Just how long does it take.....?

[Krazy Carol]

I've only been training for a little over three years. I have started preping for my black belt test that may happen (if I'm ready) in a little over a year. My husband trains with me, and so do my two children. We are all going up next year (hopefully) My children have been training much longer than my husband and I, we are so excited. After the testing it is another year of probation before our black belts will be "real" black belts.

 

We have somepeople going up this month who have been train between 4 and 10 years.

 

 

 

Typically, How long does it take to earn a black belt where you train?

[nfl2k2]

Takes about 5 years where I train. Unfortunetly, I am only going to be in school for four years so I will make it to the Brown belt level by the time I graduate. I started training in September 04', and just received my Yellow belt. It's nice to have a belt other than the one that came with the gi!

[senna_trem]

I am just a white belt, but I heard six or seven years if you are a good student.

[Grenadier]

The old Shotokan dojo: Typically 2.5-4 years. Closer to 4 years if you only came twice a week, and closer to 2.5 years if you took more classes than that. We generally had three classes a day, twice a week. I ended up going for a bit less than two years initially, getting to my ikkyu (1st Kyu brown), before having to leave for college. After I finished college, and started grad school, I went back to Shotokan Karate. My new Shotokan sensei allowed me to start as an unofficial ikkyu, until I took his ikkyu exam after six months of training in his dojo, and then I took (and passed) the shodan exam three months after that.

 

The Tae Kwon Do school (in college; we used the fencing gym as our training hall): That depended entirely on the practitioner. Tests were offered each semester, and you basically decided if you wanted to test, and if you wanted to double test. I had seen some people get their 1st degree black belts in 2 years, while others took 4 years of Tae Kwon Do, but had to leave due to graduation before getting their black belts. Most folks got theirs in 3.5 years, coming twice a week. Given that we were a college club, there really wasn't much of an opportunity to train any extra beyond the standard two classes a week, unless one was willing to spend some more $$$ and train at one of the two schools in the area. I took (and passed) the black belt exam after the first semester of my senior year.

 

Previous dojo: Highly variable. Testing was offered every three months, and if you were ready, you could sign up. Some people got theirs in 2.5 years, others 5 years, etc. There really was no "typical" length, since each person went at his own pace.

 

Current dojo: About 3 years, assuming that one attends at least two classes a week, but the students are encouraged to come at least four classes a week. The headquarters dojo is open 5 days a week, with separate beginner, intermediate, and advanced classes offered every day. The other two dojos offer Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday classes, with beginner and intermediate / advanced classes as well (only two classes a day).

 

Students are given forms to fill out when the chief instructor thinks that they are ready. No form = no test. Period. Students who perform exceptionally well on tests, are consistently good in class, and fulfill all of their current requirements, and can demonstrate that they can perform the next belt's requirements are sometimes (though very infrequently) double promoted.

[krzychicano]

Typically 4 to 5 years if you train really hard. I love Kuk Sool Won!

[Master Jules]

Depends on the dojo, and the frequency and intensity level of training......a student who goes to 2 classes a day 6 days a week is gonna progress much faster than someone whos in class 2 nights a week.......It really is irrelevant though, considering that black belt is just the beginning.

[ncole_91]

Well at my Dojo I think the minimum (with no MA experience beforr) is about 3 or 4 years. That is doing 3-4 (after orange) times a week, for an hour.

 

Right now, I am a white belt, but we had to earn our white belt. We started wiht no belt, then had a small test in front of the class. Now stripe testing is coming up at the end of the month, so i am excitied.

[isshinryu5toforever]

Depending on the learning curve of the student it takes approximately 4 years to reach ikkyu. After that it is up to sensei to give the go ahead for your black belt. You have a mandatory year waiting period after reaching ikkyu. After that year, it can be any time.

Edited January 16, 2005 by isshinryu5toforever

[Shorinryu Sensei]

Ahhhhh..the age old question ..."How long does it take to get your black belt?"

 

My answer?

 

When you're ready!

 

Typically, it takes at least 3 years in my dojo, but I have one student, 52 years old, that has been at it for 7+ years now...always comes to class, hard worker..but just doesn't quite "get it" and retain it. he understands it and doesn't care. He's there to train and belts mean nothing to him...which is a GREAT attitude! I'd take a dozen of his kind of student any day over one that only wants belts.

[aefibird]

In my dojo it takes about 5 years to get blackbelt, but it really does depend on the student and the amount of effort they put in.