Black Belt and Ages

[ninjanurse]

Each school is different but most WTF schools do not allow a full BB grade until the age of 16. Until then you are considered a Junior BB. As far as retaining senority goes that is up to the school itself so you need to ask. Usually it is based on portfolio, time in rank, and age in that order.

As already said, 2.5 years is a very short amount of time to receive a BB grading,especially for a child. Physical talent aside, there are other considerations when promoting Black Belts.

[tkdBill]

I agree that a black belt ranking requires more than just physical talent and athleticism. That's one of the reasons that junior black belts are not more common. It is only an exceptional child that has both the physical and non-physical qualities that are required.

Many people in their 40's and 50's look at people in their teens and twenties as not very wise and enlightened. Perhaps you should have to be 30 or 40 to be capable of earning a black belt!

Different people mature at greatly different rates, and there is no magical age where a young person receives wisdom. I know some 10 year olds that are far more mature and understand more than some 15 year olds. I think that drawing a line at a certain age does not make sense. A black belt must be earned, not grown into. If you must draw a line, it would need to be far older than 14 or 15. From my experience kids seem to lose some wisdom at that age.

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[frightmaster]

With regards to my daughter, now 9 years old, attaining her BB. She lives the spirit of Tae Kwon Do, with my help of course. When she first tried breaking she tried her elbow and scraped her wrist on the wood. Well any little girl would cry as she did and yet she asked the Master to try again but with a kick. She was upset that she could not break it still and kept trying (indomitable spirit) and finally broke it on her 12th attempt. The Master was VERY proud of her and still talks about her spirit not quitting. Outside the school she just started Softball and was not a hitter by any means. She kept trying and still could not hit. She tried switching hands (from right to left) and she ended up being one of the team’s hitters. Again not giving up and not trying to improve. I feel she may be a child that has the heart and spirit of a much older person.

[Sam]

well good luck to her.... one thing - breaking at 9 years old may not be that well advised - its can cause some quite serious damage to the bones and their development....

[frightmaster]

She is limited as to what she is allowed to break now. I will not let her do the thick 5/8" wood but instead the speed boards. They will be easier on her and still assist her in focus and technique.

[Sam]

just genearlly breaking can cause damage through impact....

[MasterH]

I know I'm late into this discussion, but some food for thought. Some TKD orgs have what we call an 8 week testing cycle. That means they test about every two months. Now with only 9 gups (grades) the student will achieve the Chodan level in less than 2 years. With the younger the students get younger the Chodan's become and up the ladder they go to higher rank. 1 year between 1 & 2 dans, 2 years between 2 & 3 dans and on to whare we now have a few at 18 years of age ready for 4th dan. I know we are not the only org dealing with this, but whare did it start? Under age Black Belts, and a system that rushes the student thru the ranks. Slow down people!

[DragonMike]

In my TSD school anyone can be a Black Belt, but you must be 21 to be Master

[taiji fajin]

21 seems far too young for me for anyone to be considered a "master". What are the qualifications for being a "master" at your school? Earning a certain belt (ie, have learned a set number of forms, techniques, etc)?

[MasterH]

It's 5th Degree for us, so someone can become a master at 23, a year after you rercieve your 5th degree, but it has not happened, yet. And I hope it never does.