I agree - I’ve got a blue belt at my club that keeps talking about coaching courses and he can’t execute a single throw in live randori. (He’s not a small guy either)
We had two guys at our club that would never train, maybe show uponce a month, but the second there was a grading date posted, they would be there every session until the grading, then they dissapeared again, never seen either compete... (One dude even had GB backpatch with his name on which always tickled me, ) They did this all the way up to 1st Kyu and I haven't seen them since, easy been over a year since then.
Oh wow that’s the worst - not on the same level but we had a BJJ guy doing similar to that and he’s now won his dan grade on his first grading but we haven’t seen him since! Think it was bragging rights to have a ‘Judo Black Belt’ 🙄
The patch is for sure an annoying one too - I’m an active competitor (I don’t win a lot) and I’ve done a few opens but still would not get a GBR patch unless I compete abroad 😭
In the BJC we compete from green onwards, alongside kata + theory requirements, so I don’t understand why the BJA, the more sport-styled association, doesn’t have Shiai for Kyu-rank progression.
I did not know that, very interesting i think having the early grades easily accessible but requiring some competitive experience for later Kyu grades is more than reasonable, it is after all a combat sport, I get shiai isn't for everyone, but being able to jump belts every 3 months with little real restrictions only harms the judoka if you ask me
It’s definitely not for everyone, but after a certain age or for specific circumstances, they can go the non-competitive route which takes longer, but generally requires more understanding of theory and kata.
It works by either 3 wins on the day, or 60 points which equates to 5 wins over a set period of time. Points/wins are only counted against own/higher grade & gender, and then once you have your syllabus and kata signed off you can be promoted (or after earning points if they’re signed off beforehand).
It’s still possible to jump grades should you meet all those requirements, at the last area grading there was someone who went from green to brown, but that’s because he won 3 at Green, 3 at blue and then even 2 at brown. But generally it would be say orange-green, fight at Green, potentially get to blue.
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u/Wickle2545 ikkyu Jul 06 '25
BJA should bring back fighting for Kyu grades for seniors...