Black Belt & beyond

[Elky]

By the time they reach black belt, most people have realised how little black belt means. I don't mean that in any kind of spiritual zen "bcoming nothingness" kind of way. I just mean that a black belt is just another grade. It's a fantastic one and all those who have it deserve a pat on the back, but black belts are just brown belts who've done one extra grading. It's the person that makes the martial art.

[Brandon Fisher]

I agree Shodan is only the beginning. As a 5th Dan I feel as though I haven't mastered anything I really feel as though you can't master a style or karate in general. You can only achieve great levels of success. There is always something to improve on and to master something is to be perfect at it.

[Jeet Kune Do]

Can't say much more than what people have already said. Gaining a black belt is certainly not mastering the style. Yes gaining black belt is a great acheivement and you should be proud of yourself, but training does not end there, it's endless. There is so much more to learn!

Yes, Great, Perfect... that was the exact answer I was looking for and the one above here, the Brandon Fisher one...

[jaymac]

I have been a black belt for 4 years now and I still learn something new at every class and it can even be about material I learned at white belt. If I closed my mind to learning new or old information just because I was a black belt, I would find that soon I would not be a good representative of my style, my instructor, or myself.

[IcemanSK]

There always seems to be mystery around the "Black Belt." What is it? etc.

Look at it this way, At one time, Michael Jordan was at the top of the basketball world. But he never stopped training to become better. Tiger Woods has done amazing things on the gold course: But he still gets up early to hit golf balls. Why? To get better.

If I'm awarded a BB on Tuesday & never train again, soon I'll have white belt skills again. They go away folks. "Mastery" is only available for those who keep training. The belt color one wears is only a recognition of that accomplishment.

I mean no disrespect. I just want to boil it down to the simplest form.

[bushido_man96]

There always seems to be mystery around the "Black Belt." What is it? etc.

Look at it this way, At one time, Michael Jordan was at the top of the basketball world. But he never stopped training to become better. Tiger Woods has done amazing things on the gold course: But he still gets up early to hit golf balls. Why? To get better.

If I'm awarded a BB on Tuesday & never train again, soon I'll have white belt skills again. They go away folks. "Mastery" is only available for those who keep training. The belt color one wears is only a recognition of that accomplishment.

I mean no disrespect. I just want to boil it down to the simplest form.

That's a great post.

[Greek Fighter]

Once you become a black belt, you have more responsibilities than ever. You also have goals to set and achievements to take. Is anyone training as an instructor?

[bushido_man96]

Once you become a black belt, you have more responsibilities than ever. You also have goals to set and achievements to take. Is anyone training as an instructor?

I am not a "certified" instructor in the association I am affliated with, but I do teach some classes. In the past, I was a certified instructor and co-owner of a school in a different association. Teaching is one of the most rewarding things I have done.

[New Beginner]

but black belts are just brown belts who've done one extra grading. It's the person that makes the martial art.

Theoretically you are correct, but it's making the commitment to that extra grading that is the difference between a brown and a black belt. If you had access to go through all the decent martial arts organisations files you'sd probably find that brown belts outnumber black belts 2-1, because so many become satisfied at brown belt and don't commit to that 'next level', that's the difference for the most part as far as I'm concerned. Many of the larger organisations are full to the brim of 'in my day' brown belts that drift in and out of the dojo when it suits them and never progress either in rank or in ability.

I agree with all previous posts that black belt is part of a journey, not a destination, but if it meant nothiing then none of us would have ever strived as hard as we did to achieve it.

[bushido_man96]

Many of the larger organisations are full to the brim of 'in my day' brown belts that drift in and out of the dojo when it suits them and never progress either in rank or in ability.

I have seen my share of these students come in and go out. Many of them are very talented, but they just end up leaving.