grading in Kick boxing

laoch na mona

Just wondering what peoples opinion on grading in kick boxing is. I did tae kwon do when I was younger and did gradings. I moved to kickboxing in my late teens mostly due to being more interested in less traditional more combat/sparring focused training.

I've had a few fights but never graded in kickboxing, the coaches don't seem to mind. Are gradings in sports like Kick boxing really beneficial?

To me it just seems out of place in a sport which is much more organized around fights.

just wondering what other peoples opinions are on this

Nathan G

Hi Laoch,

I trained for a good few years in Kickboxing then moved on to other arts i.e boxing, Kali, WMA etc

When i was doing kickboxing the grading's consisted of Forms a fitness test and then sparing for a set amount of time.

I think Continual assessment of each student as to how they perform in each class is the best way forward and is used quite often.
In most cases when i trained in Ninjutsu they would simply tap you on the should and say congratulations you graded when they felt i had done enough instead of a formal grading.

Personally i use Continual assessment through the year with a build up to a grading. As they are both helpful for the following reasons,

Continual assessment allows the instructor to follow the growth of a student without them knowing it, meaning students will often put far more effort into classes instead of just mucking about.

Grading's allow the student to be pressure tested and put on the spot. Something that is needed for anyone who wants to advance and actually teach instead of just being a fighter.

Grading's are also usefully for the student themselves as its a good way of finding out what they need to work on and just how much they have learnt.

These are just some of the reasons why they are useful but generally its down to the club and their approach. If its combat orientated it will most likely just be a nice excuse to spar for a full season and see how much you know on basics and fundamentals.
If its less combative they might just focus on other aspects such as forms etc.

So to sum it up it depends on how you use them.

Hope this helps.

laoch na mona

Thanks. I understand the logic for grading but in a sport where people are matched based on number of fights I'm not sure there's much point in having grading or a belt system

Nathan G

This is true but I think that fight matching is separate to your training. if you just want to fight then there is little point in testing and i guess winning a fight is enough of a test within itself.
But if you wish to teach as well as fight i feel the need to go over what you know is necessary.
Or at the very least learn how to explain what you know to people who don't know it. I know a good few fighters who have gotten caught by this when they have decided to start teaching.

Mellor

laoch na mona wrote: »

To me it just seems out of place in a sport which is much more organized around fights.

BJJ is very much organised around competition, fights, etc. It would be a bit of a diaster to do that without a ranks imo.