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What Does a Black Belt Really Mean?


ESA-Shotokan

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That's a very excellent article! Good points about the humility a black belt should posses...and understanding that 1st degree black belt is just the begining.

 

Usually when people find out I study karate, the next question is what belt are you, or are you a black belt....in which case I tell them yes....from there....it is one of two reactions:

 

a. awe stricken, and anything else I say about levels of black belts or how its the lowest level of black belt is in one ear and out the other

 

b. the cynical response -- do you / can you break x amount of boards, can you do this and that in a street fight

 

I've only been a black belt since August...and I'm sure I stood a little taller and held my head a little higher :) But that's wearing off --- I think the problem is with some BBs it never wears off :P They think they've reached the goal, but if the goal is to just get a black belt, then you misunderstand the martial arts in my opinion.

KarateForums.com Sempai
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I've read and written several posts on this very topic. A black belt doesn't mean anything without the proper technique level coupled with a humble attitude.

 

If you're studying to get a black belt, save yourself some time and money and go downtown to your local martial arts supply store and buy one. Without the things I mentioned above that's about all it will be worth anyway.

A block is a strike is a lock is a throw.

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Nice article. The fact that it is written by a Judoka shows the similarities of all MAs to each other.

"The true master avoids the fight."

Shodan - Uechi-Ryu Karate

Brown Belt - Zen Budo Ryu JJ, Yoshinkan Aikido

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Great article.

 

It's true that a lot of people see the black belt as the 'end'. When I got my black belt one of the very first things that a non-martial artist friend said to me was "well, you don't need to go to karate class anymore".

 

After I finished laughing at the thought I'd quit karate training, I gently explained that getting a black belt isn't the 'end of the road'.

 

Like someone else wrote, if I just wanted a black belt I could go buy one from a sports shop and save myself all that time training.

"Was it really worth it? Only time and death may ever tell..." The Beautiful South - The Rose of My Cologne


Sheffield Steelers!

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A black belt should mean you understand the basic's well enough to teach...and fight to defend yourself. I'm sick of seeing McDojo black belts come to my dojo and get their * handed to them from one of green belt girls. So I always included proper understanding and proper use in real time for black belt level.
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  • 2 weeks later...
Great article, exactly as it should be - too bad about all the black belt factories churning out under talented and under motivated youngsters, it just lowers the bar for all of us, oh well not my problem :D
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