The value of your Black Belt!

[Shorinryu Sensei]

There's been some very good replies so far, and I'm glad to see them!

For me, my actual black belt has little meaning. It's the experiences and knowlege behind what it represents that are a source of pride for me. They are things that are intangible and can't be taken away. If somebody came up to me and waved a gun under my nose and said "Give me your black belt"...I'd give it to him withoput hesitation. I can replace the belt (I'd sure miss one of them though...had it a long time), but I can get another in a week or two.

Yes, there's a certain amount of prestige that goes along with a "legitimate" black belt. I've seen so many black belts over the years, and not just on kids, that I feel aren't deserved or earned. Like everyone else I'm sure, I feel that I earned that belt, worked long hard hours to attain it, but it was the knowlege along the way and the experiences that happened that are important...not a piece of dyed cloth.

[MasterH]

I dont care what othyer people think my belt is worth. To me, MY BB is of underterminable value. Who cares how other people see it? I got it for me, not them.

Roger that!

[lgm]

To me, my black belt is priceless because it was achieved with much sacrifice, hard practice, great risk and costs. After 4 years of tireless regular practice in the dojo, demonstrating basic mastery of kihon and kata form and surviving a gauntlet full-contact 5-minute kumite with each of 7 blackbelts in an uninterrrupted sequence during my shodan exam, my black belt has become a prize like no other. It'll always remind me that in karate once I did what I thought was not possible for me to achieve, and given similar challenges in life, I'm sure I can do them as well. Such is the proof that my black belt will always be a silent witness of.

[rhoonah]

I think that a black belt is certainly worth something. I have worked very hard for the 2 that I have and they mean a great deal to me. There are certainly schools out there that crank out black belts who couldn't punch through a paper bag but I won't let that dimish the blood, sweat and tears that I put into my training and the ranks that I have accumulated.

[thesasafras]

i think that there is much prestige in a blackbelt, or in mine atleast, because i worked very hard to acheive it.

[shogeri]

The same can be said of 4 year university degrees as well.

lol

[Mr. Mike]

My BB means many things to me:

1. I'm the first in my entire family to get one.

2. I told myself that I wouldn't stop until I got one, and countless injuries, jammed fingers, dislocations later...I guess it has something to do with seeing something to completion.

3. Countless memories, relationships, experiences along the way.

4. Refinement of character...a sort of growing up and finding a purpose...even at my age, I still needed to do that.

5. I'm 1% of the 3%

6. My confidence and self respect is where it has never been.

7. I can teach my art to others, and positively impact the lives of my students the way my instructor has positively impacted my life.

the list could go on forever.

You may notice that 'knowing how to fight' isn't in there. I think Gracie said "My Black belt only covers 2 inches of my butt, I'm responsible for the rest."

Yeah, the BB holds some prestige for me. I know that it has been watered down and in some cases just shouldn't be given, but we can only blame the greedy instructors who hand them over for a 'small' fee.

as for the 12 yr olds getting the black belt...put yourself in those shoes...would you turn it down? Not if you were that 12 yr. old. He feels he worked just as hard as we all feel we've worked, and ini most cases is probably prouder than we are to get that belt. At 12 yrs old, that is most likely the greatest acheivement he could have made. We shouldn't take that away from him byt telling him he doesn't deserve it...we should however, take exception to the teacher who handed that belt if it is, indeed, undeserved.

[Kumite988]

there are ALOT of twelve yearolds who deserve to wear a blackbelt.

[giang_hu]

There are also a lot of people with black belts who can get knuckled down by people without belts.

[Patrick]

Yeah, that's true. But, of course, having a black belt doesn't make you invincible or something like that.