Angus Posted August 9, 2001 Posted August 9, 2001 Pfft.... belts! bah! The only reason i'm doing a graded system now is that i eventually want one of those nice black belt certificates to put in my resume for a security job. Then i'm gonna resume my BJJ. I'm also soon gonna be doing Muay Thai... I'm a good fighter, but good fighters are nothing without good references if they are going for security jobs. Angus Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.
Iron Arahat Posted August 10, 2001 Posted August 10, 2001 Don't just go for a black belt just for your resume. There are other things that you can do to in order to focus towards a security or law enforcement career. If you enjoy the BJJ do that train hard, and use your instructor as a reference, it is just as good. In fact the BJJ may be better suited towards a standard "use of force" continium, than most striking arts... Martial Arts School http://www.shaolinwushu.cahttp://www.liveyyc.comCalgary Photographer: http://www.jdirom.com
Angus Posted August 10, 2001 Posted August 10, 2001 Oops, did i mention there's this hot Brunette at my karate dojo? That also helps a little... Perhaps i should get her into some BJJ, and teach her the guard position... :brow: Angus Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.
KickChick Posted August 10, 2001 Posted August 10, 2001 I have been reading all the threads on this posting and agree with many of you regarding belt grading. I am so glad to be part of this forum because as of late I have been questioning my continuance at our school and even with my martial art. I worked extemely hard to pursue my black belt. 10 years of training (making time for having a baby in between). That black belt goal is made real by making it "concrete" after all we are a visual lot, and just seeing our efforts is not enough for some of us. IMO you truly do not know how good you are unless you go to tournament. Measuring yourself up to others in your class is one thing, form another dojo is another. In my division when I did go to tournament it was the women 35 and over division. there were tournaments I did enter where all I needed to do was register, pay the fee and walk off with the trophy....no competion for me. Now does that make me a winner? But there were a couple that were a good experience for me and showed me where I needed to train harder. I now enjoy judging tournaments. We have a total of active Black Belts, including children of about 35. When our school started about 15 years ago, a black belt was a rare commodity. Now it is an every month occurence. At our school,on average, a Tae Kwon Do student will be promoted every 4 months up to Brown Belt. At Brown Belt level, promotion on average is 6 to 8 months. The following minimum requirements apply. 1. Knowledge of required material up to current belt level. 2. Steady attendance. 3. Must have no more than 5 lessons remaining on lesson count at the beginning of the month of promotion. A pre-test is given only to those students who have met requirements #2 and #3, but are not able to fully demonstrate #1. Ability to demonstrate techniques correctly at their current belt level is mandatory. Areas of weakness are identified during pre-test and recommendations are made. Eligibility for promotion is determined by a satisfactory pre-test. Master reserves the right to have final say for promotion eligibility. When I tested (fee 500.00 mind you!), I had to perform all requirements. All my breaks were done on first shot ...now we wait and wait until the break is finally done! the school makes exceptions for those who showed they tried, if they're over 50 and going for black or if they are under 16. If they are under 16 then they should be given jr. black belt status and when they turn 16 retest with the same requirements as an adult black belt. I think we are too afraid to step on anyone's toes by telling them they just weren't good enough! Children even adults would rather drop out than work harder. When our school first opened, Master failed one person at test (not black belt).... and that was my son, he never returned. It has been the school's practice never to fail a student. Is it because of self esteem or profit? Peace, Deby _________________ If there is a righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in character,beauty in the character, there will be harmony in thehome. Harmony in the home, there will be order in the nation.When there is order in the nation, there will be peace on earth. This Message was edited by: KickChick on Aug 10, 2001 5:19am This Message was edited by: KickChick on Aug 10, 2001 5:20am
