Becoming a Black Belt, what does it mean to you?

[sojobo]

At any rate... I intend to train as hard as I can for as long as I can, but I need to get at least to shodan so that I can ref in tournaments and teach independently. That's what black belt means to me!

That's sad imo, if that's what or why (re)getting black belt means to you.

sojobo

[still kicking]

Why is that sad, sojobo? My point was that I enjoy training for it's own sake, but when I get older I will probably need to slow down at some point and focus on teaching. Sounds normal to me.

[bushido_man96]

I think wanting to teach is a fantastic goal. Not everyone can do it well, that is for sure.

[bushido_man96]

Let's bring up one more thing as well, just to play devil's advocate, most of us who routinely whip out the "it's not about the belt" line have usually already earned a black belt in something. It's usually much easier to say, and mean, this after getting there.

I agree with you here completely. I was, or am, that way. At the time, it definitely was about the belt; it was a huge goal of mine. After that, and as I've spent more years in, you start to realize what more there is, and what else it is about. I think this happens to many of us over the years.

Here are some of the things that black belt means to me. First and foremost, just being honest, it is vindication. I had already earned shodan in the same style, same system, same school, more than 20 years ago. When I came back 5+ years ago, I was told that I would have to start again from white, since I had been gone so long, and also because some things had changed. This seemed quite reasonable to me, though at the time I assumed (big mistake) that it might take me a couple of years at most to re-earn my black belt. I used to train fanatically, muscle memory is strong, and things came back to me quickly. Now I am glad that I did not know that it would take me a minimum of 6 years to get back the same rank I'd had before!

I had to start over in a different TKD organization, too. I'm glad I had been around for several years in the arts, and had achieved that level of maturity to understand that even though I was wearing a white belt, it isn't what I was. Looking back, it was a good experience.

[Kodiak]

Being able to take more advanced black belt only courses.

Oh and ego and pride and all that stuff.

[ramymensa]

A distant dream that's never gonna become reality.

Have started karate years ago, wanting to be an instructor one day and training like mad for 5 years. Then my health started failing me and I had an evening job that made my karate lessons impossible to attend to.

It's been 5 more years since I could go back to train, but my life is different and I have a lot on my plate now, as a small business owner. I plan to start a family, so now I just enjoy classes and realize that some dreams are just not meant to be.

[LittleW]

A black belt is just a goal for itsself for me, just to show me I managed getting there.

I set that goal to gain it 20 years after starting karate. but it's not like I would take any consequenses if I don't get it than.

[bushido_man96]

It's been 5 more years since I could go back to train, but my life is different and I have a lot on my plate now, as a small business owner. I plan to start a family, so now I just enjoy classes and realize that some dreams are just not meant to be.

Well, you never know what can happen. Maybe in time, you will accomplish that goal. Never say never!

[yamesu]

Another beginning!