What is Shodan?

What is Shodan?

                I think that those of us in the West mistake Dan ranking for something it is not. First off Dan ranking is not limited to Martial arts! Did you know that the very popular game of Go uses Dan ranking to allow others to know the level they are playing at…or against!  Seriously, its not just a black piece of cloth holding our gi tops closed!

                First off you have to remember that the Kuro Obi (Black belt) is separate from the Dan ranking system, yes it’s a symbol of that rank, but not all martial arts use Obi to represent rank. Think of Kyudo, the art of Japanese Archery…no belts but yes to Dan rankings.

                So, how are these ranks and belts linked and what is a Shodan or nidan for that matter or Rokudan?  Well to understand the Dan rankings you have to understand where they came from and why!

History

                Prior to Jigaro Kano (Judos inventor) the Dan ranks were only used by Go schools (yes they had schools for Go…more like clubs) in the Edo period of Japan to help rank players.  Go was taken very seriously and if you were a good strategist in Go and a high rank…chances are you worked with the military in some way as you were seen as a very intelligent and skilled strategist.  It had nothing to do with any sword, spear or fighting skills. In fact you probably never held a sword or had a fight in your life…you were an intellectual.

                Martial arts at the time used the Minkyo system or the “License” system to show your level in martial arts. They also used Shogo or titles to identify your ranking.  The Menkyos given out included the the Mokuroku (entrant to the art: beginner), Shomokuroku (Basically intermediate student), Gomokuroku (Senior student) and the Menkyo (senior student). When you graduated you received the Menkyo Kaiden (this is the master of an art given around the thirty year mark of training). The Menkyo Kaiden means the “license of total transmission” and means you graduated from the school having known all the techniques and understanding and mastering the style. Some people would gain the Menkyo Kaiden earlier than thirty years into training, but that was the norm.

                Kano came along and was looking for a simpler system for ranking. A holder of Menkyo’s in several Jiu Jitsu styles Kano was looking to modernize the martial arts and bring them up to modern standards with an easier to understand system. He was also a lover of Go! He decided to incorporate the ranking system they used in this game to apply it to his students. At first he had simple students then he began seeing intermediate students as Dan holders and assigned them the ranks.  He started formulating criteria for each rank after he assigned the ranks for years with just his observations and victories of his students as criteria.

                The use of Shogo goes back to the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai.  The Butoku Kaicreated these titles to assign teaching ranks, not as a way of showing what skills the holders had. The instructors would have to be Dan level students and after they observed their teaching skills they assigned a rank.  Renshi was assigned a polished instructor, someone that was good at teaching and showing students how to perform different skills.  Kyoshi referred to an advanced teacher with skills that could generate other good instructors.  Hanshi referred to a senior expert or teacher of teachers.  Kyoshi was given to some as a title for a Sensei, it has no other real meaning than teacher but in the west some use the term to mean a high ranking senior instructor….which is not what it means. Shihan means chief instructor and was never meant as a grading. These titles and more were assigned to instructors to designate them as different teaching levels, not as rank in Martial arts. 

                When Funakoshi Sensei came from Okinawa they did not really use or assign ranks for martial arts training in Karate. They had an instructor, senior students and then students. They used no Gi, just whatever they were wearing at the time and often a special groin wrap like Sumo’s used. A meeting with Kano lead to a friendship and Kano took up private lessons with Funakoshi for several months and learned several Kata from Funakoshi.  This exchange also lead to Funakoshi developing the Karate Gi after training in a Judo gi for modesty and also deciding to introduce Dan ranks to his teachings as well.

                In 1924 Funakoshi awarded the first Shodans ever in Shotokan Karate and as far as I can see the first ever awarded in any style of Karate. Funakoshi had only ever given out ranks up to Godan as he felt five levels of Dan ranking was enough, any higher and it was purely for ego. Years later the JKA assigned up to 9^th Dan as the other styles in Karate were constantly assigning higher and higher ranks to placate their instructors.

                Interestingly the traditional Dan rankings of Go also only use 9^th Dan as a highest rank attainable because 10^th Dan is seen as perfection, which does not exist in reality.  But what about the Koru Obi…where did that come from?  Well, the answer to this comes from the Japanese Swim teams! Different athletic departments in Japan were suing markers of rank to identify the level of proficiency at given sports. The Japanese swim teams would use a black ribbon around the waists of swimmers that were high level athletes to show their ability during meets. 

