Why most people retire at shodan?

[Lachrymosa]

Is it because it is a lot harder from shodan (1st dan black belt) to nidan (2nd dan black belt?

Or that most people get their shodan in their 20's and after that life catch up (work, wife, children, etc)

Or that having a black belt is enough?

There is probably a lot more reasons, but I want to know what you guys thinks about that.

[marksmarkou]

I thinka lot poeple see shodan as the "end" of there training and they have reached the top level, so they may finish.

Also, maybe, becuase after shodan you are not really taught anythinf new but varaitions and training is geared towards perfecting what you know. Some people find this boring.

[Tiger1962]

My guess is the reasons can vary depending on the age of the student and where he/she is in life at that point. As mentioned, school studies, college, raising a family, work commitments, etc. - all those things certainly interfere with training and let's face it - as important as martial arts is to those who train, the priority in life is or should be: family, paying the bills, earning a living, etc...Then again, some people just want to achieve the black belt level and move on to try their hand at other activities.

For me, I'm at the nidan level and although I have not chosen to retire just yet, work and family commitments get in the way of my training and those two come first in my life before anything. Martial arts doesn't pay my bills, my job does.

[brokenswordx]

I think you hit the nail on the head with the 2nd and 3rd guess. It's a tough choice to make sometimes between choosing martial arts or other responsibilities in your life. However a person can balance bothm though it's diffcult to do.

[bushido_man96]

I think that many times, students set their goal to earn black belt, and once they do, figure that is it. Its too bad, but that is the way it goes sometimes.

[the beast]

I thinka lot poeple see shodan as the "end" of there training and they have reached the top level, so they may finish.

I agree I think that most people see shodan as the goal when it is just the firs step in a long journey.

[NY_Karatedork]

Well when you have kids as young as 3 entering martial arts I can understand why some would retire but some might want to explore other Martial arts. Now me personally I want to go as high in martial arts as I can, maybe getting high enough to be a instructor.

[G95champ]

I agree I think a lot of people view it as a end and not the beginning.

I also think you are right that many people go to college, get a job, start a family etc and jsut have no time to train like they did as a teen.

One other thing that I will add is a lot of teachers don't know what to teach after black belt. Thus those looking to learn something new can not because the one who had been teaching them is maxed out. This is not necessarly the head Sensei but those under him.

[DWx]

I think another thing is how you won't keep on getting new belts and ranks after blackbelt. It takes years to grade again and a lot of people don't stick it out till the next level. Physically and mentally I think its a lot tougher as you are expected to keep your standard high throughout.

[pittbullJudoka]

I agree with most of the reasons you guys have laid out. But I think mainly as said in the posts above me, most see black belt as the end of their journey. And the ranks come after years and not months.