How many black belts?

[tallgeese]

The last couple of threads here have gotten me thinking...we all have pretty divergent backgrounds, and who knows what kind of organizations we've come out of.

Considering this, for those of us who instruct- how many people have you promoted to black belt over the years?

I can see the number being all over the place. I'll start off, after about 14 years or so of teaching I've promoted exactly 1 guy to black belt in my primary art. Another soon to test in my second system.

I know, it sounds like I'm a slacer. Remember, I come out of a small organization and can actually still name all the black belts within it. I've had guys training with me for enough time to reach the rank before, but they may have only wanted to do MMA stuff, so they don't get ranked in a system. It's more of fight training for them, on this front I've had the great opportunity to work with several fantastic competitors. That being said, I have about three guys now around orange belt level or so who may make a go of it.

How about everyone else...

[bushido_man96]

Boy, I can't think of how many I have promoted, but it hasn't been many. Not more than a handful, I know that. I don't teach my own students any more; I am an assistant instructor at my school.

[DWx]

I think it all depends on what you want blackbelt to signify. In some systems it is incredibly hard and such an accomplishment to get there that blackbelt means a lot. In other systems its just a natural progression that signifies you know the basics. My own instructor has promoted 40+ people to 1st degree, then again for us, blackbelt is more of a step along the chain. It is a huge achievement but it only really signifies that you know things to a certain level and are able to take control of your own learning and to start doing things your own way.

[tallgeese]

I'm just curious about it, that's all. I'm not judging one way or the other on numbers promoted.

It makes me t hink that I should actually get to work propigateing the arts I study a bit more if anything.