by MaartenSFS on Tue Aug 21, 2018 7:42 pm
There have been past threads about developing ranking systems for CMA, especially IMA. I thought that I'd share the one that my Master created and how I have implemented it. First, I just cut-and-pasted the description below from my website:
Ranking
级别 - jíbié
To help organise the curriculum, add some incentive to train hard and maintain social order, students of Shanzhaiquan and Shanzhaidao are divided into ranks. The unarmed and armed ranks are separate, though they are quite complementary and learning one helps the other.
士 - shì - Soldier - As a peasant conscript one can expect to take a beating whilst learning the basics.
尉 - wèi - Junior Officer - Attaining this rank means that one has reached the intermediary level.
校 - xiào - Field Officer - Attaining this rank means that one has reached the advanced level.
将 - jiàng - General
- Upon being accepted as a disciple, attaining this rank means that one has learned all publicly-taught aspects of the system and may now learn the secret training methods and techniques and take on students of their own.
帅 - shuài - Commander in Chief
- Upon defeating one's fellow students and disciples in an in-house tournament, attaining this rank means that one has learned and can use the complete system and is allowed to take on their own disciples.
Now let me explain what is taught at every rank:
士兵 - shìbīng (Soldier)
一) 热炉功 - rèlúgōng (上半) - This is the first set of foundation training warm-up exercises.
二) 基础十二式 - jīchǔ shíèrshì - These are the Twelve Core Techniques and are taught as a standing Qigong exercise and as line drills with and without weights
三) 踢腿训练 - tītuǐ xùnliàn - These are stretch-kicking drills
尉官 - wèiguān (Junior Officer)
一) 热炉功 - rèlúgōng (下半) - This is the second set of foundation training warm-up exercises.
二) 五式拳 - wǔshìquán - These are the Five Core Fist techniques, which slightly resembles the Five Element Fists from Xingyiquan
三) 游戏 - yóuxì - Games that train certain skills for lack of a better word.
校官 - xiàoguān (Field Officer)
一) 散手系统 - sànshǒu xìtǒng - Free-Fighting System; this is a group of combinations that can be mixed and matched with entering and finishing techniques and short sequences
二) 四把锤 - sìbǎchuí - Four Hammers; these line drills are from Xinyiliuhequan and help to generate power from different angles
三) 跌法训练 - diēfǎ xùnliàn - Break-falling
将军 - jiāngjūn (General)
一) 密传功法 - mìchuán gōngfǎ - Secret Internal Power Training Methods (some are taught earlier on)
二) 对打训练 - duìdǎ xùnliàn - Partner Drills and Sparring; this only means that this module is finished by this point, but we will have done sparring from day one
三) 试力训练 - shìlì xùnliàn - These exercises are designed to train different types of internal power and test whether on has them or not
×) 比赛 - bǐsài - Competition - An in-house tournament against all other students and disciples intended to prove that a disciple can use the art against resisting opponents
元帅 - yuánshuài (Commander in Chief) - There are always more details to learn, but by this point it becomes more self-study
I have also divided my swordsmanship curriculum into ranks like this. Sorry that it's a bit messy. I really don't have a lot of time these days. Notice how there aren't many ranks and things are taught in logical order, as needed, with an emphasis on practical usage. As for how to show off these ranks an armband or something would be sufficient. Hopefully some of you found this helpful or at least interesting.
The most important thing, as a teacher, is to make sure that your students are learning how to defend themselves in an efficient way. Don't feed them bullshit and spare them an arse-kicking or an untimely death! They can come back for more depth and your lovely personality.