black belts

[kajugangsta]

Hey prodigy child,

 

i give you much props, all i know is if they would have laughed at me I would have dropped one of them with the quickness.

 

But than thats just the Samoan in me.

 

I congratulate you for not dropkicking one of those foolz.

 

 

[Joecooke007]

It is good that you stand up for your self. Too many people take advantage of their rank and should be put in their place!

 

 

[karategirl06]

Those people were black belts?!? If my instructor EVER saw that he would have taken thier belts up for a while! They do not deserve to be black belts.!

[parkerlineage]

Shortdog had a good quote, but I think I almost prefer g's...

just hit them

Those guys should be ashamed of themselves.

[malanovaus]

I feel a quote from "The Karate Kid" coming on. "In Okinawa, belt mean no need rope to hold up pants." I too find their attitude lacking in all senses of the word.

[iolair]

I've also done belt-less kickboxing, my normal answer is something like

"My style doesn't have belts, but I guess I'm equivalent to a brown belt".

Yes, people should judge on abilities and experience rather than this kind of award, but giving an "equivalence" answer is much more convenient than having to give a huge explanation or get into a debate every time.

[karategirl06]

Nice quote Shortdog!!

[senseipaul]

i would just like to make one thing very clear. rank does not mean anything other than what your instructor is to teach you next. also, look at it like this, bruce lee never achieved a rank. we honor him as a black belt and a master, as he desirves, but he never tested for such rank.

[1st KYU]

i know alot of people who do traditional martial arts such as karate and tae kwon do and think i am not a good fighter just cuz i dont have a conventional belt in kickboxing. this happen to me a couple days ago at a martial arts seminar i had a bunch of black belts come up to me and ask me what belt i am and i said i dont follow a ranking system. they all started laughing at me and they were kinda trying to intimidate me

i just wanna say that i do not get intimidated by people who have black belts........i have beaten a few black belts in open martial arts tournaments and i believe that black belts do not make you and immortal fighting machine.

that makes me want to throw up i am appaulled. a black belt should have more respect than that. they do not deserve thier rank. I just dont see the humor in "I dont follow a ranking system."

[Gumbi]

Belts should mean something while at the same time mean nothing.

A black belt should signify that person as being a professional in his field of study. The problem is, however, that most martial arts deal with theoretical practicality rather than actual practicality. This means the person is master in that style in theory. There is also the americanization of martial arts, in that belts are handed out, which has greatly decreased the value of a "black belt."

The problem is there is no set standard for who is or isnt a master, as everyone has their own set of credentials- its not like a degree from a major university.

It should signify an achievement and sort of be a medal that would be worn like a decorated marine (or an Olympic Champion).

At the same time, most of the people who I hear say "belts dont mean anything" are white belts or lower ranked belts who are often upset they havent been promoted.