How many years to black?

[darksoul]

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.

Same. I stopped for over a decade so it took me longer than it should.

[DoctorQui]

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.

Same. I stopped for over a decade so it took me longer than it should.

Me too! If I'd not had so many breaks I'd probably be Sandan by now but instead, I will be going for Shodan in 6 months. I started at about 14, I'm now 43 lol!

[ShotokanMaster]

My Sensie Jason said it takes 8 years to get your black belt but he got his 3 years because he was dedicated and his a 4th dan and his only 48 years old im suppose to be a greenbelt on December 8 of this year but went to Oxnard ca and stayed there for 10 months so i miss 2 belt testing when i came back i was still a white belt then i tested my yellow belt on july 7 of this year and on december 8 ill be orange im so ready for my orange belt test then on may ill get my high orange so its all good my neohew is 2 belts ahead so his gonna be green this year and his only 7 years old i can catch up it only takes dedication then its on

[Nidan Melbourne]

It greatly varies at my dojo.

For our juniors we have classes 4 days a week and adults 3 days a week.

If they train every of those sessions (so either 4 days/week or 3 days/week) you'll get tested every couple of weeks for a 'tag' and you need 5 to grade. so it will take just above a month to grade. As the required minimum of lessons before you can grade is 30. No one grades before that.

We have probably a good 40 students who do that, and are very skillful (even our white belts who train 4 days/week with us and extra at their other karate school - but aren't counted towards their tally of lessons to be considered for a grading). So it will take just over 3 1/2 years to get, as all our students once they get past green belt (inclusive) they will take much longer to get their 'tags'

It took me about 6-7 years to get my black belt, i trained 2-3 times a week but took a few months off due to knee surgery.

[Rez]

At my Dojang one can get black in an accelerated program in 3.5 years. Standard is 4 to 4.5. (TSD)

I joined the accelerated in May and I should get black in Dec 2016.

[Nidan Melbourne]

At my Dojang one can get black in an accelerated program in 3.5 years. Standard is 4 to 4.5. (TSD)

I joined the accelerated in May and I should get black in Dec 2016.

Is that you training more regularly than those who don't do that accelerated program?

[sensei8]

At my Dojang one can get black in an accelerated program in 3.5 years. Standard is 4 to 4.5. (TSD)

I joined the accelerated in May and I should get black in Dec 2016.

Should, but nothing is a guarantee. I hope that you do!! Train hard and train well!! Knowledge is over rank, well, it should be!!

[devil dog]

It really depends on the style and your dedication. Most reach Shodan in 3 to 6 years depending on the style. However the intermediate and advanced Dan ranks are longer between ranks in most styles.

I train in Okinawan styles and the average to make Shodan is 5 years and 8 to 9 years (total not combined) to Nidan but some including myself make it in less.

The main problem I see with time in grade in some styles is it is a almost set in stone time frame to reach a belt. It really isn't. If student A takes classes two or three nights a week and trains on his own 2 or more hours every day when they are not in class, they shouldn't be held back to the same time frame as student B who only trains while in class.

Look at the difference between an Uchi Deshi (live in students) in Okinawa. They reach rank way before their counter parts in America. I lived in Okinawa for 1 year training directly under Soke and his senior instructors and you could see that the students there were under different guidelines and time frames than students here.

It's really all relative. I have taken up to 6 years to reach Shodan in one art and in as little as 2.5 years in another.

In my mind the instructor should only use time in grade as a guideline not as something set in stone. It should really be based on the student and his abilities, skill and knowledge.

Now if we are talking about kids I am not a proponent of kids wearing BB's. I use the same factors to assess children but it's been my experience that kids take twice as long to master the same skills as adults. That is why I use a different ranking system for them. Once they reach the age of 16 they switch to the adult ranking system or if they are proficient and they prove that they have not only the ability, skill level and knowledge but also the mental maturity it takes to be a Yudansha in my mind then they are promoted.

One thing you will not see (at least in the schools I trained in) in Okinawa is 10 year old black belts.

[Hawkmoon]

hmm...

Kyokushin, if you do the numbers thing is 4yrs.

That assumes a minimum 2 sessions a week, 1st time pass rate on past gradings ability and 100% attendance!

From 4th kyu onwards its all knockdown so there is a measure of ability involved as well.

The period between 1st kyu and Shodan is 12mths 100% (or high 90%) attendance!

Shodan - first degree (fist grade) IMHO should be earned not by attendance but by effort and education/learning 'Bunkai'!

TO simply do as told, copy as seen, and repeat parrot fashion.....no context, not application, no experience!

....sorry I'm seeing Neo in the Matrix ... he known Kung-Fu!

[ShotokanGage]

A brown belt in 6months from no previous experience?

I switched styles with a 12 months break inbetween so I have been training on and off since 2008 and will be taking my 1st kyu in a few weeks. Unfortunately, the mandatory 6 months between 1st Kyu and 1st Dan means that I miss the only Dan grading of the year which is December, so I will be 1st Kyu for 16months.

I became a 1st Kyu pretty much one year ago now. My Shodan grading is in two and a bit months, so I will have been a 1st Kyu for 14 months! Similar situation, and I don't know about you, but my time as a 1st Kyu has flown by!

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,

I once chose not to grade. I really didn't feel ready, considering I had taken some time off for personal reasons. My sensei asked me to assist by performing Kata with some other students, so they were not grading alone. He then asked me to do the Kihon with a different student, and finally paired me up with someone to do sparring at the end. I had effectively completed my grading, but with no emphasis on the fact that I was grading (if that makes sense). I was then presented with my next belt at the end of the session. So my sensei knew that I was ready before I did, and sneakily made me grade when I was planning not to!