Hey Guys, I was at a grading today for Traditional Jiu Jitsu. I've had my reservations about my Jiu Jitsu club for sometime now. I'm wondering if more experienced players int his game could provide a better insight. When I started Jiu Jitsu I used in my opinion a great Jiu Jitsu resource called Ultimate JuJitsu website. I'm no grading whore but I do like to know the structure of a martial art before I get in to it. As far as I was concerned the belt system went like this. White > Red > Yellow > Orange > Green > Blue > Purple > Brown > Brown > Black (1st Dan / Shodan) However when I first started I was given a Red Belt to grade for my White Belt, when I got my white belt grading I got my white belt so now I'm a white belt working towards my Yellow Belt ect. However today when I was at my grading there were some brown belt white stripes. I do Taekwondo and they have White Belt Yellow Tags and the other tags ect. I'm starting to think this guy is just out for money, not least because you pay £20 for the grading, £6 for mat hire, £5 for the belt itself. What was the £20 for? Anyone got any insight?
There are many different JuJutsu styles ans clubs and a lot of variations of gradings including what is required for each belt level as well as the colour of the belts themselves. It sounds like that online resource does not match what the club you actually train at which is not surprising. I've seen a brown belt with a white stripe and if I remember correctly it was the same as a blue belt with a brown tip (that club had no purple). So I wouldn't read too much into this. Regarding the grading cost, that's up for you to decide. Was the grading during the time of a normal grading session? What is the price for a normal training session? What did the instructor have to do extra to complete the grading? Maybe they had to do certificates and other running around, including to pick up all the belts.. Don't forget that you imply can ask your instructor.
That is another aspect of Jiu Jitsu I don't like. With Taekwondo the certificates have been signed off by an authority figure in terms of an association. Where as with Jiu Jitsu it is a bit of card with your sensei's signature - essentially I could mock up a pretend one and claim to be whatever belt color one wishes (which I wouldn't!) Okay fair enough. Normal session is £6. I suppose he just wanted a drink after christmas as we're all skint after Christmas haha. Probably why he grades people two months before Christmas and after Christmas so he has a good Christmas and after Christmas he gets a nice drink.
Name your club and I'm sure people will be able to give you the answer you're looking for. Really good and really bad clubs/schools/associations tend to be pretty well known.
I don't think I should incase it gets to page one or two of the Google SERPS and then it could be considered something bad by the sensei. Plus he is pretty small time - although he thinks he is a master - so no one has probably heard of it. Although he has broken away from WJJF and I do see some bad things on here about them.
Six quid for mat hire sounds fine. Five quid for a belt sounds fine. The rest for other overheads, your teacher's time and him recouping whatever he's put into things over the years. Or were you expecting him to just give away the time and effort he's put in to his club and training?
Fees are fine...it's nothing outlandish. Grading is different from one school to another. The stripes are usually to break down a list of technique requirements that may be too long for a student to test for in one go so you split it in two or three parts hence the stripes. Had two earn two stripes at brown belt before I could test for black...
Doesn't sound like you respect your teacher or club. Not least as your belt is one off black and you feel like this. Best to leave immediatly at a club you feel happier at and save your negative feelings permeating the rest of the club. I agree the grade fees sound fine, cheap even ( but I can't think in pounds anymore ) One question, how long have you been there?
Our Belt system in JuJitsu Ireland is http://www.jujitsuireland.com/syllabus.aspx Red White Yellow Orange Green Blue and white ( My Grade) Blue Purple Brown and white Brown Black (Shodan)
