Age Requirements!?

[sensei8]

Minimum age requirements are seen in those martial arts styles that use the kyu/dan ranking, although the Kyu levels have NO minimum age requirements preceeding any promotions. However, the Dan levels DO have minimum age requirements preceeding any promotions. Let's look at some basic general age requirements...

RANK LEVEL******MINIMUM AGE

Shodan----------------------18

Nidan------------------------19

Sandan----------------------21

Yondan----------------------25

Godan-----------------------30

Rokudan--------------------35

Nanadan/Shichidan--------40

Hachidan--------------------50

Kudan-----------------------60

Judan------------------------70

>Why do you think that the age requirements are so important in most, if not all, styles that use the kyu/dan ranking?

>Isn't technical/knowledge abilities more important than age?

***Please refrain from speaking ill of those styles of the martial arts and/or the practitioners that do use the kyu/dan ranking. If your particular style doesn't use the kyu/dan ranking, then possibly this topic isn't for you. In advanced; I thank you!

[bushido_man96]

I think what it boils down to is how the maturity level of the student is viewed in relation to the rank they are allowed to have.

Now, if the common sentiment that floats about the forums here is shared by most of us, and it is the feeling that a shodan "now knows the basics," then I don't see why an age requriment would be necessary. Kids can know the basics. But, if shodan means that one can fight at the top of his game, defend against multiple attackers, and the go 10 rounds with John L. Sullivan, then age requirments might be a bit more important.

[algernon]

I know that age requirements for first-degree are common, but I've never seen these numbers before. Where did they come from?

Also, schools do usually have an age minimum for training, which I've seen range from 4 to 18. I feel that this age requirement is more important than any for promotion. Not all instructors want to hold a "little ninja" class, and not all schools or styles are appropriate for children. The ages of the students, as well as the range of their ages, greatly affects the structure, atmosphere and effectiveness of the classes. I've seen children's classes that ranged in age from 5 to 13, and unless the class is large enough (with enough instructors) to be broken down further, it's nearly impossible for either end to receive good training.

I am inclined to agree with an age requirement for shodan, primarily as a means of establishing the minimum of maturity and physical development that a school expects from its black belt ranks. Yes, individual development will vary, but having a specific age requirement helps to keep promotion decisions objective. It also depends on the age structure of the classes. A 9-year-old couldn't effectively hold pads for an adult black belt, let alone be paired with one for sparring. Whatever age requirements the school may or may not have for black belt, it should accommodate the segregation of children from adults, regardless of rank.

In the end, a black belt means whatever the instructor awarding it decides it means, but the value that a school places on a black belt can say a lot about the quality of its instruction.

[RJCKarate]

Hi,

I think as said previously it is important to have a minimum age for Shodan (1st Dan). I believe that 16 is a better age to set Shodan at than 18, because achieving this rank in my opinion means you now have an 'in depth grasp of the basics' and believe one can do so at this age (16).

In my opinion it is also important for a Shodan to be able to have a certain physical & mental robustness, along with being able to practice kumite or even conditioning drills against persons that may be dramatically older/stronger than them. Additionally, a shodan may be required to provide assistance to the instructor if required, and the age of 16, in my opinion, is an okay medium.

However, there are 9 more dan ranks to consider. Whilst I relatively agree with your outline, I believe they should be guidelines not hard and fast rules. Let's take Sandan (3rd Dan) for example. Say a practitioner started practicing at the age of...6? At the age of 20 (below your limit) they would have been practicing for 14 years, and if they have been practicing in a challenging, and hard-training dojo, they would be more than likely ready for it. Now for Judan (10th Dan), I don't believe a Karate Master is going to get any better between say the age of 60/65 and 70, so I also see no real significance in putting this in place.

My final reasoning is, if you do, as I do and practice Okinawan Karate (or even Japanese for that sake) they don't follow the guidelines. They promote people, based on their skill and dedication (at least in my dojo). It's not rare to see everyone a Yondan by 25 (providing they started young - training for approx. 15yrs), it is really only in the western world that we have set these 'hard and fast' rules on ages.

Also, kyu ranks in my style have a minimum age of 14. Before that you're a 'junior' and go through other belts, not considered 'kyu'.

Cheers,

[Lupin1]

Like people have been saying, it varies considerably based on what you expect of the different belts and what they mean to you. Most of the dojos around here hand out black belts like candy just to keep the older members interested and happy. They have half a dozen 6th or 7th degree black belts in their one small school. I consider that madness. My instructor doesn't promote anyone beyond 3rd degree black belt and to us, those upper degrees mean you're someone who has contributed a lot to your art in general, not just someone who's studied at that one school for 15 years. I personally think your age requirements are dead on what I would have if I were to design a ranking system. At some point rank becomes less about what you can do and more about what you've accomplished and contributed over a lifetime. I wouldn't expect an 80-year-old 10th dan to be able to fight off a 30-year-old young charger 4th dan, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be a 10th dan. After 5th dan or so, to me the rank becomes an indication that this is a person who has put in the years of dedication, who has contributed to the art and furthered it, who has studied with many different masters and expanded his or her horizons, who has taught countless people and had years to reflect on their art and mold themselves to the art and the art to themselves. At that isn't something that can be rushed. To me it takes until you're at least 70 to do all that to the point you should be considered a 10th dan-- the highest rank in karate. But it all depends on what the rank means to the individual organization and every one is different.

[Sibylla]

There are several Japanese styles who have much lower age requirements..I've trained with a 7th dan myself who was 36 years old..

imo if you're going to have some sort of technical tests it's silly to have age requirements much above 40. In general I think it's silly with age requirements, if you are looking for a leader award the highest ranks to those who excel in that area.

[DWx]

I don't think age should have much bearing on when you deserve a belt. Skill level and knowledge should be the deciding factors.

Having said that (and I think most of you wont agree with these), our org's requirements are 13 for a 1st dan, 14 for a 2nd, 16 for a 3rd, can't remember what it is above that but the gaps increase the further up the dans you go. You can also sort of be awarded a dan rank by your individual school before reaching the age requirement, it just wont be official and you wont get the proper certificates from the org.

[Montana]

There are many reason IMO that an age requirement needs to be in place for Dan levels.

Firstly, IMO of course, I feel a Dan level rank signifies that the holder can take over any aspect of a class and teach it to others if required. This includes kata, self-defense techniques, full/medium or light contact sparring, warm-ups, etc. This is one (of many) reasons I object to 6-14 year old black belts.

Secondly, I feel that it takes time to "season" a person after a promotion. Meaning they need to mature into that new belt level and continue to train harder for improvement in speed, technique, strength, etc. That takes time. If all you had to do was learn and test on new kata, then it is conceivable that a person could be a very high Dan rank in a very short amount of time.

[bushido_man96]

In my org, there was an age requirement for 3rd dan...I don't recall if it was 18 or 21, but I lean toward 21. It was in place until the GM's daughter had the years in to test at age 16 or 18, and then it changed....

[Lupin1]

It was in place until the GM's daughter had the years in to test at age 16 or 18, and then it changed....

I don't want to be mean, but I think I'd leave an organization if that happened.