Credentials: I am one of only five who have completed the Jan de Jong (JDJ) jujutsu grading system and to be awarded (3rd dan) by JDJ. I am also the only one to have studied the JDJ jujutsu grading system indepth.
You will recall from the previous post that I considered the Jan de Jong (JDJ) jujutsu grading system to be disjointed, overly cumbersome, and overly burdensome, and with an over emphasis on producing instructors which contributed to the aforementioned problems. I also attributed these problems to the development of the grading system.
In the previous post I provided a summary of the development process of the grading system: it was developed by JDJ who had relatively little, if any, experience with grading systems, and it was developed piecemeal to meet JDJ's personal needs at the time.
An understanding of this development process enables one to understand the cause of these problems and thereby provides the opportunity to implement improvements that can build on JDJ's original work (stand on the shoulders of giants/version 2.0). And when I say ‘build,’ I mean ‘streamlining’ his grading system, which means to make it more efficient and effective by eliminating unnecessary steps, reducing complexity, and optimising elements.
I identified four distinct stages in the development of the JDJ jujutsu grading system: the kyu system, shodan, the mon system, and nidan and sandan. This previous post looked at the development of the kyu system. This post looks at the development of the shodan grading(s).
The shodan grading consists of nine parts, thus, this post will be divided into x parts due to the length of the discussion.
SHODAN
JDJ left Europe in 1946 after WWII. He returned in 1978 for a holiday with his then family and while there he 'checked out' the jujutsu scene:
Jan de Jong returned to Europe with his family for a holiday in 1978. While he was there he took the opportunity to make contact with various jujutsu instructors. The European jujutsu community were quick to embrace and court him. He was appointed the Australian representative for the World Ju Jitsu Federation (WJJF) the same year.
JDJ noted that all of the instructors in Europe were black belts, and he had none. He had black & white belt instructors who had engaged in a unique grading system that was designed to produce high quality instructors (see previous post), but no black belt instructors, so he developed the shodan grading for the sole purpose of producing black belt instructors that could accompany him to Europe where he was starting to make a name for himself.
The first teaching tour of Europe was in 1982 in which JDJ was accompanied by Peter Clarke, Debbie Clarke, Robert Hymas, Paul Connelly, John Copley, and Mike Simpson (Jan de Jong Self Defence School, 1997, Jan de Jong: the man, his school, and his ju jitsu system). Peter Clarke, Robert Hymas, and John Copley graded shodan in 1981 and, Debbie Clarke and Paul Connelly graded shodan in 1982 (source: Greg Palmer). The tour was a triumph and JDJ’s reputation was established in Europe.
Even though JDJ needed black belt instructors for the purpose of accompanying him to teach in Europe, he did not make the shodan grading easy. He didn’t compromise standards. In fact, he made it harder than ikkyu, but he had also set the precedent for instructor grades with his original ikkyu grading (see previous post).
You will recall from the previous post that ikkyu consists of seven gradings: revision, practical, ken no michi (sword basics), history and terminology, theory, teaching, and first aid certificate.
The shodan grading consists of nine gradings: revision, practical x 2, suwari waza no kata and kentai ichi no kata, shiai, theory and terminology, history, teaching, and examining. The following will look at each of these parts and will start with the description of the part contained in Jan de Jong: the man, his school, and his ju jitsu system (Jan de Jong Self Defence School, 1997, p. 50).
It should be noted that JDJ did a remarkable job of developing gradings that were designed to produce high quality instructors, even by today’s standards. And remember, his ikkyu instructor grading (see previous post) was developed in the 1950s or 1960s, and by someone without any formal training as a teacher. It is a remarkable job by anyone’s standard, but it can only be appreciated through the reflection and study of the development of his grading system.
Part 1: Kime no Kata (Revision)
‘Candidates to demonstrate the appropriate kansetsuwaza, taoshiwaza, and nagewaza using the most suitable kuzushi.’
