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Old 02-04-2011, 04:02 AM   #18
Dave de Vos
 
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Dojo: Shoryukai, Breda (aikikai) & Aiki-Budocentrum Breda (yoseikan)
Location: Baarle-Nassau
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 348
Netherlands
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Re: Tracking your training hours

I'm sure my teachers have a good notion of each student's attendance, but I'm not aware of training hours tracking in my dojo. I've read that we have minimum requirements for testing, but I think my teachers consider level of skill much more important than meeting a training hours requirement.

I've read that the training hours requirement in my dojo is 30 hours for 6 kyu. I started aikido in august 2010 and I have about 100 training hours in the dojo. I haven't been tested yet.

I've also read which techniques will be tested for 6 kyu in my dojo, and I know I would not be able to execute all of them correctly if I would be tested now, even though my fellow aikidoka tell me I learn quickly. So I am in no hurry to be tested.

Classes in my dojo don't focus on teaching each student the techniques for his/her next test. All students from no kyu to 4 dan train the same techniques at the same time (to their ability). Sometimes when a test date is announced for a student, the whole class gets to train techniques specific for that test.

I like this way of training very much. I don't mind that some of the techniques for the 6 kyu test are rarely trained in that specific form. When my teachers think I am ready for testing, I will be tested. We'll probably spend more time on 6 kyu techniques when it comes. (Perhaps it is coming, because I get the impression we are spending more time on static forms of some techniques lately)

Given that most of the time students don't specifically train for their next test requirements, I think the training hours requirements in my dojo are quite low. A student rarely meets skill requirements for a test ahead of the training hours requirement, so it wouldn't make a difference even if training hours were accurately tracked.

Last edited by Dave de Vos : 02-04-2011 at 04:08 AM.
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