Greg raises a good point. There's a reason why Soke doesn't like extensive belt systems. Worry about the training, not the grade.
Do not consider the finish line,but consider the race.In other words do not worry about what you will get at the end but what you will learn on the way.
Actually, 10th Dan is simply split into certain sub-categories. Most people simply label these as 11th-15th Dan. Also, compare the Bujinkan ranking to things such as TKD where there are countless colored belts and each one has a stripe before the next solid color, along with 10 Dan levels, and you begin to see that Hatsumi-sensei has chosen a less-extensive belt system. Keep in mind thought that a belt system has no bearing on how good an art is so there really is no point in discussing it past how an art ranks. Some arts have many ranks, some few. They are all different and cannnot be compared to one another as far as skill level goes. Obviously the Bujinkan system is not traditional in the least. Does this really matter? Of course not. It has no bearing on my training at least. Let's not turn this into a debate about "how ridiculous" it is that the Bujinkan split 10th Dan into five sub-categories.
ive just started bujinkan and i have to say so far it seems much more orientated on learn the art not forms that get you grades... a welcome change from WT where the whole class had to learn a sylabus for the gradings even if you werent doing it.. which i never did.
I agree with SilentNightfall. I didn't mean to sound arrogant about the Bujinkan belt rankings. I was just pointing out the reason why Soke doesn't use a complicated system. No inference on if it was better or worse.
In terms of belt systems, I think the Bujinkan has it right with its two colour system. The different colours to differentiate between grades is ok, but you should be able to tell a person's ability from the way the move and perform techniques, not by a piece of colour around their waste.
Sensei has told me that when he trained with Takamatsu-sensei that there were no belts everyone just wore the white belt. Takamatsu-sensei said that when he trained it was white and over time that would be come darker from wear and tear and eventually it would be some kind of black. And by this you could tell how long someone had trained. Michael
I had heard about this before, but never attributed to Takamatsu Sensei. It was my understanding that he did not use belts of any type, that the ranking thing was instituted after Westerners starting training with Hatsumi Sensei.
From my experience (could be just my area of the world) Bujinkan has coloured belts like most arts. BBD Bujinkan Brian Dojo - spin off under a chap called Brian McCarthy (Very good) has the green and black only side to it.
I study with Mark Davis out of boston (duh!) we have green, brown, black. 9th kyu is white 8th kyu is green untill you reach brown, which I think is 2 kyu or something close to that. We don't focus on grade, Sensei wants us to get the feeling for the art and not worry about colored cloth around our waists. I love it! I hold rank in Kenpo, and Jujitsu, I still wear my white belt from back in the day. (which is a lovely shade of grey/brown, YUMMY!) I love standing in the back of class with a white belt on. It feels great! I have been teaching for a long enough time, its nice to be fresh again. hehe working out with somebody who thinks and treats me like I know nothing tickles me pink! Esp. when they are 8kyu and have been training less then a year! Sorry had to ramble!
Brian - Good, BBD - bad, i have had first hand experience of this, half of it is made up or henka, they vary rarely show traditional techniques, could have been good if it stayed with the japanese!
I found Brians aproach to be much like my humble own. Keep the good stuff -ditch the rest and suppliment it with more modern techniques. Brian is very good some instructors perhaps not so good but hey its the same everywhere in all styles. I enjoyed BBD more and found it to be more practical.
