Rank Testings
Rank Testings in Martial Arts
As with most modern martial arts, KFMA holds regular Rank Testings to allow students to perform their material to determine if they are ready to be promoted to the next rank. There are many positives to using ranks in the martial arts, and in requiring students to test for their new ranks, but they must be properly structured and conducted.
A Brief History of Rank Testings
Rank Testings have long been a part of the martial arts, with the earliest adoption of ranks being started by Gichin Funakoshi, the founder of modern-day Karate, in the 1920s. The art of Taekwondo began using ranks in various ways in the 1940s, until a more standardized format was developed in 1955.
The value of Rank Testings and Different Ranks
From an instruction standpoint, there is a great advantage in having students wear different color rank belts. It allows the instructor to easily see which students are working on the beginner material, which are working the mid-rank curriculum, and which are the senior rank color belts. This makes it much easier to break them into smaller groups to work on material specific for their ranks.
From a student’s perspective, the ranks are a tangible sign of progress, and this helps with setting goals for their next ranks and adds to their motivation. It is also a clear sign of their achievement and a reward for their hard effort.
Additional Benefits of Rank Testing
As with most testing situations whether they are physical or mental, there is a certain amount of stress associated with the process. Stress in itself is not a bad thing as it prompts the body to respond with more energy that we can use in challenging situations. Stress in nature leads to growth and response, and even changes in evolution.
As stated in The Stanford Report in an article titled Embracing stress is more important than reducing stress… “Psychologists call the process of learning and growing from a difficult experience stress inoculation. Going through the experience gives your brain and body a stress vaccine.” https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2015/05/embracing-stress-is-more-important-than-reducing-stress,-stanford-psychologist-says
Stress is a natural part of our lives, and is easily found in school situations, work and even personal relationships. For this reason, learning to deal with it and receiving regular ‘stress vaccines’ through rank testings builds confidence, and this is very beneficial in many ways outside of the martial arts.
“Graduations” Instead of Rank Testings
There is a downside to testings, in that in the martial arts industry (just like in our education system), some schools have removed the chance for a student to fail when testing. These schools hold ‘graduations,’ and there is little to no risk of failure. Unfortunately, without the risk of failure, there is no true achievement, and the belts become an attendance award.
Using ranks simply as participation awards lowers the personal drive of most students, as it provides a reward for simply showing up, not for performing. While this may be acceptable to a certain extent at the very beginner stages to build confidence, it does not develop the proper work ethic and improvements in skills that are imperative for a student to truly become a martial artist.
The KFMA Perspective
At KFMA, we offer rank testings for our color belts every two months; however, it is rare that more than 40% of our student base is eligible to test at any particular time. The reason is that in order to test, a student must earn three rank stripes before becoming eligible to test. Students are required to spend a minimum time in rank (for experience), to learn and perform the physical requirements of their material in a satisfactory manner, and to pass a fitness test (based on rank, with requirements getting more challenging as students’ progress). The final step is receiving testing approval from the instructor, as well as from the student’s parent (when applicable).
If you’re interested in looking at our low-rank fitness test, please take a look at this article:
https://teamkowkabany.com/fit-test-for-camo-to-purple-belts/
In the lower ranks, it is true that we do all that we can to ensure that a student is sufficiently trained and skillful enough to pass their testing before going in front of the testing panel, and it is rare that a student doesn’t pass. Hence the reason for a 40% testing rate.
At the higher color belt ranks, as well as in the Black Belt ranks, “no changes” are a common sight when results are finalized. Students at this level are performing under more pressure, the curriculum and physical requirements are more demanding, and the judging standards are higher. However, that is also why there is so much value in being a senior color belt rank, and even more so in being a KFMA Black Belt.
Ranking Certifications
As a member of the American Taekwondo Association, there are certain standards and limitations on how much promotional authority is given to Certified Black Belt Instructors. As Chief Masters Laura and David Kowkabany are both Certified Master Instructors, they retain the ability to promote their students locally all the way through 4th Degree Black Belt, while still certifying their ranks through the ATA internationally.
KFMA has been teaching families and students in the Tampa Bay area since 1996. For more information regarding our Family Martial Arts classes, just give us a call at 813-540-5528. KFMA is located at 13910 Monroes Business Park, just two doors down from the Tampa Bay Brewing Company off Racetrack Road.