Above and beyond first Dan

[AdamFieldITFTKD]

does anyone know what skills and qualitys are needed to rise above 1st dan. is it possible to reach 9th dan without making changes to TKD. what is in the syllabus above 1st dan ?

[Sam]

depends...

Very small chance you'll ever rise to 9th dan as there arent many people around who would support such a rise [politically]...

requirements exist to Physicsally grade to 5th dan in the original ITF style, and there are some fursther requirements, they are quite detailed so which grade broundary are you looking at specifically and i am happy to give u details for that one...

[AdamFieldITFTKD]

I wasm't enquiring about one grade boundary in particular i was just wondering what was involved in say a 3rd Dan grading is it just patterns and korean questions and perhaps sparring

i just wanted to understand what my teacher has been through to become 5th Dan

[Sohan]

If you have a good relationship with your sensei, there is probably no better way than to simply ask him.

I know you said you are curious about the actual steps you would take to reach 2nd, 3rd level, etc, but I wanted to add that for most asian arts, once you have reached 1st dan or its equivalent, your progression continues based on a decreasing ratio of technical skill to teaching and contribution to the art. Though I also have some limited experience in Tang Soo Do and TKD it was my impression that higher level progression was somewhat similar in the Korean arts as it is in the Okinawan/Japanese.

Respectfully,

Sohan

[IcemanSK]

Most TKD schools don't have much of a plan for advancement past 1st Dan. I would talk w/ your instructor about it, however. Maybe he/she does.

[Kill Jill]

Have you noticed that the kukkiwon has updated its website?

https://www.kukkiwon.or.kr

On the English pages you can find more details than before about testing requirements for each Dan grades, but notice how they are very general in description.

In Korea, at least, any belt test below 4th dan is just ten minutes long, and you only have to demonstrate reasonable competence at poomsae to pass. Of course, few of us would feel satisfied at just knowing poomsae.

From my own feel of things, unless your gym has a specific training schedule for post black belts, being a black belt is more about finding your own motivation to continue, and realizing for yourself about what you need to develop. Having good black belt students around you to inspire you and peg yourself against can be really useful. If you are a lone black belt in your class, it may well be worth checking out other gyms. I've also found that motivation at post black level is enhanced by learning some other skills from other martial arts and trying out some weapons training.

[IcemanSK]

Have you noticed that the kukkiwon has updated its website?

https://www.kukkiwon.or.kr

On the English pages you can find more details than before about testing requirements for each Dan grades, but notice how they are very general in description.

In Korea, at least, any belt test below 4th dan is just ten minutes long, and you only have to demonstrate reasonable competence at poomsae to pass. Of course, few of us would feel satisfied at just knowing poomsae.

From my own feel of things, unless your gym has a specific training schedule for post black belts, being a black belt is more about finding your own motivation to continue, and realizing for yourself about what you need to develop. Having good black belt students around you to inspire you and peg yourself against can be really useful. If you are a lone black belt in your class, it may well be worth checking out other gyms. I've also found that motivation at post black level is enhanced by learning some other skills from other martial arts and trying out some weapons training.

Well said, Jill

[aefibird]

From my own feel of things, unless your gym has a specific training schedule for post black belts, being a black belt is more about finding your own motivation to continue, and realizing for yourself about what you need to develop. Having good black belt students around you to inspire you and peg yourself against can be really useful. If you are a lone black belt in your class, it may well be worth checking out other gyms. I've also found that motivation at post black level is enhanced by learning some other skills from other martial arts and trying out some weapons training.

Good post Jill (as always! ).

Motivation can be a tricky thing for people once they reach 1st Dan. Coloured belt tests happen on a pretty regular basis in many schools and for a student to go from testing once every 3 months on average to being told that they have to wait a minimum of 2 years (or whatever) to be able to test for 2nd Dan can sometimes be deflating and can cause students to lose motivation.

Plus, once many people reach black belt then they think that "that's it" - they've achieved their objective and can sometimes feel that they are "done" with martial arts.

This is where schools need to have a good post-blackbelt programme in operation to encourage their students to keep training, keep learning and keep aiming for a goal, whether it's to get 2nd Dan, to learn a new form or weapon, or to take a few classes or whatever.

In my karate school my Sensei teaches weapons to 1st Dan students. He does staff work for brown belts but black belts are allowed to learn other weapons, as well as other techniques (such as some judo techniques that we incorporate). We've found that is is a good way to help people stay will MA after black belt and help them to keep motivated.

[IcemanSK]

Jill:

Were you disappointed or disheartened (or "dis" anything else) when you saw that 1st thru 3rd tests were not that difficult in Korea? Or, how did you feel?

[Kill Jill]

Jill:

Were you disappointed or disheartened (or "dis" anything else) when you saw that 1st thru 3rd tests were not that difficult in Korea? Or, how did you feel?

disbelief