age limit

[JaseP]

Hmm..a touchy topic..but I do think an age rank should be put on a black belt...maybe they should have junior ranks or something. I was at a tournament today and saw a 6 year old black belt...a 6 year old black belt! I was like, holy cow, thtat kid must have gotten his in like 2 years. I definitely think that you should earn the respect, and be able to perform the task at hand, and if a 10 year old can dot hat, then fine, but I think a black belt comes with time, and maturity is part of being a black belt, something I just don't think any 6 year old has yet.

 

6 years old?!?!? That's just absurd!!! I don't even TAKE students younger than 6. My instructor doesn't take them younger than 4... At 6, in our federation, he would have needed to start at 2 years old to even possibly be a black belt at 6...

 

My problem is that you get situations like that,... that deflate the argument that there shouldn't be an age limitation... But then that's an example of the exception running the rule.

 

My guess is that whoever was the kid's instructor compromised the standards for the child, and I don't mean just breaks... I can't picture a 6 year old having had enough TIME to become proficient in all the testing requirements for black belt. That said,... an eight or ten year old MAY have had enough time if they started at 4 or 6... But I certainly wouldn't push them...

[1kickKO]

I totally agree, he was out of our style (obviously, since it takes 8-9 years to get one in our system) and he was wearing a black gi...He had no patches so I couldn't tell what style he was from..but it was just crazy...the thing is, his sister was too!

[embm]

Here in Missouri we have recently earned the dubious honor of having the two youngest TKD black belts awarded in the United States. Thank you for lowering the standards for everyone World Martial Arts.

[krzychicano]

Lowering the standards?

[champ64]

I think you should start yong so it can keep u fit and teach u disapline and respect