Gradings are for the learning benefit of the students.

Gradings allow instructors to break up what is a vast quantity of knowledge into manageable portions within a syllabus.

Students can monitor their progress at any given time and gradings function remarkably well as a motivator for students to practice hard towards the next stage of their learning.

Many martial arts have reduced the process of grading, and the acquisition of a grade, to a short performance of a small number of approved techniques. Frankly we do not believe this benefits anyone and cheapens the grade and experience for all involved.

Gradings should be a continual cycle of goalsetting and goal accomplishments. The aim is that every student should feel they are improving on a regular basis. It is not a question of pass or fail – students should be offered support by their instructors and given the opportunity to grade when they have benefited from that support.

There is no standarisation in awarding grades. There is none – absolutely none! Some students will be more adept at some areas of their study than others and in the end things tend to even out so that we are stronger at what we enjoy most, and capable in those areas of our training that we are not so natural at.

You are very unlikely to come across any two people who can display the same uniformity in terms of quantity, quality and level of understanding or ability to perform.

A great deal of thought and consideration is taken into account when your instructors recommend you for grading. Age, body physique, knowledge, understanding, personal improvement, ability, total self, is all important in establishing criteria for grading.

For example, a 20 year old male is not going to perform the same as a 70 year old female.

Being true and honest to yourself is a far greater gift in life and it takes a very big person indeed to truly look at oneself.

The grading system bestows grades not rank, the difference is subtle. A grade implies a level of competence and understanding within the system you are training at , while a rank implies that you are better than someone else. We at Rising Dragon try to help people to advance in grade, we don’t promote the idea that someone is better than someone else. It is important however for higher grade students to display a level of knowledge of the syllabus.

Yes, it is rewarding to achieve a level of competence and to be regarded highly by other members for that achievement. This in itself, is a form of status; but in reality it is just a mark of progress. Rank is a term given to a status that implies delegated power over others. No one should regard themselves as superior over someone else.

The grading system in place takes you through the grades of white, yellow, orange, green, blue, brown, 2nd brown and black belt.

We know what it takes to get you to black belt standard. There is no holding you back!!