You will recall from the previous post that the ikkyu revision is a true revision grading in that it examines the performance of techniques selected from rokkyu to nikyu. The shodan revision grading is a very different beast. It is more a revision of principle or theory.
The shodan revision grading consists of five sections. The five sections are: kansetsu waza (joint-locking techniques), taoshi waza (takedown techniques), nage waza (throwing techniques), kansetsu waza, and taoshi waza.
The first section requires the demonstration of five different unspecified joint-locking techniques from five different specified handgrips. The emphasis on handgrips and the five different types of handgrips is taken straight from Yoseikan budo (see previous post and future post on the mon system).
The second section required the same but with takedown techniques. Here we encounter our first problem. What is a takedown technique? Here I will paraphrase Hans Selye, father of the stress concept, when he said, ‘everybody knows what stress is, but nobody really knows’: everybody knows what a takedown technique is, but nobody really knows. ... I do.
In my The Science Behind All Fighting Techniques, I demonstrate that there is no real understanding of the differences between takedown techniques and throwing techniques in the martial arts literature (or practice). I then provide a definitive, biomechanically based, definition that distinguishes between takedown techniques and throwing techniques. However, when I was engaging in the shodan grading, there was no such definition and distinction and so it made it very difficult to select techniques to include in the second section of this grading.
In retrospect, how dumb were we all. JDJ had provided three takedown techniques in the fifth part of this grading. The three takedown techniques in that part of the grading were joint-locking techniques. Nobody included joint-locking techniques in the second section of this grading requiring the demonstration of takedown techniques. But this also shows that JDJ had a developing understanding of the theory behind martial arts techniques.
The third section involves demonstrating five different unspecified throwing techniques for three different types of throwing techniques. The types are: te waza (hand techniques), koshi waza (hip techniques), and ashi waza (leg techniques). That classification is taken straight from Kodokan Judo. See the previous post for an explanation why classification is a proven effective attribute of the 'core of all learning.'
The fourth section consists of three specified joint-locking techniques to be applied against five unspecified attacks. The fifth section consists of three specified takedown techniques to be applied against five unspecified attacks. The takedown techniques are joint-locking techniques.
In my The Science Behind All Fighting Techniques, I explain that the definition of joint-locking techniques does not include their tactical use. One of the many uses that joint-locking techniques are employed for is as a takedown technique. JDJ was demonstrating that understanding to some degree in the fifth section of this part of the shodan grading.
Parts 2 and 3: Shinken Shobu no Kata (Practical)
‘Section A reflex examination’ and ‘Section B reflex examination.’
The reflex examination/shinken shobu no kata format of examinations was explained in the previous post.
The original practical/shinken shobu no kata grading was one grading consisting of 140 attack-defence combinations. This differed in terms of progression from the ikkyu practical grade in that the ikkyu contained 57 attack-defence combinations whereas the shodan grading contained 140 attack-defence combinations. That is an increase of 146%.
A previous post illustrated (see above) that the practical/shinken shobu no kata grades in the kyu system contained 30, 30, 30, 40, 45, and then 57 attack-defence combinations. This jumped to 140 attack-defence combinations in shodan, a 146% increase. That would appear to be an excessive increase, particularly given that the nidan and sandan practical grades contain 52 and 57 attack-defence combinations respectively.
The ‘senior instructors’ (Peter Clarke, Robert Hymas, and Paul Connelly; see the first post in this series) performed the shodan shinken shobu no kata in a kata format; specified defences against specified defences in a specific order (see previous post). The next 'cab off the ranks’ was Debbie Clarke. As the story goes, she was the first to be required to perform the 140 defences in true shinken shobu no kata fashion; randomly at the instruction of the examiner without knowledge of the examiner's instructed attack (see previous post). After the grading taking several hours, the other male candidates cancelled their grading and went away to train it in a reflex fashion.
