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Old 01-05-2012, 02:28 PM   #2
Marc Abrams
Dojo: Aikido Arts of Shin Budo Kai/ Bedford Hills, New York
Location: New York
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 1,302
United_States
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Re: The crux of two ranks having any equality

Quote:
Anonymous User wrote: View Post
Not just one of those same posts. Please read careful.

I started at a new dojo due to relocation. The new dojo is a different Aikido style and affiliation. I decided to surrender my shodan rank before joining from a previous school and style. I decided not to tell anyone at the new dojo my previous history. I went in with an empty cup.

My first thought after several months at the new dojo, was my new dojo (not the style) was inferior to my previous dojo. The sensei was not as knowledgable, or skilled as my last all the way around. I stuck with the dojo because of convenience of keeping up my skill and the close proximity to my home.

I am up for shodan rank with several other people. When testing was announced the first thought in my head was these poor individuals testing, they are really not up to the standards which they could be. In my old school they wouldn't be at this point in their training testing for shodan because they need more training. But they don't know this. They don't know they rank is subpar to what it could be. They will not be as good as they can.

I realize my first shodan is subpar to another school. But it doesn't lack general required knowledge, and at least I had enough training behind it for people to acknowledge it's worth.

I feel for the students in the class that in a way they are thinking what their rank has substantial value when really it doesn't because the sensei lacks knowledge and skill. It is that their rank is only as good as the sensei who teaches them. They will venture out to seminars, and because they don't have inflated egos or over rated image of self importance, and the hard slap of reality will hit them in face.

Do I brake the news to them or keep my mouth shut and let nature take it's course?

been there for a reasonable amount of time to judge it is not as good in my last dojo.
Reality is the ultimate trump card. Sooner or later, people find out what they can and cannot do. This is predicated upon the person experiencing the larger world, rather than the self-contained atmosphere of a single dojo. Your telling the people what you think does nothing to assist them in experiencing a larger reality, other than to create animosity amongst your training partners. Why don't you organize a group trip to a seminar at another dojo where the quality is more up to the standards you expect?

Marc Abrams
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