How many years to black?

[chrisw08]

In my style my sensai said that if you work hard you can get it in 3 years. He said I could probley get mine in 2 if I worked realy hard on it because the style I did before taught me 3 1/2 of the 13 kata to black belt. I love my style because its simplistic and doesnt take years just to remember all the moves but the moves are effective and simple. My style kenshin kan shorin ryu. I love my style and plan to have my black belt within the next 3 years. We have a girl thats 2nd degree black belt and she has been going there since she was in elementry I think but she got hers by 18

[shinka]

like some said...years is a bad example.

At my dojang...You can go to regular group class or private class.

If you go all the time,3 times a week and add some private.. You can get your black belt in 3-4 years.

If you go private a lot....... you can get it in 2 years but that's one on one with the master so..it's pretty intense and you learn a lot.

But someone who goes once a week...skip some etc...he will forget the technics etc...it could take a lot longer.

Martial art take dedication.... some style have 7 belts to black, some have 13 etc... it's all different.

[SamsIAmz]

I understand that technically you will be much more proficient the more you practice. However, I feel that some of the more spiritual aspects of the martial arts require more time. For example, a student might train 4 times a week and have amazing technique within 3 years. However, they haven't had enough time to really reflect on the nature of the martial art. These deep reflections really come from difficult and trying moments in your life, which practicing more frequently has no effect upon.

So it depends on whether you feel a black belt is someone who has excellent technique and capabilities or if its someone who has a strong spiritual development too.

[Dobbersky]

3-4 years is a guide, predominately it is around 6 years.

If Black belt is your only goal then you loose the cncept of the Art you are training in.

When I started, my goal was to teach, to get to be as high as I can get, I hope I live to get my Judan (10th Dan)

OSU

[DoctorQui]

Its all about the journey for me. As an adult training in MA you are very much governed by circumstance and there are times in many cases where you have to go on an enforced sabbatical for a whole number of personal reasons which greatly elongates the journey.

Also, as an adult, you have the freedom to choose NOT to grade if you do not feel ready. Your instructor may believe in you but if you don't believe in yourself then you set yourself up to fail. I have chosen not to grade on a few occasions.

The path is not without its obstacles!

[Dobbersky]

Its all about the journey for me. As an adult training in MA you are very much governed by circumstance and there are times in many cases where you have to go on an enforced sabbatical for a whole number of personal reasons which greatly elongates the journey.

Also, as an adult, you have the freedom to choose NOT to grade if you do not feel ready. Your instructor may believe in you but if you don't believe in yourself then you set yourself up to fail. I have chosen not to grade on a few occasions.

The path is not without its obstacles!

Solid post totally agreed

I had a student gracefully refuse a grade, and he wanted to retest, even though he had met the minimum requirement to grade,

[Kuma]

Years towards a goal is a poor indicator of anything in my opinion. Especially when you're one of the unlucky folk like myself who rarely can make a grading due to work/military/family commitments. I've been training for 8 years now in Kyokushin and have yet to earn my shodan. Guys I fought as blue belts back when we were the same ranks are now 2nd dans. Don't get focused on rank; get focused on skill.

[newbiekata]

How many years will it take a Martial Artist to obtain the black belt.It really depends really as others have already stated it depends on how many times a week you practice as well as train in your respective schools

We get told the average is between 4-5 years of training to obtain your 1st Dan Black belt and is going off regular attendce of attending classes 2-3 times a week.

Every Individual is different some individuals could earn their Black Belt in 3 years others will take longer.It also dependent if you keep update with your gradings and if the said instructor thinks you are ready to grade for your next belt.

Regular attendence is the key,you also need to have the required knowledge /skill to demostarte the requirements of whatever kyu or gup level you upto to success pass that grade.

[Harkon72]

It took me 8 years to get to Shodan, then another 6 years to get to Nidan.

[AikiGuy]

I took about 7 years for my Shodan spread out over 14 years. I probably wasted at least a year re-learning things after taking very long breaks from training, some of them several years at a time.

It was well worth it though. In fact I would have preferred to take another year but I did not have a choice.