Jr. Black Belts

[bbk2132]

Out of interest bbk2132, are you required to sit another "full" shodan grading once you reach adult age?

Yes I am. In fact when I turn 16 i will have to test for my next level of Jr. Shodan, and then again at 18. Both tests are virtually the same, with different kata and bunkai. Really, the Jr Shodans have to work the same amount as someone testing for regular Shodan.

[cross]

Thanks for the info.

[bbk2132]

all of you bring up good points.

It is true that me and my Jr. Shodon friends are still kids, and I am not going to lie and say I have never screwed around in class, or not payed attention because it has happened. But aside from the occational bad day, we (or at least I) try very hard to set a good example and earn the respect of others. There are many adults who give me no respect at all.

The other day a brown belt (he is 25 maybe) was giving me a hard time, I kindly reminded him that I was his senior and he shouldn't be so disrespectful. He came back with "Well, when we are in the ring it doesn't matter weather your my senior because I can squash you like a bug" which is true because he is an amazing fighter and two feet taller than me, and rank really doesn't matter when you fight. He could beat me, but he doesn't have the mind set of what a true black belt is with that kind of attitude.

About size, you can't base a black belt on that and fighting abbilities. Because really, a black belt has little to do with how good of a fighter you are. Their are green belts who can beat me with ease, but do they deserve a black belt?

Rick_72 was right when he said that "A belt is earned by knowledge of the system, and the mental capacity to weild that knowledge."

I have seen a lot of Jr. Shodans who don't deserve to call themselves black belts, and I have seen a lot of brown belts who deserve to be a Shodan. It is a very dicey subject, and it is really all up to the opinion of the Sensei in your dojo. But I think that as long as they are mature enough not to misuse there rank, know the way of there art, and have some fighting skill and at least 4 years of training and a great deal of maturity, they deserve to be black belts.

[bushido_man96]

The other day a brown belt (he is 25 maybe) was giving me a hard time, I kindly reminded him that I was his senior and he shouldn't be so disrespectful. He came back with "Well, when we are in the ring it doesn't matter weather your my senior because I can squash you like a bug" which is true because he is an amazing fighter and two feet taller than me, and rank really doesn't matter when you fight. He could beat me, but he doesn't have the mind set of what a true black belt is with that kind of attitude.

This is another problem in the martial arts in general. When in uniform, many people don't want to give up who they are outside of the dojo (not that they should), when it comes to age, rank, seniority, etc., outside of the class.

Should a 40 year old white belt have to listen to what a 16 year old black belt tells them? Or call them 'sir'? What about the CEO of the corporation that you work for? Will he be your junior rank in class as well? Or the how about the fighter, that you mention, who states rank doesn't matter in the ring? What about your best friend or wife being in the dojo?

Perhaps there are reasons that some younger children shouldn't be allowed to have a black belt. There are also reasons for other people of all ages as well.

The subject really can have a lot of grey area.

[cross]

Found an interesting article that relates to this topic:

http://www.24fightingchickens.com/2006/08/10/children-who-teach-karate/

Good read.

[patusai]

Found an interesting article that relates to this topic:

http://www.24fightingchickens.com/2006/08/10/children-who-teach-karate/

Good read.

Good article. Thanks

[bbk2132]

Found an interesting article that relates to this topic:

http://www.24fightingchickens.com/2006/08/10/children-who-teach-karate/

Good read.

That was interesting and brings up another point.

I started assisting in classes when i was a 1st kyu (the belt before black belt) and a 14 year old. I led streatching and warm ups with 4-7 year olds, and then helped them in class.

Now I assist in 8-13 year old green through black belt classes. I do not teach alone, but i run warm-ups and sometimes we split up the group and I work kata with some of them. My sensei believes my kata is good enough to be able to help other students.

When there are no older black belts in class and my Sensei has a private to teach, or a parent to deal with or something, he has me lead class until he is ready. He has also let me teach a few privates, and help the adult white-green belts, and teach them kata.

The author of the artical seems to think that I shouldn't be teaching because of my age, yet almost all of the assistant instructors are below 18. I could be because we don't have jobs and such. But we are also all black belts, all talented, and all know what we are doing. There is also an aspect that some kids feel they can be friends with a teenager, it gives them someone to ask for help when they are scared to ask a grown up.

All I am saying is, I think, and my Senseis think that I am qualified to be a black belt and teach a class. Teaching is about how much you know, and how well you can share your knowledge with others. Not age. It is true that some people don't take kids seriously, but if the kid is a good teacher, they should be able to change that.

[bushido_man96]

I think that Jr. Black Belts should be able to assist in junior classes, as long as they are capable of doing so. I don't think that it is a good idea to have junior black belts assist with adult classes, as many times adults will not be very receptive to the idea of being "instructed" by someone that they view as a kid.

[ninjanurse]

Therein lies a lesson in humility.

[patusai]

Found an interesting article that relates to this topic:

http://www.24fightingchickens.com/2006/08/10/children-who-teach-karate/

Good read.

That was interesting and brings up another point.

I started assisting in classes when i was a 1st kyu (the belt before black belt) and a 14 year old. I led streatching and warm ups with 4-7 year olds, and then helped them in class.

Now I assist in 8-13 year old green through black belt classes. I do not teach alone, but i run warm-ups and sometimes we split up the group and I work kata with some of them. My sensei believes my kata is good enough to be able to help other students.

When there are no older black belts in class and my Sensei has a private to teach, or a parent to deal with or something, he has me lead class until he is ready. He has also let me teach a few privates, and help the adult white-green belts, and teach them kata.

The author of the artical seems to think that I shouldn't be teaching because of my age, yet almost all of the assistant instructors are below 18. I could be because we don't have jobs and such. But we are also all black belts, all talented, and all know what we are doing. There is also an aspect that some kids feel they can be friends with a teenager, it gives them someone to ask for help when they are scared to ask a grown up.

All I am saying is, I think, and my Senseis think that I am qualified to be a black belt and teach a class. Teaching is about how much you know, and how well you can share your knowledge with others. Not age. It is true that some people don't take kids seriously, but if the kid is a good teacher, they should be able to change that.

I totally agree that some Jr BB can teach well especially if they are into what they are teaching. I agree with Bushido Man that, unfortunately, some adults will not be receptive to being taught by a child. The ability might be there to teach but with the resistance, I am not sure how effective it would be for the adult. Of course, as ninjanurse said the humility training would be there.