White Warlock Posted September 23, 2004 Posted September 23, 2004 I have no belt, in any system i've ever studied. And yet, with the information i've shared and insight i've communicated on these boards, does that sound correct? Does it sound like i don't know what i'm talking about, or that i don't have a firm and reasoned understanding of the spirit of the arts, as well as the implementation of techniques and theories? Granted, i could be one of those grand posers, but i'm not. So... does not having a belt somehow diminish my 'degree' of knowledge in the arts? Or, for that matter, does having one somehow enhance one's 'degree' of knowledge in the arts? I was handed a brown, and a black, by the instructor of the dojo i visited while in the military, for entry into competitions back in the 80's... of which i returned immediately afterwards. Their school had more trophies, i had more awareness of my strengths and weaknesses. We went our separate ways. I was also handed a black sash, as a gesture of respect, by a sifu i had studied under and with (sharing insight) for less than a year, and whom i've since lost all contact. I never earned a belt, in the 'so-called' traditional sense, nor do i put any weight on the belts/sash i obtained. I still hold the black sash, a wall ornament hiding in my bedroom. A reminder of the respect i earned from someone i will always remember as a friend, but never a sign of my competence, understanding, or lack thereof. I suppose this was my own personal means to encourage me to continue my studies, and to always keep in mind that the martial arts is a 'lifetime' endeavor, not merely a short-term goal. "When you are able to take the keys from my hand, you will be ready to drive." - Shaolin DMV TestIntro
manuelito Posted September 23, 2004 Posted September 23, 2004 zap!, welcome to the wonderful world of politcs in martial arts. this is not the case with every school just a lot of them unfortunatly. the longer you stay in the martial arts the more you will see things that dissapoint you. so have faith and train hard. pain is weakness leaving the body.fear is the mind killer, i will face my fear and let it pass threw me. from the movie "dune"i know kung fu...show me. from the movie "the matrix"
Master Jules Posted September 23, 2004 Posted September 23, 2004 I would never "quick promote"......it doesnt do my students any good and its a reflection on me. ~Master Jules......aka "The Sandman""I may be a trained killer......but Im really a nice guy"
47MartialMan Posted September 23, 2004 Posted September 23, 2004 I do not have a belt in over half of the systems that I had studied. I got "belted" a lot though.
Sasori_Te Posted September 23, 2004 Posted September 23, 2004 Being handed a belt does not neccessarily mean that you have been quick promoted. If you are a competent instructor you will know the level of the students you teach. I've handed out belts (albeit not black belts) to students in this manner before. I had several reasons for doing so. I personally believe that a test should only be a formality. The student should earn the rank long before the test. A block is a strike is a lock is a throw.
Sasori_Te Posted September 23, 2004 Posted September 23, 2004 Sorry, looking back I think I misinterpreted Master Jules statement. You were referring directly to the original post. If this is the case case, then please disregard my last post. White Warlock you have received your belts by the most traditional method of all. You showed your skill and earned the respect of your instructors. A block is a strike is a lock is a throw.
47MartialMan Posted September 23, 2004 Posted September 23, 2004 Speaking of frustrated, I hope Gilbert will take it easy and understand we share a common bond. Now Gilbert, don't take this as a offense.
zap Posted September 27, 2004 Author Posted September 27, 2004 I know not every schoo does this(this gives me some hope), but a lot of schools do. And it shows. I was just venting because it is annoyinig to test with another kid who is not at the same level as you are. It gives a bad name to the martial arts community...especially kid black belts those are pathetic. It is good to be well versed in one style, but even better to be well versed in many styles.
gcav Posted September 27, 2004 Posted September 27, 2004 The color of the belt should reflect the level of ability and understanding one has of the art they study, not the number of years they have studied. I know some systems require a certain amount of "practice hours", or a certain amount of time each student has to stay in each rank before they are eligible for promotion. I do not agree with this. MAs is an individual thing. Some students will "get it" faster than others, and they should be promoted accordingly. If someone has the ability and understanding to move to the next level, why hold them back? In Japan, it is common for students to be promoted just *before* they are ready for the next belt. The instructor knows that the student will try harder in their training to get to the level they have been promoted to. I know this would never work here in the U.S., but it shows the difference in the belt systems of East and West. As I've said on other threads, I don't care about the color of the belt, its the knowledge that is important. Train like your life depends on it....Because it does.
47MartialMan Posted September 27, 2004 Posted September 27, 2004 I advance students accoding to ability and not time past. Some feel upset, but hey, I am not going to levy my morals or standards. Some schools try to get the same srydents advancing with the same time, per ranking. They don't want to upset their custoners-er students.
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