TESTING FOR RANK
by Master Dennis Dallas

Up through fifth dan, a student is tested and promoted on technical merit and character development. After fifth there are other criteria added to this evaluation. I would like to restrict this paper to the first five dans and the reasons behind being tested, at least from the standpoint of its importance to the student.

First of all, I would like to say that there is no magical way that an instructor can tap a student on the head and he or she will become an expert in the martial arts. There are two things required to become proficient in the martial arts, a hard working student and a knowledgeable instructor. And that is just to start, but the training usually will produce the rest.

There is a martial art system in the U.S. that promotes people to black belt in one year or less, but that does not mean they have any proficiency in the martial arts. What it usually means is they have a contract that states that their one time fee for classes to black belt now requires them to begin paying monthly fees.

So, why have a test in the first place, if hard work, a knowledgeable instructor and training are all you need? The answer is that the test is part of the training. You can’t leave it out and expect to get the same results. The test produces many experiences that cannot be duplicated in a class.

The test is supposed to be stressful. Try as I might to express my hope that they will be successful, the student will have a great deal of stress in his first test. Each test after that the students find more and more ways of dealing with the stress, which they should. When the student finds the test environment to be easily manageable, the type of test changes, more in the area of character challenges. I have seen some amazing character changes in my students. Those changes are so positive it is like a bonus for me that money cannot match. I hope I have provided those feelings for my instructors, from time to time, as I know I have experienced a wealth of positive influences from my martial art experiences.

Dealing with stress then is a tool we develop from having our tests administered properly. This ability is also applied outside of the school in job interviews, public speaking, social conflicts, rearing children, etc. And if the student is perseverant, they can also handle the stress of being attacked. Without this mental toughness, all the skill in the world won’t help in defeating an attacker. While it is necessary to have some tools in the chest, it isn’t always necessary to use a hammer to fix a problem. If the tools are there, the confidence is there, and the calm demeanor obtained from handling stressful situations will often convince an attacker to bother someone else.

TEST FEES
By Master Dennis Dallas

Before we consider the subject of test fees, a little history would be useful. The pre-Bodhiddarma period, the post-Bodhiddarma, and the present will give us a good understanding of how they came to be. Bodhiddarma was a monk who traveled from India to China around 528 AD. He is believed to have been a pivotal figure in martial arts history because after that time the aim of martial arts changed from defeating another to victory over oneself.

Since in pre-Bodhiddarma times the emphasis was winning the battle it was primarily the military that was the dispenser of martial art information. The fee at that time . . . possibly your life.

During Bodhiddarma’s time it was used as part of the Buddhist priest’s training. The priests were to live at the temple. Begging for food or money to support the temple life, clean, farm, and do any other chore around the temple in order to live there. It was a hard life with harsh disciplines and took about 15 years of one’s life before being considered ready to leave and either teach or wander. The fee for this training . . . become a Buddhist priest.

As you can see, there is always a fee for training, but where do test fees fit in. Rank as we have it today was established around 1882 by Jigoro Kano, the founder of Judo. As I said before, the test for rank is part of the training. Soldiers and priests were tested too, but in more practical ways. Today’s rank tests were established because those elements inherent at those earlier times had been eliminated by the peaceful times experienced by Japan during the Tokugawa period. In order to bring out the feelings one had during real confrontations, rank tests were instituted. Instructors also wanted a helpful way to determine seniority among so many people becoming involved in the martial arts. As we all know, our seniors can help us but we need to know who they are first.

In Jigoro Kano’s time, when a promotion test was given and passed a gratuity was given to the instructor afterwards. When martial arts went into other countries the customs of that country had to be observed. In Japan, the gratuity reflected one’s appreciation and the amount depended on what a person could afford. The feeling was, a dollar from a person that makes 10 dollars a week is worth more than a dollar from a person that makes 10,000 dollars a week. Unfortunately, students did not understand this concept and wanted a set fee to eliminate feelings of uncertainty. Also, students wanted to know that their instructor could count on his income from the student and better handle finances in a capitalistic environment. Without the test fee the test would just seem like an additional class. That would eliminate the stress of testing which teaches a great deal.

The auto check system is payment method that the Helena Karate and Judo has available to it for making a students monthly payments by automantically debiting their account each month. This insures no late fees.

As long as Mr. Dallas has been notified of your leaving by the first of the month that you are leaving, no monies will be debited from your account until you choose to return.