Becoming a Black belt

[Dominus]

I find it absurd that some schools actually give kids blackbelts at such young ages, like 6 or 7. I mean really, do they REALLY think a 3 foor tall kid can defeat a big thug that jumps you on the street? These little kids will then end up going to school and challenging some much bigger guy to a fight and end up breaking every bone in their body. Sure they may have done the forms right and everything, but are they REALLY qualified? Schools need to be more strict when giving out belts, and their should be an age limit of at least 10 before you can get a black belt. Who agrees?

[Roxor]

you bring up a goo point, i cant stand it to see someone who doesnt really qualify for thier blackbelt, or are shoboating it, if they brag about it they dont diserve it! I dont think the kids would be dumb enough to challenge someone like 2x thier hieght tho, i mean how dumb can you be??? well...there was that one kid in my class who stapled his arm, chugged glue, and accidentaly stabbed himself in the hand when playing around in Tech Ed class...i guess pretty dumb but he doesnt count

[Jiffy]

This issue has been discussed on here before, but i have to say that i agree fully.

In Shotokan, this is addressed by the grade of "Shodan-Ho" (junior black). Only someone 16 or older can get "Shodan" (1st Dan) or higher.

Having said that, we have never had to award one because we haven't had a junior stick it long enough to reach that level (fastest we have graded someone to black is about 5.5 years)

[b3n]

I find it absurd that some schools actually give kids blackbelts at such young ages, like 6 or 7. I mean really, do they REALLY think a 3 foor tall kid can defeat a big thug that jumps you on the street?

So getting a black belt automatically means you should be able to defeat anyone regardless of their age/size??

[SubGrappler]

I find it absurd that some schools actually give kids blackbelts at such young ages, like 6 or 7. I mean really, do they REALLY think a 3 foor tall kid can defeat a big thug that jumps you on the street? These little kids will then end up going to school and challenging some much bigger guy to a fight and end up breaking every bone in their body. Sure they may have done the forms right and everything, but are they REALLY qualified? Schools need to be more strict when giving out belts

You started off great here.

and their should be an age limit of at least 10 before you can get a black belt. Who agrees?

But how do you start there and end up here? A 10 year old isnt going to do much better than a 6 or 7 year old. If you dont want to be a laughing stock, it should be at least 18 years old for a black belt- and none of that junior black belt stuff either- thats just as bad.

Even an 18 year old is going to have a difficult time defeating a full grown adult, even though he would by definition also be an adult- theres a difference between a "man" and a "kid" - an 18 year old is still a kid and has a lot to overcome to beat a man in a fight.

So getting a black belt automatically means you should be able to defeat anyone regardless of their age/size??

Of course thats not true, but your rank should be represenative of your fighting ability. You're practicing fighting moves- I should hope that if a black belt is signifying your extended knowledge of it he should be able to be a competent fighter.

[Dominus]

Yeah 10 isnt a good age, but 18 is stilla bit too high. A good age for blackbelt would be 14 or 15.

[karatekid1975]

Ya know, I thought about this when I saw this before (in another thread, and I didn't respond). I was attacked at 9 years old. I was attacked by a guy roughly 190 pounds, maybe slightly more, in his mid to late 30's. I was a small girl for my age. I do not think I could have fought this guy off, even if I had training at the time. I did put up a good fight (my dad taught me how to fight some), but I lost.

I don't see how a BB at 9 years old can fight off a guy that is 3 times her age, mostly muscle, but she wears a BB.

Just think about it .... I've been there (except the BB part, but I did try to fight back). It's very emotional for me. I wouldn't award no one that young with a BB. BUT I would teach them good self defense skills to get away, if possible.

BUT after my training, I was attacked again, and won (I was an adult by then, but a beginner in MA ... go figure).

[MartialArthur]

I am a black belt, I like to think that I deserve it, but I don't think I could necessarily defeat someone twice my height and double my weight...Just like a 9 year old would not be able to defeat an adult. That does not make me (or the 9 year old) less deserving of our ranks.

Children should be compared to other children, not adults. Being invincible should not be required to be worthy of a black belt.

If a child works as hard for as long as an adult, and has the same skill level, why deny him a black belt? So that we can feel better about our own black belt?

My 11 year old son earned his black belt at 10 - after 4 years of training and passing the exact same test our teens and adults must pass. He is every bit a black belt, and can handle himself with anyone even close to his size. I can think of no reason to deny him the rank he earned.

[Meguro]

It's all relative. The minimum requirement for a blackbelt is the knowledge of some basics and whatever other skills your style requires. That's it. Havng a black belt doesn't automatically make you king of the concrete jungle, no matter how old or how good you are. Its only significance is within the dojo or organization.

If I ran my own dojo, I'd be tempted to make it next to impossible to obtain a black belt, but common sense would prevail, especially if you have bills to pay. Most dojo operate this way.

On the other hand, say you practiced Muay Thai. They don't even bother with the superficiality of belts and rank. What matters is who's still standing after the final bell. It's pretty easy to figure out the pecking order under these conditions, not that these guys care about such things.

[SigungWhite]

I would like to take a different angle on the today's Black Belt.

1. I look at the promotion like the a combination of military and educatonal traits. I want Black Belts who are willing to pass on what they know. I want my Black Belts to be responsible for their lives in the General Sence.

2. Todays BB are independent minded and creative. So, to maintain this I let them be that way and give them ownership in their lives.

3. I don't use a Jr. Black Belt System because I choose not too.....

Sigung White