Do all students deserve a blackbelt?

[Brian]

Hello everyone! nice forums. I'd prefer something different than just subsilver,but...on with the question.

If you had a student that had been around for several years,but really hadn't progressed past a 6th kyu level would you award them a higher rank or even black belt? Would not trying or just plain inability make a difference? Or if they come and do what they say go ahead and award them with the rank?

What does the quality of your students say about your school if anything??

Your replies are appreciated.

[Menjo]

No I wouldn't in 99% of the cases.

Up to intermidate level(green to purple/blue), I might let someone with a certain problem that was serious enough to halt their progress get up to green. Past that, no they would have to prove black belt level skill to achieve any advanced level. I dont have any real experiance teaching so my methods when I do teach will be drasticly different...

[cathal]

This person, who has been training for years, but not passed 6th kyu...is this person just not trying? Or is it that they have a disorder which halts their progress?

[jnpnshr411]

Unless there's something mentally not letting them pass to another level, I would not think of passing them no matter how much time they last, it means their not trying

[Jiffy]

This one has come up before. Do a search, there is a myriad of opinions on this one.

My personal opinion. Black belt symbolises a whole list of things.

Dedication

Effort

Skill

Knowledge

Time

Good Attitude

etc etc etc

No one aspect should be enough for black. (eg. Time). They need to at least have a certain level of the rest.

[Whitefeather]

No. I would say to not award the blackbelt to someone who is not worthy of it. It is easier to think about if you consider it not awarding someone a belt, but rather to be asessing their skills as a product of their devotion.

My nickel's worth of solemnly advice.

Dave

[KaratekaAndy]

No, I wouldn't

There was this guy in my club who was a right little *cough* and he quite coz sensei said he was too immature for black belt, plus he always treated anyone lower belt than him as inferior which didnt help.

[Menjo]

No, I wouldn't

There was this guy in my club who was a right little *cough* and he quite coz sensei said he was too immature for black belt, plus he always treated anyone lower belt than him as inferior which didnt help.

Yea thats unfortunate, he may give martial arts a bad name one day(the trouble student).

I've always beleived that one would have to earn the right to train, unfortuantly for my ideal, this is not the way of modern times.

[KaratekaAndy]

Sorry to double post but I forgot to include this in my last post:

There was a guy who broke his arm durring training in my class, the session before the black belt grading.

He was so distressed about missing the grading that sensei gave him the black belt there and then. He did this because he showed the proper MA spirit which is worth more than how good you can punch/kick/throw.

This shows that though you may spend hours training, if you lack spirit you won't get the belt.

[ninjanurse]

This one has come up before. Do a search, there is a myriad of opinions on this one.

My personal opinion. Black belt symbolises a whole list of things.

Dedication

Effort

Skill

Knowledge

Time

Good Attitude

etc etc etc

No one aspect should be enough for black. (eg. Time). They need to at least have a certain level of the rest.

This too is my sentiment however, the question of quality of technique is valid. I would not award a BB to a student who was physically unable to perform however I would allow that student to modify their techniques ( given their physical/mental challenges) as long as they were valid . Sloppiness/or laziness is a reflection of the afformentioned requirements so therefore they would not have met them anyway.