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View Full Version : Am I missing something or .......?



Mike Whitaker
23rd November 2000, 19:12
While viewing video tapes of the Tai Kai in Orlando, Florida, I noticed an interesting curiosity. Tim Wilmot of Ishiyama Ryu was competing in the nidan/sandan divisions for kata and tameshigiri. While I am new to the art and may not completely understand its fine points, it did raise a question in my mind. I seem to recall seeing Tim listed on the NABA website as a member of their governing board and being ranked as 4th dan. Could someone explain to me why one of 4th dan rank would not compete in the yondan division that did compete at the Orlando Tai Kai instead of the lower division. I have always understood it to be more honorable to compete at a higher level than your rank and less honorable to take advantage of the lower division competitors. I would be honored to be enlightened to my apparent misunderstandings. Thank you.

Gordon Smith
27th November 2000, 17:46
Hmmm...I just checked out the NABA website (located at http://http://www.naba.ws/ ) where Tim is listed as a yondan in CBSI Battodo (a style in which I am unfamiliar - Is this Ishiyama-ryu??). My knowledge of styles being very limited, and having not seen the tape, I would suggest this possiblity.

I have dan-ranks in a variety of styles, but say, for a moment, I've been learning Isshin-ryu as a kyu-rank. If I were competing in an Isshin-ryu tournament, I would ask my instructor for guidance, and possibly wind up entering the competition at my Isshin-ryu rank, despite the fact that I have other experience. Someone could point at me and say, "hey, he's too high to be competing in that level," but I'm only doing the best I can in a probably unexpected situation.

Most realistically, I'd probably shoot for kyu-level kata, and dan-level sparring to ease my conscience. Something similar may have happened here.

Just my two cents worth. Hopefully someone with more knowledge than I can add to this.

-G-