What happens when you get a blackbelt?

[RW]

Background: I practiced Karate for years and got a brown belt. I quit before sitting for the black belt exam because I was sick of the sensei's politics.

Then I switched to kickboxing and I've been practicing it ever since.

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A friend of me recently told me that he got his TKD blackbelt certificate from the Kukkiwon (spelling?). I was puzzled about it, and apparently... people get certificates when they get black belts? Really?

I had never heard about it, and now I'm intrigued. Apparently that happens in other Martial arts too? Is this true?

I find it hard to believe that every 7 yr old at a blackbelt mill has a certificate or something... maybe it is limited to legit schools?

How does this work?

[IcemanSK]

In Kukkiwon (commonly, although wrongly termed WTF) Taekwondo, one receives a BB Certificate. If the student is older than 15, it is a Dan certificate. If 15 or younger, it is a poom certificate (think jr. BB).

An unreputable school might give a fake KKW cert to a student. Yep, it happens often. In fact, I'm sure that every org. from every Art that gives certs. have had someone make fakes at one time or another. Just like folks have made phoney US bills.

[MasterPain]

The certificate tells where your belt came from. I've never heard of a school not giving certificates for black belts. If not for the certificate signed by your instructor and usually the head of your organization, there is nothing that differentiates your belt from any other purchased from a catalog or online.

[sensei8]

The certificate tells where your belt came from. I've never heard of a school not giving certificates for black belts. If not for the certificate signed by your instructor and usually the head of your organization, there is nothing that differentiates your belt from any other purchased from a catalog or online.

Well put and I concur.

Shindokan BB certs have special inkan/hanko seals placed in such a way towards the right/left top of our certs; these are for validity sake alone. What's on the BB certs in those certain areas can be found to be in perfect alignment with the students ID cards that are held in a secured room at our Hombu, and only the 3 persons chosen per our By-Laws are allowed in this room. Our certs for Shogo have special watermarks also for validity purposes only.

[Dobbersky]

Most BB's are only valid within the Dojo or Organisation you train under.

If you joined another Dojo or Organisation they might not honour your grade no matter who signed it etc etc. You may have to "regrade" for your current grade or accept maybe 2 or 3 grades lower than you are.

I wouldn't worry about where he got the certificate etc, just as long as the quality of his techniques and forms are at the standard deserved of his current grade.

My personal Dan grades are all by Independent associations but that to me doesn't lessen my grade because its not with the "correct" organisation and a copy of the said grades kept at a "Honbu" in Japan. The chances are I will never get to go to Japan and my style is not like the core style its based on so I'd have to wear a white belt in the authorised dojos.

I know there are many on here that even if they wore a Pink Belt would still show they are quality Martial Artists and deservent of the current grade they are now

[ps1]

I've earned 3 black belts to date. Not only did each black belt come with a certificate, each increase in dan rank or degree came with a certificate, additionally, each kyu or under black belt rank came with a certificate. Even in BJJ, we get certificates that validate our rank.

[RW]

I've earned 3 black belts to date. Not only did each black belt come with a certificate, each increase in dan rank or degree came with a certificate, additionally, each kyu or under black belt rank came with a certificate. Even in BJJ, we get certificates that validate our rank.

WOW, Kyu certificates?

Is this standard practice in arts like karate or TKD too?

[IcemanSK]

It is standard for TKD to give gup (Korean for kyu) certs., as well as Dan/Poom certs.

[Montana]

The certificate tells where your belt came from. I've never heard of a school not giving certificates for black belts. If not for the certificate signed by your instructor and usually the head of your organization, there is nothing that differentiates your belt from any other purchased from a catalog or online.

Exactly. It's not the belt that verifys you recieved your rank (you can buy those easily online) but rather a signed, and usually personally stamped (in the case of our system) by the instructor and often the head of the system.

[sensei8]

I've earned 3 black belts to date. Not only did each black belt come with a certificate, each increase in dan rank or degree came with a certificate, additionally, each kyu or under black belt rank came with a certificate. Even in BJJ, we get certificates that validate our rank.

WOW, Kyu certificates?

Is this standard practice in arts like karate or TKD too?

I believe so.

We provide a kyu certificate, starting at 6th kyu to 1st kyu.