Having seen how unwieldly the 140 defence shinken shobu no kata grading was when performed in a true ‘reflex’ fashion (see previous post), JDJ decided to divide the grading into two relatively equal parts. He also tended not to grade it in a true reflex fashion, instead the first attack from a section was performed in a true reflex fashion but then that would be followed by the other attacks in that same section.
In the previous post I provided a summary of the development process of the grading system: it was developed by JDJ who had relatively little, if any, experience with grading systems, and it was developed piecemeal to meet JDJ's personal needs at the time.
An understanding of this development process enables one to understand the cause of these problems and thereby provides the opportunity to implement improvements that can build on JDJ's original work (stand on the shoulders of giants/version 2.0). And when I say ‘build,’ I mean ‘streamlining’ his grading system, which means to make it more efficient and effective by eliminating unnecessary steps, reducing complexity, and optimising elements.
I identified four distinct stages in the development of the JDJ jujutsu grading system: the kyu system, shodan, the mon system, and nidan and sandan. This previous post looked at the development of the kyu system. This post looks at the development of the shodan grading(s).
The shodan grading consists of nine parts, thus, this post will be divided into x parts due to the length of the discussion.
SHODAN
JDJ left Europe in 1946 after WWII. He returned in 1978 for a holiday with his then family and while there he 'checked out' the jujutsu scene:
Jan de Jong returned to Europe with his family for a holiday in 1978. While he was there he took the opportunity to make contact with various jujutsu instructors. The European jujutsu community were quick to embrace and court him. He was appointed the Australian representative for the World Ju Jitsu Federation (WJJF) the same year.
JDJ noted that all of the instructors in Europe were black belts, and he had none. He had black & white belt instructors who had engaged in a unique grading system that was designed to produce high quality instructors (see previous post), but no black belt instructors, so he developed the shodan grading for the sole purpose of producing black belt instructors that could accompany him to Europe where he was starting to make a name for himself.
The first teaching tour of Europe was in 1982 in which JDJ was accompanied by Peter Clarke, Debbie Clarke, Robert Hymas, Paul Connelly, John Copley, and Mike Simpson (Jan de Jong Self Defence School, 1997, Jan de Jong: the man, his school, and his ju jitsu system). Peter Clarke, Robert Hymas, and John Copley graded shodan in 1981 and, Debbie Clarke and Paul Connelly graded shodan in 1982 (source: Greg Palmer). The tour was a triumph and JDJ’s reputation was established in Europe.
Even though JDJ needed black belt instructors for the purpose of accompanying him to teach in Europe, he did not make the shodan grading easy. He didn’t compromise standards. In fact, he made it harder than ikkyu, but he had also set the precedent for instructor grades with his original ikkyu grading (see previous post).
You will recall from the previous post that ikkyu consists of seven gradings: revision, practical, ken no michi (sword basics), history and terminology, theory, teaching, and first aid certificate.
The shodan grading consists of nine gradings: revision, practical x 2, suwari waza no kata and kentai ichi no kata, shiai, theory and terminology, history, teaching, and examining. The following will look at each of these parts and will start with the description of the part contained in Jan de Jong: the man, his school, and his ju jitsu system (Jan de Jong Self Defence School, 1997, p. 50).
It should be noted that JDJ did a remarkable job of developing gradings that were designed to produce high quality instructors, even by today’s standards. And remember, his ikkyu instructor grading (see previous post) was developed in the 1950s or 1960s, and by someone without any formal training as a teacher. It is a remarkable job by anyone’s standard, but it can only be appreciated through the reflection and study of the development of his grading system.
Part 1: Kime no Kata (Revision)
‘Candidates to demonstrate the appropriate kansetsuwaza, taoshiwaza, and nagewaza using the most suitable kuzushi.’
You will recall from the previous post that the ikkyu revision is a true revision grading in that it examines the performance of techniques selected from rokkyu to nikyu. The shodan revision grading is a very different beast. It is more a revision of principle or theory.
