How Young for Shotokan Black Belt

[homelearnin]

The other kids are beginners too, I think the highest is a Blue Belt. They do have a 12 year old that started at 4. He has a Jr. Black Belt.

[Toptomcat]

I wouldn't really be concerned about the technique in that clip. The student pictured is making yellow-belt mistakes, which is perfectly reasonable at his rank of yellow belt.

If you're really worried about the quality of the instruction available there, you might want to upload a video of some of the more advanced students- preferably the instructor- performing kata and sparring. We'll be happy to evaluate it for you. (Though the karate community is fractious enough that you'll never get 100% agreement.)

[sensei8]

How young for a Shotokan black belt?

Check this out...

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1093481_worlds_youngest_karate_kid

[Dr. Frank]

That video is from a Shotokan school? Red gis?

[sensei8]

I was wondering the very same thing, but, in today's commercial dojo's, I'm not surprised at all.

Beside the red gi's, I wasn't too keen about the instructor showing/telling the students what move was next in the kata with this being a testing grade.

[benjamin]

Where I train, for an adult it's normal for it to take between 4 and 4.5 years.

The grade order goes like this for us : White --> Blue --> Red --> Orange --> Yellow --> Green --> Purple --> Purple (white stripe) --> Brown --> Brown (white stripe) --> Brown (red stripe) --> Black.

However from the yellow belt onwards, under 14s are required to grade for a 'tag'. So they would have a yellow belt with a green tag on the end. Then the next time, they take their green belt grading. Then green belt with a purple tag etc. This adds quite a bit of time to the goal of Shodan. Especially with the purple/brown belts! As they sit a tag in between each one!

I'm sure other schools will vary greatly, but that's just the system I'm used to.

[benjamin]

How young for a Shotokan black belt?

Check this out...

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1093481_worlds_youngest_karate_kid

2 years to reach Shodan? Especially at that age? I don't want to put down anyones achievements or anything, but I would be interested to witness the Shodan grading for that club.

[TheKarateKid]

my dojo you have to be 13 or 14 before you can become 1st dan (first level of blackbelt)

this is the belt system at my TSKF

white

white w black stripe

yellow

orange

green

blue

purple

brown x3

black

[sensei8]

How young for a Shotokan black belt?

Check this out...

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1093481_worlds_youngest_karate_kid

2 years to reach Shodan? Especially at that age? I don't want to put down anyones achievements or anything, but I would be interested to witness the Shodan grading for that club.

Are you thinking that its an abridged Shodan grading for that club? It might be!

[benjamin]

How young for a Shotokan black belt?

Check this out...

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1093481_worlds_youngest_karate_kid

2 years to reach Shodan? Especially at that age? I don't want to put down anyones achievements or anything, but I would be interested to witness the Shodan grading for that club.

Are you thinking that its an abridged Shodan grading for that club? It might be!

Well we aim for 4 years for Shodan. At an adult level. Children to intermediate grades which makes the route to Shodan longer. So I don't see how they can justify a child reaching Shodan in 2 years. But if he's good, then good for him.