Iron Arahat Posted August 10, 2001 Posted August 10, 2001 All I can say if someone would rather drop out than work harder is a poor standard. Personally I would rather have a school with two dedicated students than a school with over 100 students. The jr. black belt has always made me wonder as well. Is this just another money grab...test then test again. Is it $500 for a jr. black belt and $500 for a sr. belt? I believe it's for profit still, not self-esteem. You can fail someone and make it a positive experience. We have to remember that life is full of challanges, and not everything is a "gimmie". In fact there are very few things in life that you don't have to work for. My question is why does a black belt test cost $500? That cost would pay your membership dues for two years at my school! I don't believe though that if you have your black belt, that you should quit training all together...you have achieved something that most people do not, and at this point there is no reason that you really have to promote (2nd/3rd/etc.) and therfore just paying the monthly membership fee which is a reality for everyone. If you enjoy what you do stay with it...all I am getting across is buyer beware. Martial Arts School http://www.shaolinwushu.cahttp://www.liveyyc.comCalgary Photographer: http://www.jdirom.com
iamrushman Posted August 10, 2001 Posted August 10, 2001 Answer to IRON.....kukkiwon only requires payment to be affiliated with them..most instructors i have been with will give you their certification without the kukkiwon cert. if thats what you want...but kukkiwon will be accepted by other instructors where the individual cert. doesn't carry much weight. KICKCHICK.....when i first tested for my 1st dan.....i only payed $100 ( that was 20 yrs ago)...but as the rank increased the price increased....(plus i guess you must allow for the time factor of then and now.) humble respects with a bow rushman (karate forums sensei)3rd dan wtf/kukkiwon"saying nothing...sometimes says the most"--e. dickerson
BlueDragon Posted August 10, 2001 Posted August 10, 2001 Before I read your posts I had no idea how comercial the Martial Arts have become I now know how lucky I am at my dojo (10$ a month for upkeep and rent plus no charge for a belt test). On the subject of belts they are good if they actually reflect the progress of someone in both style and fighting ability. I am proud to sat that belts are difficult to obtain where I train. In fact the failure rate is about 60% "Excuse me while I kiss the sky" -Hendrix
Angus Posted August 10, 2001 Posted August 10, 2001 From reading kickchick's post it is no wonder that many people have a low opinion of TKD... I personally think the art is excellent (even though i have never done it) - but this is certainly a prime example of a McDojo... "It has been the school's practice never to fail a student"... Pathetic, simply deplorable... i men no offense to you personally kickchick but your school is a fraud and is only after money... Angus Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.
taezee Posted August 10, 2001 Posted August 10, 2001 well this is another example of the "rape" of taekwondo...ever since its popularity has spread you have more and more black belts now why? it only takes an average of two years to aquire one now if you are ready or not..money makes the world go round my friends..i had posted about a month ago about some organization actually viewing video tapes of people preforming thier belt requirements mailing them to the kukkiwon including the nice fat money order and in 4 to 6 weeks presto your a black belt/master..americans are not patient or disciplined enough to achieve a ligitamte black belt(the majority) the mentality seems to be "please ill pay you just make me a black belt and i will feel so good about myself nevermind if i am actually good it just sounds good when i am at a party and i can say hey im a black belt isnt that sooo cool" belts did at one time mean something like back in 1979 when i first started i was in awe of the black belts back then ..these guys were no joke and you could tell just by watching them...it took six years of intensive training back then to get that belt..it was truly the proudest day of my life and i knew i was a real black belt nobody gave me nothing i had to fight hard and earn that right to wear that belt...today that privlige is not worth anything because of the commercial rush...ive lost track of how many "masters" i know and i cant even look students in the eye when they are promoted to 1st dan when i visit soom area schools to assit in promotion ceremonys..forget it the days of a belt having meaning are long gone.. Javier l Rosario instructor taekwondo/hapkidounder master Atef s Himaya"whenever youre lazy enough not to train .someone, somewhere is training very hard to kick your *"
moobrack Posted August 11, 2001 Posted August 11, 2001 I believe so. in some cases. It depends on their extent of training. Anthony Bullock1st Dan Black Belt - Shotokan Karate5th Kyu Yellow Belt - Aiki-Jutsuhttps://www.universaldojo.com Coming Soon
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