The shodan revision grading consists of five sections. The five sections are: kansetsu waza (joint-locking techniques), taoshi waza (takedown techniques), nage waza (throwing techniques), kansetsu waza, and taoshi waza.
The first section requires the demonstration of five different unspecified joint-locking techniques from five different specified handgrips. The emphasis on handgrips and the five different types of handgrips is taken straight from Yoseikan budo (see previous post and future post on the mon system).
The second section required the same but with takedown techniques. Here we encounter our first problem. What is a takedown technique? Here I will paraphrase Hans Selye, father of the stress concept, when he said, ‘everybody knows what stress is, but nobody really knows’: everybody knows what a takedown technique is, but nobody really knows. ... I do.
In my The Science Behind All Fighting Techniques, I demonstrate that there is no real understanding of the differences between takedown techniques and throwing techniques in the martial arts literature (or practice). I then provide a definitive, biomechanically based, definition that distinguishes between takedown techniques and throwing techniques. However, when I was engaging in the shodan grading, there was no such definition and distinction and so it made it very difficult to select techniques to include in the second section of this grading.
In retrospect, how dumb were we all. JDJ had provided three takedown techniques in the fifth part of this grading. The three takedown techniques in that part of the grading were joint-locking techniques. Nobody included joint-locking techniques in the second section of this grading requiring the demonstration of takedown techniques. But this also shows that JDJ had a developing understanding of the theory behind martial arts techniques.
The third section involves demonstrating five different unspecified throwing techniques for three different types of throwing techniques. The types are: te waza (hand techniques), koshi waza (hip techniques), and ashi waza (leg techniques). That classification is taken straight from Kodokan Judo. See the previous post for an explanation why classification is a proven effective attribute of the 'core of all learning.'
The fourth section consists of three specified joint-locking techniques to be applied against five unspecified attacks. The fifth section consists of three specified takedown techniques to be applied against five unspecified attacks. The takedown techniques are joint-locking techniques.
In my The Science Behind All Fighting Techniques, I explain that the definition of joint-locking techniques does not include their tactical use. One of the many uses that joint-locking techniques are employed for is as a takedown technique. JDJ was demonstrating that understanding to some degree in the fifth section of this part of the shodan grading.
‘Section A reflex examination’ and ‘Section B reflex examination.’
The reflex examination/shinken shobu no kata format of examinations was explained in the previous post.
The original practical/shinken shobu no kata grading was one grading consisting of 140 attack-defence combinations. This differed in terms of progression from the ikkyu practical grade in that the ikkyu contained 57 attack-defence combinations whereas the shodan grading contained 140 attack-defence combinations. That is an increase of 146%.
A previous post illustrated (see above) that the practical/shinken shobu no kata grades in the kyu system contained 30, 30, 30, 40, 45, and then 57 attack-defence combinations. This jumped to 140 attack-defence combinations in shodan, a 146% increase. That would appear to be an excessive increase, particularly given that the nidan and sandan practical grades contain 52 and 57 attack-defence combinations respectively.
The ‘senior instructors’ (Peter Clarke, Robert Hymas, and Paul Connelly; see the first post in this series) performed the shodan shinken shobu no kata in a kata format; specified defences against specified defences in a specific order (see previous post). The next 'cab off the ranks’ was Debbie Clarke. As the story goes, she was the first to be required to perform the 140 defences in true shinken shobu no kata fashion; randomly at the instruction of the examiner without knowledge of the examiner's instructed attack (see previous post). After the grading taking several hours, the other male candidates cancelled their grading and went away to train it in a reflex fashion.
Having seen how unwieldly the 140 defence shinken shobu no kata grading was when performed in a true ‘reflex’ fashion (see previous post), JDJ decided to divide the grading into two relatively equal parts. He also tended not to grade it in a true reflex fashion, instead the first attack from a section was performed in a true reflex fashion but then that would be followed by the other attacks in that same section.
As they say on some American TV shows, 'To be continued.'
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