[endulundaSauh]

I get the question "how long have you trained" more than any "whats yer rank"-type question from beginners or even non-member observers. Last time someone asked me about my rank it had been so long since I graded I almost didn't remember what grade I had.
We simply dont grade that often and almost never discuss grades unless a grading is near.

[avitalporatova]

I wonder where that impression that it's a not-inconsiderable acheivement comes from. At least over here in Germany, the formal requirements for 'adults' 14+ (minimal waiting times) are pretty aligned:
Kendo ('german' Style)
6. Kyu -- usually 3-6 month
5. Kyu -- 6 month
4. Kyu -- 6 month
3. Kyu -- 6 month
2. Kyu -- 6 month
1. Kyu -- 6 month - 30 month +
1. Dan -- 1 year
etc.

I'm not sure why you added the ~30 months for ikkyu on the kendo timeline, there. Are you saying after thirty + months German kenshi are guaranteed a shodan, regardless of testing? Because that is the only way that addition is relevant. Otherwise, the date at which one is allowed to test is the only date needed. Of course it takes longer for some people than others, but that would be true at all belts/dan/kyu/geup/poom/ranks-of-whatever-name. Someone might start kendo and then finally get around to grading six years later. Does that mean you should edit your timeline for 6 kyu to "3 ~ 72 months?" I don't think so. I know someone who was shodan for 8 years before testing for nidan. Should the timeline then read: "shodan 1 year - 8 years +" ? Of course not.

[Bigroza]

I'm not sure why you added the ~30 months for ikkyu on the kendo timeline, there. Are you saying after thirty + months German kenshi are guaranteed a shodan, regardless of testing? Because that is the only way that addition is relevant. Otherwise, the date at which one is allowed to test is the only date needed. Of course it takes longer for some people than others, but that would be true at all belts/dan/kyu/geup/poom/ranks-of-whatever-name. Someone might start kendo and then finally get around to grading six years later. Does that mean you should edit your timeline for 6 kyu to "3 ~ 72 months?" I don't think so. I know someone who was shodan for 8 years before testing for nidan. Should the timeline then read: "shodan 1 year - 8 years +" ? Of course not.

I think what he's trying to say is that's the shortest time line. In Germany from what I understand it’s mandatory to start at 6th or 4th kyu with mandatory waiting times of 6 months in between gradings, so the fastest you could reach shodan would be the time he gave.

[Grizli]

Again. If six months is the shortest time, then that's all he needs to say. Unless some districts have mandatory waiting periods at ikkyu for longer than 30 months.

[HomePageOEMfreeSOFTWARE]

a better way would be to equate it to age as in japan, shodan/nidan is a highschool student, sandan/yondan is a college student, and godan and up is a graduate that kept up with practicing.

[zibTefapparia]

He probably meant it adds up to 30+ months from 6. kyu to first.

[HilaryNidierer]

Well, that's confusing, but that would make more sense.

[mralabama]

Germany's an outlier. Most places, shodan starting as an adult is 3 years or less.

Wasn't about the Kendo, but that all other arts are 3-4 years to Shodan - at least minimum time. That's not such a high level of mastery.
I'd think, while having more gradings and starting lower, there should be more options to grade (the arts being more mainstream), so the chance of missing out an entire semster might be equal? Is the fail rate at kyu grades so high in Judo or Karate (TKD similar requirements as far as I could find out)? Do they market their black belts better?

I'm not sure why you added the ~30 months for ikkyu on the kendo timeline, there. Are you saying after thirty + months German kenshi are guaranteed a shodan, regardless of testing?

No, that's minimum time over here. And I guess the pass-rate for shodan is equal, if not worse to international gradings.
Absolute minimum, no skipping grades, no 'oh, you're better, we'll give you a kyu or two more'.

[Yifnvmzp]

Wasn't about the Kendo, but that all other arts are 3-4 years to Shodan - at least minimum time. That's not such a high level of mastery.

Varies quite a bit locally. Judo is 8 years minimum, more like 10 realistically. Shotokan karate is at least 5. Kendo is minimum 3 months, as theoretically you could grade for ikkyu your first day and try shodan 3 months later. But typically it's grade ikkyu after 1 year, shodan after another year.

[payowlirriply]

Varies quite a bit locally.

How long does it take for a check to clear?

[Xodvbooj]

a better way would be to equate it to age as in japan, shodan/nidan is a highschool student, sandan/yondan is a college student, and godan and up is a graduate that kept up with practicing.

In my experience, shodan and nidan are junior high grades (14-15), then sandan is a high school grade, yondan is a college grade... and then godan is a "serious" student grade, since the jump from yondan to godan in Gunma is very difficult.

[Nfvzjvcl]

Same, except shodan is pretty much a kids' grade.

[Jifyicyfuhpop]

I don't know about you, but I think of 14-year-olds as being kids. That's pretty much the earliest they're allowed to get it anyway.

[bunkalapa]

I think there's a big difference when you compare the situation to europe for instance. Here in europe people often start kendo in their twenties, our dojo had some teens but we now only have people 20+ doing kendo. Of course there's also the issue of traininghours we can put in.

[JOR4qxYH]

I don't know about you, but I think of 14-year-olds as being kids. That's pretty much the earliest they're allowed to get it anyway.

Little kids, then. Elementary schoolers. 14 year olds are quite often 6 feet or more in height, these days. I think of them as teenagers, not kids.

[yurawerj]

Yeah, that's just not possible here due to regulations. There's a lower age limit on 1-dan. Is it different elsewhere?

[space-on-s]

14-15 is typical highschool freshman in the usa, which is why i grouped shodan into highschool

[Bvghbopz]

I think only here, from what I've read on this forum, and there's still a lower age limit, it's just a lot lower than 14. I'm still not sure whether the "kids' shodan" recipients need to take shodan again when they're of age to take the regular shodan test or not. Since it's a non-issue for me, I've never asked. I don't think so, but I guess anything is possible. I always figured it was just a way of grouping the gradings so that little guys weren't having to test with much taller partners. That's not reallly fair to either.

[glagoliska]

I thought the lower age limit here was 13. It would be set by the national governing body. I dont know if there is a FIK standard and google certainly isint turning one up.

[DavidShreder]

IIRC, you could grade up to kiddy 2 dan and then have to wait for 16 to grade for 3dan direct. I checked on the KKA site and the only kiddy dan certificate was for 1 dan so the 2 dan may have been done away with. In the old days, you could set up 1 and 2 dan tests inside the dojang, if you had enough senior instructors, so waiting times were a lot less structured.