Handing out belts...

[Zaine]

I've encountered too many blackbelts that can't fight to save their life. Of course, there are those that are quite proficient in a fight. Still, it seems to me that people have become obsessed with belts. First there were different colors, then stripes, then double stripes and bands, or a gold vertical stripe and band etc etc etc.

I stopped caring about rank a long time ago. I do like the system that is used in my aikido dojo, however. Kyus sit on the far left, dans on the right when starting a training session. All kyus wear a standard judo gi with a white belt. There's no way to tell someone's rank. Dans wear hakama, but you cannot tell their degree. My instructors seemed to have averaged between 5 and 7 years to earn their first black belt, which seems reasonable.

People have already mentioned this. I think it's very dangerous to give someone a black belt too soon. They'll walk around thinking that they can defend themselves or others in a situation, so they may foolishly stay and fight when they should walk away and be in even greater danger than if they had no training at all. Those dojos that hand out belts like candy, sure it's encouraging to the kids but it's doing more harm than good.

Thats a very good point.

[Jp656]

Wicked true, In my class theres like 4 black belts, (1st dan) and they dont know crap

[Jp656]

That they should know i mean, They do things little better then me and ive been there for a month, THeyve been there for about 5 years

[Dlove]

In my school, it usually takes about 1 month to go from white belt to yellow. However in the end it takes about 4 years to achieve BB. Our school has 16 belts from white to black, so in the beginning it feels like you're prgressing very fast because you test every month or 2. Our school has been there for 4.5 years and we are just getting ready to have our first couple people test for BB. They have all those belts so the younger ones see results faster to keep them interested. I know the other TKD school in our town has a hard time keeping children interested because they don't feel like they are progressing because they only have 6 belts. It takes 6-8 months to go from white belt to yellow. I'm not sure which way I'd prefer, but I know the suggested BB's in our school are very very good and will have earned their BB's and deserve it.

I think CTTKDKing nailed it with out saying..... we are for the most part invovled in martial arts for deferent reasons, some for self defense, some to get in shape and some to just compete, some spirtual. I agree 100% with what he said in keeping the students interested, to be succesful in a business you have to keep your customers focused, but to just hand belts out is bad for everybody.

[Cat Nap]

I'm new to the Wing Tsun system under Grandmaster Leung but studied Wing Chun under another system for five years. Being a traditional style, we never had belts and I have absolutely no ranking at all; that will change with Leung because he does have a grading system but for the most part, Chinese styles have no belt or sash. I even studied Aikijujutsu for a year and never had a belt there either. I couldn't afford the cost of two classes so went once a week and didn't receive a rank. Couldn't care less because to me, belts gave a false indication of a person's skill. I think many times belts serve two purposes: 1) keep students interested and coming and 2) a way of making money by throwing in "testing fees." To me, they're useless....

Laura

[bushido_man96]

This is along the same lines of the McDojo arguments. Handing out belts like this is folly, and degrades the value of the martial arts.

Here is a simple solution: Don't charge money for testings/rank promotions. I know, it sounds crazy, but there is at least one other guy that believes in it.

John Graden, the former owner of USA Karate, has a book out called Black Belt Management. He makes his point there. His idea is to sell the tuition, instead of testings. Howerver, he does have his ways of making money.

[getawaytkd]

what can you do? its hard these days to find a place where theyre there to teach you and not just wanting your money

[Knowledge dispels fear]

Personaly i thinks its stupid, i was helping do a demo at a very commercial club the other day, and there were a few black belts, then i found out their criteria for being a black belt and all you had to do was be apart of the club for 12months and you were given it, nevermind how good your technicle ability is, when people are given these belts with out deserving them i have these people are generally quite cocky but have no technical skill what so ever, at this club the black belts hadn't even heard of pressure points, and there striking wasn't even that good, so if they were attacked they may feel they have a chance but they won't because their fighting ability isn't very good.

[getawaytkd]

I've encountered too many blackbelts that can't fight to save their life. Of course, there are those that are quite proficient in a fight. Still, it seems to me that people have become obsessed with belts. First there were different colors, then stripes, then double stripes and bands, or a gold vertical stripe and band etc etc etc.

I stopped caring about rank a long time ago. I do like the system that is used in my aikido dojo, however. Kyus sit on the far left, dans on the right when starting a training session. All kyus wear a standard judo gi with a white belt. There's no way to tell someone's rank. Dans wear hakama, but you cannot tell their degree. My instructors seemed to have averaged between 5 and 7 years to earn their first black belt, which seems reasonable.

People have already mentioned this. I think it's very dangerous to give someone a black belt too soon. They'll walk around thinking that they can defend themselves or others in a situation, so they may foolishly stay and fight when they should walk away and be in even greater danger than if they had no training at all. Those dojos that hand out belts like candy, sure it's encouraging to the kids but it's doing more harm than good.

Thats a very good point.

I second that.