A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON RANK

NON-PRACTITIONERS OFTEN ASSUME THAT RANK IN KARATE AND OTHER MARTIAL ARTS IS A STANDARDIZED AFFAIR, CONTROLLED PERHAPS BY AN OFFICIAL BODY LOCATED SOMEWHERE IN JAPAN. THOSE WHO TRAIN, OF COURSE, KNOW THAT THERE'S NO SUCH THING AND THAT A SIXTH-DEGREE BLACK BELT IN ONE DOJO MIGHT NOT EVEN BE CONSIDERED A FIRST DAN N ANOTHER SCHOOL

- DAVE LOWRY

That said, many budo organizations have worked to standardize testing among their members. If you belong to a dojo affiliated with a national or international group, chances are you have a test with specific requirements for each rank. This allows for a lot of order and predictability. You can go to any dojo affiliated with that organization and be fairly sure of the quality of the ranked students and they can be sure of yours.

Probably most practitioners would think this a positive. It is, in some ways. However, give some consideration to an alternative perspective on grading and standardization.

Classical Japanese martial arts, also known as koryu, developed somewhat in isolation from one another. Keeping the essence of your ryu secret was a considerable advantage in an age of warfare. During the later feudal period, after Japan's long civil war ended, there was some interchange among ryu. Members of one ryu, having gained enough skill - and received permission from their teacher - might have joined another ryu. In terms, though, of how the ryu were structured, each tended to follow its own protocol for rank. There was no standardization or need for such.