Some more 6 yr old Black Belts

[Conqueror]

Our dojo has no set standards for black belt test, although we do have a pretty solid 14-year-old age limit for Shodan. Our philosophy is that your entire training career is your test - we watch you from the day you first walk in the door. To that end, all levels of black belt test are by invitation only direct from Sensei. By the time he asks you to test, you've already passed. The tests are certainly tough, but they are nothing like the 6-day grueling painfests that some on KF have described (although they used to be in the older days).

I agree though - whether the test be a 1-time painfest or a long watching period, I sincerely doubt the faculties of any 7 year old yudansha. Except for absolutely extraordinary cases, a 7yo will lack the maturity needed to wield the authority and responsibility that come with the possession of a black obi. I concur in the opinion that any dojo with a 7yo black belt likely promoted the child for commercial reasons rather than karate reasons.

[OKINAWIANKARATEKA]

This may be a little off subject, but is a test really necessary? Your master knows if you are ready or not. In my school (until black belt) you don't really test. You pretty much go through a normal class and you get your belt at the end. On 27 of june 3 of our students will be "testing" for there black belts. They all will get it, so I feel it is just a formality.