                Kano was a university professor and educator, much like Funakoshi was. He was exposed to the university level athletics at work and it is said that the use of the black ribbon greatly influenced his decision to use the black belt and white belt system with his Judo, which in turn influenced Funakoshi when they met and interacted.

The Japanese are and always have been culturally obsessed with order and ranking. Not as a way of feeding ego, but as a way of distinguishing different levels in society.  Samurai had different levels from the lowly Koyakunin (gate guard) to the Umamawari (3^rd level retainer, first level to wear two swords) to the Gokenin (banner knight) to the very Shogun or military ruler of Japan, all the ranks influenced the want for ranking in the Japanese martial arts.

Traditional martial arts however had used a Kimono style outfit to train in for generations, Kano was the one that developed the more durable and mobile Keiko gi however. The use of a Obi or wide band of cloth used to fit the Kimono was used prior to Kano, but he modernized it based on the swimmers ribbon to create the more modern Keiko Obi or Training belt.

When Funakoshi showed up in Japan he used his clothing (Japanese Kimono style) to teach in with the wide band Obi.  After adapting the Keikogi however he started using a Chinese style Obi, which is about 1/5 as long as the Obi for a Kimono and more like a Keiko Obi in appearance.  It was his practice however to have his students use the Keiko Obi. In the beginning he had a white Obi and a black obi for ranks. It was not till much later that Kyu levels began using colors. First only Brown was introduced, then when Karate came to Europe they started using colors for lower Kyu levels as well.

So what is a Shodan? The reality.

                So, that’s what ranks are, were they came from, what they used to be and how the symbol of the Dan ranks came about…but what the heck is a Shodan?

                Shodan is the lowest level of Dan ranking in Martial arts. It represents the act of knowing the basics and being able to understand what was expected of a student. It’s the starting point for really learning the style you are training in. A Shodan holder is no longer a rookie student, they are now a senior student in a style of martial arts. The Shodan is no longer considered a beginner, not necessarily and expert but rather they have met the requirements of showing the basic knowledge to move up to a serious student now.

                The Shodan is the first “Real Rank” that an organization recognizes you as a full member of the greater organization. Normally Kyu ranks come and go and are seen as members of a Dojo and not really full members of an organization. In which I mean you are not registered with any governing body and don’t really represent the organization until you receive your Dan level.  

                A shodan in the East (read Asia/Japan) Basically means you are a semi dedicated student, normally a young person that is taking Karate while in school…..in the west it tends to mean you have studied on your own for five years and are training around school and or work.  Different life styles in the east and west make the rank mean different things.

                Also, the East is filled with black belts. A friend of mine said that in the 70’s you could strike up a conversation with a person on a train and 9 times out of 10 that person would have reached Shodan level in some form of martial arts…normally Kendo or Judo…before they were out of school.  Shodan is a common rank in the east and the feeling is that you train till you get your black belt, and if you are serious then you stick around. 

In the west, because you are not likely to run into a tone of black belts, it is seen as a more prestigious rank. Normally it means that the owner of the black belt has given a lot of their personal time to training in the arts and they are seen as a high level student with lots of dedication, something that the western students would have a hard time selling to those in Japan.

Over use

                In Japan the Dan rankings were given out rather liberal and without thought of abuse at the lower levels because basically it means you are good enough to start learning past the very basics…but in the west the “Dan rankings” are being overdone and outpace Japan in many ways. 

                While its very easy to get a shodan in Japan and Asia, the ability to move past Sandan is seen as the true accomplishment of your training.  Getting to sixth dan is not difficult but being assessed or given rank past that takes a life time of dedication and often a single minded approach to training and teaching full time.  The use of any rank past Yondan is seen as a high level of dedication.  The number of Japanese 8^th and 9^th dans is very low and only a few Rebel instructors have taken the rank of 10^th Dan…a rank higher than Nakayama Sensei ever accepted while alive. 

                In the west however Shodan seems to be a mile stone of mythic size, Nidan and Sandan are not as long but still show great importance….but as of late the number of 10^th Dans has risen with each break up of organizations and the newest thing is Post 10^th Dan Rank assignments to those that break off and form their own styles of Karate. I actually read an article from a 12^th Dan in Shotokan Ryu style of fighting.  And to be honest, after reading his post and watching him do Kata and spar…he would be a very weak Nidan in the JKA if that! Ranking is by far the most overdone thing in the west and it has its own meanings from the original Asian roots.

