The previous post in this series explained how the Jan de Jong shodan shinken shobu no kata grading was originally developed to produce black belt instructors that would accompany him to teach in Europe.
We also saw that the grading was unique in terms of (a) the extraordinary number of attack-defence combinations included in the grading (see graph below), and (b) the use of an attack class-defence class matrix.
Let's now consider the grading implementation under JDJ.
The first wave (3) to attempt the grading did so based on a demonstration basis. A kata basis where specified defences are performed against specified attacks in a specified sequence (without the traditional formalities in this case).
The first candidate of the second wave to attempt the grading was Debbie Clarke.
Instead of adopting the same format for the grading as with the first wave, DC's grading was conducted in true 'reflex' fashion where the attacks were executed in a random sequence to which the specified defence was required to be performed. Needless to say, with 140 attack-defence combinations required to be performed in this new format, the number of attack-defence combinations performed far exceeded 140 and the grading was overly time consuming.
DC successfully completed the grading and is the only person in the JDJ school to have performed this grading in that format. (PS: Debbie Clarke is a true trailblazer within the JDJ tradition and her accomplishments far exceed this solitary one. She deserves far more recognition within the JDJ tradition than she has received in the past.)
After observing DC's grading, the other candidates (all male) on the day cancelled their grading so that they could go away and practice the grading in this new format. They would never get the chance to do so because, based on the DC experience, JDJ had second thoughts about conducting the grading in this manner.
The first change that JDJ implemented was to divide the grading into two with 63 and 77 attack-defence combinations respectively. The second change was to the 'reflex' format.
You will recall from the previous post that the shodan SSnK grading is unique in JDJ's grading system in being based on an attack type-defence type matrix. The modified format for the shodan SSnK gradings had the first attack in an attack type-defence type group to be executed at random, however, the remaining attack-defence combinations in that group were basically demonstrated in a demonstration fashion. The candidate knew what type of attack would be coming after the first one, and there were a limited number of those attack types.
There are questions that could be, and should be, raised based on this analysis of the shodan SSnK grading(s). For instance, was there any need to divide it into two gradings given the change to a reflex format?
I was recently involved with mentoring two candidates from a JDJ ryuha (branch of the stream) whose principal has recombined the two gradings. I initially thought it was a regressive move given that JDJ had found that including the 140 attack-defence combinations in one grading was a mistake. However, upon reflection, and with the assistance of this analysis, I concluded that the 140 attack-defence combination grading performed under the modified reflex format was the equal of or less onerous than the 57 attack-defence SSnK grading of ikkyu (59% less combinations than the shodan grading).
What I would advise, and in fact did in this case, any future candidates for the shodan SSnK grading conducted under the modified reflex format, whether it be in one or two gradings, 'don't stress' because of the extraordinary number of attack-defence combinations in the grading. Conducted under the modified reflex format, it is actually easier than the previous gradings conducted in true reflex fashion.
This analysis and insight leads to other questions. For instance, where is the progression? Is the only progression in the number of attack-defence combinations in the SSnK grading(s)? After all, the degree of difficulty in the defences is not significantly higher in the shodan grading. There are no greater insights provided by the grading other than to learn new 'tricks', as Hancock and Higashi describe them in The Complete Kano Jiu-Jitsu (Judo).
This analysis and question raising will no doubt raise the ire of some senior and relatively senior members in the JDJ tradition. My question to them would be, why haven't you studied the JDJ grading system? After all, the original JDJ grading system is the equivalent of the Motorola 8900X-2.
Studying the development of JDJ's grading system does not only provide the opportunity to gain insights that can lead to improvements in that grading system, it can also be used as a case study to better understand all martial arts grading systems.
The argument that has been presented at times is in terms of 'preserving' JDJ's teachings. Is that just laziness, lack of original insight, or wanting to 'slip stream' behind JDJ's reputation, as so many do? JDJ was a pioneer and his accomplishments are not diminished by studying and concluding that his grading system is a Motorola 8900X-2, however, do the JDJ ryuha want to continue using the Motorola 8900X-2 or do they want to make improvements that lead to the modern day smart phone that is far more useful?
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