tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128378722057166293.post4370192219157007061..comments2024-03-19T13:16:20.521-04:00Comments on Isshin - Concentration the Art: Thoughts on Miyagi and RankVictor Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09633221599323204720noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128378722057166293.post-11856317013287275052018-09-27T16:03:47.999-04:002018-09-27T16:03:47.999-04:00I have great respect for rank in Isshinryu.
Howev...I have great respect for rank in Isshinryu.<br /><br />However I spent most of my time in the dojo, training and teaching my own students.<br /><br />Rank is a useful tool to help focus the beginning mind a first. But in the dojo as time passes that is less important.<br /><br />In the dojo, everyone knows where everyone is in the training cycle. Everyone knows each others strengths and weaknesses. Using rank to signify knowledge acquired, time in the art, etc. becomes less relevant.<br /><br />It was those same students that convinved me theu had little interest in rank, just training. That got me thinking<br /><br />For my own students over time, I just grouped Dans into 3 levels.<br /><br />1st for new black belts to focus on developing dan skils.<br />2nd for all black belts focusing on their personal needs for a lifetime.<br />3rd for those black belts who are doing more than just focusing on their own personal needs, but are also gaining a greater grasp of their art for the sake of the art.<br /><br />All 3rd dans are also 2nd dans.<br /><br />And the only need of those divisions are to keep things focusd for the instructor, who probably does not need that anyway.<br /><br />By practice no one discussed their rank, they just train.<br /><br />As we did not much associate with others, how others view everyone’s rank was less relevant.<br /><br />Instructor level was something else, it was not a rank, but an obligation that one was trained to function at.<br /><br />What we did is different from others. The instructors have more traditional Isshinryu rank, and of course the obligation to choose to do otherwise if in their opinion it is necessary.<br /><br />Now I have gone and done it, spent more time regarding rank than I ever did in class.<br />Victor Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09633221599323204720noreply@blogger.com