Entitlement

                In many styles of martial arts the Shodan simply implies that you have mastered the basics and that is about all. You cannot teach, you surely won’t be allowed to open a club up and you don’t even have the right to represent your club at national tournaments. In Kyodo the Shodan rank means you won’t hurt yourself with bad stringing habits or shot someone else with an arrow. You won’t have a senior watching over you and holding your hand, and heck you might even hit the target with the arrow once and a while.

                In many styles anyone lower than Sandan cannot teach independently at a club or own one and they must be watched over when teaching at their instructors club! They may be asked to teach a junior or new person basics, but they are only themselves graduated from that study so they are not seen as masters in any way shape or form!  At Godan a person is seen as a full Shidoin or master practitioner and testing is normally abandoned for a more reasonable form of rank advancement…they are assigned rank based on time in and awarded the rank for what they have done for the organization and teaching experience.

                So, the lower level Dan ranks are based on what you can do, the higher ones are based on experience teaching! But when can you say you represent the organization and what kind of entitlements does it bring with being a Dan level Practitioner.

                Well in the west the Shodan is a lower level ranking that often means you can open a club and be a junior instructor in the organization. You can train members up to black belt and you are entitled to teach on your own, something that the Japanese would kind of laugh at!  A shodan, especially a new one is still trying to find themselves and their place in Karate.  However we tend to put a lot of entitlement and meaning to the rank than they do in Japan. 

                The issues that come up with Ego and a sense of entitlement with Dan rankings is common especially among younger students. The Shodan HO was created to help quell this issue.

Shodan ho?

                The Shodan ho is the cure for young egos and issues with youth and one that we don’t give enough credence and use to in the west.  The Shodan Ho is a level for children and youth that have not reached the age of maturity (varies from 15-18 in some organizations) the student can progress through the ranks but only achieves a Shodan ho prior to adult hood and must retest for a full Shodan at that time.

                Some organizations make the student wear a black belt with a white stripe down the length of it to represent the fact that they are a high level student but must keep in mind that they are children.  In some cases when a student gets a Shodan and is not held to the Shodan Ho level they develop issues with them in the organization. The student feels that they deserve more respect from juniors, even seniors and issues come about.

                I personally am all for the Shodan Ho level, for those under 15.  This is something that we don’t use in our organization but something that would serve us well in my mind.

What its not

                So, a black belt is simply a rank indicator and a shodan is the first step along the path of training in Karate, a representation of knowing the basics.  But why do people put so much importance in a symbol that you have “graduated” the lowest level of being a student and moved into being able to really learn Karate now?

                Well, Karate Shodans are really not the final step in your learning, but people feel that they have thrown their whole life into training and deserve to be recognized…and fail to see that the road ahead is much longer than they think it is!

                Karate’s Shodan is not the end, but a new beginning! It’s the start of the fun training, the deeper study of the art itself. Its not the highest level of attainment for skill and you are not a lethal weapon when you get your Shodan!  The issues with Ego tend to be more with those in the west and those that don’t get that its only the first real step in a martial arts life!

                We live in a fast food society, everything is a 2 week course or a 4 year education to be seen as a “master” of some realm of educated knowledge/skill base.  Its silly to think that a Doctor would have to study for their entire life….wait…they do!  And lawyers must keep up on their field of study lest it pass them by!  So, why then do we think that you get a black belt and know everything about that subject.  Its not the end, but the beginning.

                Its also not a license to bully others around or expect special attention or respect! I see way to many BIG heads come out of Shodan testing and people that start pushing around lower belts and demanding respect that they don’t deserve. Its not a license to have juniors bow down to you…it’s a signal that you OWE something back for all those seniors that helped you along the way…and now you get  to be one of those seniors that helped you learn!

                Attaining a black belt in Karate has many meanings one of them is that you have mastered the basics, the second is that your training really begins now!

Do I need to teach if I am a black belt/Can I teach?

                There are basically three kinds of Shodans that exist. The first is the Athlete Shodan, this Shodan is going to train and become or is already a competitor. They will push themselves to be the best they can be at techniques and execution and probably won’t focus on teaching for some time. They may not teach at all and may just end their competitive career and stop training or become a student again just training for health.

                The second kind is that guy that shows up and just works out for fun. No interest in teaching or competing or ranking any higher on purpose. They will just work out and enjoy Karate and nothing is wrong with that.

