsense?	”

Yes it does. That is why I like how my school uses the terms. However, I can see that it might be too hierarchical for some.

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I must not fear.Fear is the mind-killer.Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration.I will face my fear.I will permit it to pass over me & through me.& when it has gone I will turn to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.Only I will remain.F.Herbert

Hehe, I'm glad my school only has one grandmaster. We have a lot of sifu, and some run their own schools (same, but in different places), but there is only one grandmaster.
What's cool is that there are only six generations of grandmasters. If the fifth was born in 1866, what do you reckon the first grandmaster's time was? (the current grandmaster is 70, so it isn't impossible)
Apparently, my kung fu system is famous for having a whole bunch of schools run by different people that use the same everything "across the board".

“	What's cool is that there are only six generations of grandmasters. If the fifth was born in 1866, what do you reckon the first grandmaster's time was? (the current grandmaster is 70, so it isn't impossible)	”

Well, think about it -- how long ago did Wong Long create the northern mantis style? (Hint: it's in your handbook) There's your answer.

“	Apparently, my kung fu system is famous for having a whole bunch of schools run by different people that use the same everything "across the board".	”

That's not exactly what we're famous for ... that's just a good way to maintain quality standards.

__________________
"Pain can be a great teacher of compassion and humility."~ Unkotare-san

"Whatever the case, it proves that countless disasters can be prevented by simply assuming everyone you're working with is a moron." ~ Adam Brown, 5 Tiny Mistakes...

“	Originally Posted By: Sammygirl Well, think about it -- how long ago did Wong Long create the northern mantis style? (Hint: it's in your handbook) There's your answer.	”

I can't find it... I checked when I was writing in the last post. Do you have the thick one? I've only been for 4 months (up to the third exercise), so I don't have the old book. I have the newer, thin one. I saw the big one on the shelf when I bought the Dit Da though. Looked interesting.