Testing Methods

Now I have two yellow belts.

That statement probably needs explaining, and as such, I will explain it. Yesterday, I had my examination in Jujitsu for yellow belt, and, due to the fact that it is nearly impossible to fail the first belt test in any martial art (and, if I do say so myself, that I did rather well), I passed with flying colors. Strangely, or so it seemed to me, the actual test was of very little event; myself and the one other student at my level performed all of the techniques we had yet learned for one of the instructors, and were then told to go down to the martial arts store and buy a yellow belt (incedentally, they'll sell you any color of belt you ask for; if you really wanted a black belt, they'd give it to you...just be wary of walking into a gym wearing it), and that was it. No formalities, no running around shouting "yes, SIR!", no to-do at all. The reason this strikes me as odd is that when I earned my other yellow belt, this in Tae Kwon Do, there was all of that foomph; a panel of blackbelts staring at us while we ran, jumped, shouted, etc.. I somewhat prefer the method of testing in this Jujitsu class, as it puts a great deal less stress on those testing (the only person even watching the test was my dad, who was used to coming to to my Tae Kwon Do tests, which were awash with spectators). On the other hand, the informality of it made it seem like a great deal less of an accomplisment; I was always quite proud of myself after a Tae Kwon Do test -- the instructors would come up and tie the belt on you and they'd all shake your hand and say "good job," and you'd turn around and bow to the audience, and then turn back around and bow to the panel, and then you'd go sit down and watch the next group test, while playing with your new belt and feeling incredibly relieved, despite the fact that almost no one ever failed a test. I do seem to recall seeing someone not pass, but it wasn't someone I knew, and as such, it didn't really effect me. That kind of formalities, though, really aren't my thing, and the simple test in Jujitsu strikes me as a better way of going about such things.

PLaATJ,
--Gazebo