Learnt an interesting fact today that regardless of your belt ranking, I am a 7th kyu, once you become a B/W stripe you can only enter the open division, anyone been in a similiar postion.

After the dojo cup in region 6 I will be fighting black belts and above any thougts please.

As well as other 7th kyu instructors

Instructors only have to wear their B+W in GKR comps - in NAS they compete in their "normal" belt colours, not the opens.

Makes it a bit weird when you attend a class, and the sempai/sensei teaching you is wearing their B+W, and then you go to a class such as state team training, and they are wearing their orange/green/etc, and so you actually stand above them in line.

Don't worry - it may be harder to win against BB's, but imagine just how much sweeter each victory will be.

I was of the opinion they were deemed 3rd kyu but could enter open if desired.

With sparring competitions for me, I have no choice in the matter. If I'm going to enter sparring, I must be in the Open. But, I'm 2nd Kyu going on 1st, so they must figure I can take black belts.

theres no longer a 3rd - 1st kyu event for 21-34YO??

in region 28 you may enter open IF you are an instructor OR if you are 3rd kyu and above...

if you are an instructor you must enter 3rd kyu and above...

if you are 21-34 the division is 3rd to 1st kyu and shodan-ho plus must enter open...

i suggest you ask the question again ironpalm...

Wow . I'd imagine that would put a few senseis off entering tournaments

ironpalm, don't turn down the opportunity, whatever you do, sparring BB's in competition is incredibly exhiliarating, you'll be on an adrenalin high for hours afterward.

Why can you only enter the open??

I had this discussion with other Sensei's in my region (when still a B&W) and our thoughts were that if you wanted to wear your colour and enter the tournament it should not be an issue.

I suppose it would depend how far you were prepared to push it, but being the awkward bugger that I am I would have done it on prinicple if I could have made the date of the last comp.

As well as amazed that you did not die!!!!!!

Its a pretty stupid rule when you consider this one fact - There are no b&w belts at nationals or world cup. If you have to wear your true colour there, why not at local comps??

Didn't know that. Interesting contrast though..

BTW, Can RM's and above compete at national level, or just the world cup now?

I always thought they made B&W's enter the open division so that it would look like they were 3rd kyu + even if they might have been only 7th kyu.

<deleted portion of post about attitudes towards revealing instructor grades>


Mick

BRADT

I love the oppourtunity to spar with black belts when it arises's it teaches me how much I have to learn and how much I dont knoe which brings me to a break away topic of Sparring and control, plaese post accordingly

nope - 3rd & up, except the big ones which is normal coloured belt. I wanted to wear my brown belt in the 3rd & up once - was told no....despite wearing it at the nationals not long before. And why dont RM's compete? They compete at NAS against the same students anyway...


Unlike you to self moderate?