Testing/Ranking [with VIDEO]

[ashe]

Most traditional styles I'm aware of in the Chinese martial arts don't have any ranking system. I know many people often feel like it cheapens the arts (which is potentially true in McDojo settings), but having a well-defined ranking structure and pedagogy can have many benefits for students. GM Sam Chin has spent nearly 30 years developing a clear structure for his family art (Zhong Xin Dao I Liq Chuan).

We have recently updated our website with more details, as well as some explanations of the benefits to the students and how it all works in terms of the principles. This last is via a 17:00 video of Sifu.

https://iliqchuan.com/gradings/

This is an example clip of our Moscow based instructor Daria Sergeeva testing for her "instructor level 5).

[Bhassler]

I like the shoe stealing technique. Hopefully, that gets formalized into the curriculum...

[ors]

The traditional training method for Chinese martial arts lies in the master -disciple relationship. Why anyone has to prove his skills and knowledge of the art to his own teacher who clearly knows where is the student is in his long road?
The ranking system has some benefits for sure. If the school became bigger and bigger to the point where students wouldn't know each other, the ranking system can help them "put each other in the row". But the testing of your own students is quite meaningless for me...

[MaartenSFS]

I disagree. The test is for the student to prove it to themselves. In my curriculum there are tests for each of the ranks and one final test to graduate. All of them involve proving knowledge of the material and how to use it in full-contact fighting. The latter part is essential, without which it just becomes a game.

The final test is a competition against all other students and the teacher or anyone else that is willing to show up. I want graduating to really mean something like it did for me. In the end it is for the student, but also his/her future students, and will signify that they have earned a great right of passage and are worthy of carrying on the tradition.