What martial art does not take a long time to learn?

[JimmyNewton]

i do it for health, strength, self improvement, knowing i can handle myself, and enjoy physical contact.

[PrideampPoise]

Here's the thing, Mtal... If you really are concerned with just the black belt itself, you just need to find a school that "promises" a black belt in a year, or year and a half. They are out there. Or you can simply ask the black belts at a given school how long it took them to get there. (Of course, they may try to explain that you shouldn't study just to get a belt...)

If what you meant was what arts/systems can you study that teach you practical techniques quickly, regardless of how they award belts, then you should probably ask people to focus on that, because that is a valid question, imho.

[baronbvp]

I am in it for the journey. The belts are just waypoints along the way. I of course want my black belt, but I want to earn it so there is no doubt in my heart that I deserve to wear it.

My sensei advances students when they deserve to be advanced. Some who train often and hard can get a new belt in 2 months. Others take almost a year. It's all about dedication, actual learning, and being honest with yourself about what you need to work on. Our dojo advertises the average student will earn a black belt in 3 1/2 to 4 years.

[rb]

Take on a martial art with a lot of sparring like judo or bjj, wrestling to an extent. Boxing, muay thai and some forms of karate.

You won;t have a black belt very quickly. However you basics will be strong due to testing them at high levels of resistance.

[JimmyNewton]

do most of your dojos certify your black belt in any way?

or is it you know you have itk, your sensei knows you earn3ed it, and thats it? just wondering

[cathal]

For all the dan grades, in pretty much all the styles I'm familiar with, there is a certification process. In Shotokan you receive a certificate for each kyu and dan grade you earn.

[CrippledFingers]

It's all upto you and how hard you train. My uncle got his Black belt in under a year in some form of style I can't remember it was a long time ago but he's GREAT. I've been at it for almost 5 years and I'm not a blackbelt yet but I think I'm doing ok so far.

[cathal]

Hmmm...one year, less than one year even? What style was it he learned?

[JimmyNewton]

less than a year sounds shakey..but good for him I guess

[neclos]

Well, if that person starts from zero and gets his/her bb in a year or less, that is strange. If he/she learned or got bb in other arts, getting a bb in less than a year is believable (he/she already got some of the skills to begin with).