                The last guy is the teacher guy. The one that will start working with Juniors right off the bat and will develop a style of teaching that helps his students progress at a solid pace. This guy is the one that most people think they want to be, some want to be the athlete but many want to teach right away. They rush to Shodan in the hopes that they will be granted a Dojo or some students and they love the feeling of teaching…for many reasons.

                Now do you need to teach, not really!  But its part of the education for all three kinds of black belts I mentioned.  You can expect your instructor, as part of your education to request that you teach for him on occasion. It’s a great way to learn the techniques, and Kata inside and out….and that is why you are asked to do so.

                While teaching is an integral part of learning Karate and those that are able to help out will find a great deal of knowledge is gained by teaching, you may be one of those guys/gals that is just wanting a work out and not interested in teaching any classes. That is what you need to tell your instructor up front. You just want to get a black belt and work out without the pressures of competition, teaching or anything beyond just showing up to train. And trust me, that is fine. The instructor will have a better idea of what to expect and what you expect….but don’t plan on going to Nidan or higher, and you probably have no interest in that in the fist place.

                Some Shodans are given special permission to run clubs, under the watchful eye of a senior that is. But they get to run a club and teach students, and from my experience they do a great job! They are very enthusiastic and if they are even halfway decent instructors they will be able to work with the students and help them out, they remember better what its like to be a low man on the totem pole who is just learning and can help from a different point of view than a senior Dan often has.

Different ranks…different color belts

                We have all seen them, more modern martial arts start using strange colors for senior Dan ranks…Red belts are very popular with 10^th Dans from other styles, or the white and red belts, even black and white and red and white…but none of these have any roots in tradition.

                Kano began using the alternating Red and white color belt for very senior students that were 8^th and 9^th dan, but Karate never did this.  The colors that Funakoshi, Nakayama and their peers in other styles choose to use were always just Black. 

                Again, and I suspect due to ego needs, the western Karate people…some of whom have questionable rankings, have adopted use of alternating color belts or simply the red belt at a specific level. This again, basically just ego issues and or adapting a practice that was not based in any tradition.

10^th dan and dead

                As of late we have seen a influx of massive rank advancements in groups that have broken away from the JKA and in other groups as a reflex to this sudden bump in rank for some instructors.  Now having said that, it has always been something that small groups of people had done to show that they were the leader of their group. One such person was Kanazawa Sensei. Kanazawa broke away from the JKA and suddenly he was promoted on a rather fast track from an outside organization, but he still holds his legit 8^th Dan with the SKIF…but you can be sure he advertises himself as a Soke 10^th Dan Shotokan.

                I can also think of another senior Karate instructor that had his students promote him to 10^th Dan when they left the JKA, and he in turn rewarded them all with Rank gifts.  Now I say gifts because he basically gave them ranks and ones that they were still rather far off from if they stayed JKA. 

                Funakoshi Sensei only ever promoted people to 5^th Dan, the highest level he felt was attainable in Karate.  But his views soon fell away as Nakayama sensei had to deal with other groups ramping up the top rungs and made it necessary for him to follow suit. But it was still a standing practice to only give out 10^th Dans posthumously for those at the highest of the levels in Karate who had given of themselves a lot. This practice was actually told to me by someone that now endorses the living 10^th Dan of their senior. Those that seek ranking higher than 9^th Dan are kind filled with the same Ego they charge others with.  Trust me, I would rather be a humble Shodan than a not so humble Judan that still has a pulse!

                Some styles feel that they must promote people to the higher levels to help the juniors move up, but the reality is that you don’t need to hold a 10^th Dan to run an organization and promote Karate and if you need that external rank to warrant your hard work…well take up Go!

What do I think a Shodan is

                I have been doing Karate a long time and purposefully took my time going from rank to rank, I have always felt that until you had  good grasp of your current rank you should not jump up a rung.  I did however skip my Green belt testing and went right for purple belt in one test.

                Having said that I think that the Shodan is a very important mile stone in your training. It shows that you have mastered the basics and you are ready to make a choice about your Karate life; Student, athlete or just working out.  I don’t see it as a level that the ego should grow considerably and I do think that you have an increased amount of responsibility at this point, not as much as some think…and much more than others do.

                Shodan is the first step in your training and the signal to you that there is something much deeper to training and its time to explore for yourself.