Kirves Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 Black belt is shodan. Sho = first, dan = stage. In Japan it is quite common for people to study karate in school for three years as their phys. ed. course and achieve black belt (shodan, 1st dan). That doesn't mean people graduating from comprehensive school in Japan are Budo Masters , they just know the basics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 Martial_Girl -- You haven't started yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
telsun Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 Ninjanurse. I experienced pretty much the same thing with my change of instructor. Learning with him was like learning something completely new despite it being the same style that I graded to shodan in. Like I said originally despite being just another belt your BB should be worn with pride. A BB is a notable achievement recognised by all martial artists and joe public alike. If I were to sum it up as others have I would say: "Achieving your blackbelt is not the beginning, it is not the end. You started at the beginning when you begun training, you will never reach the end." I take a guy to training with me sometimes. He is a green belt. It confuses him that I still get enjoyment out of doing the same thing as he does despite having done it for so many years more than him. The thing is there is always something new to find within technique, within yourself. No material item/title will enable you to find these things. I keep asking God what I'm for and he tells me........."gee I'm not sure!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaiFightsMS Posted July 2, 2003 Share Posted July 2, 2003 Those who quit when they are given a black belt are not really black belts. They are just people who have a long strip of black cloth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 3, 2003 Share Posted July 3, 2003 That's not true. Perhaps their goal was to achieve shodan. After they had accomplished their goal, they moved on. Just because they did not continue thier training after they had reached shodan, that means that they never really did reach shodan, or that somehow they never earned it? Is wearing a black belt an award for successfully meeting the standards set by the instructor, or is wearing a black belt some sort of holy rite? Lets get real here, this isn't feudal japan samarai stuff ... it's karate. Don't get me wrong, I love to do karate, but when you place judgement on somebody for having different goals than what popular karate culture has bestowed on you, then at what point is it being taken too far? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaiFightsMS Posted July 3, 2003 Share Posted July 3, 2003 But you don't wear the belt after you quit. Do most who quit keep practicing for any lenght of time - no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
granmasterchen Posted July 3, 2003 Share Posted July 3, 2003 i have to agree with saifightsms, an individual that receives a black belt and then quits is not a true martial artist, a martial artist is a person that trains for life, it is a way of life not a hobby, you can practise martial arts or you can be a martial artist, just like i can study the bible or i can be a Christian, I can play baseball or be a baseball player, i can watch cnn or be a member of congress, there is a large difference from practicing, reading, studying, quitting and living a certain thing, ideal, or religion. That which does not destroy me will only make me stronger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 3, 2003 Share Posted July 3, 2003 So are you saying that a baseball player who wins the world series, then quits because that was his goal, didn't really win the world series? Me being a martial artist is nothing like being a christian. I'm not sure how one could compare punching, kicking and doing kata to christianity. But I can say that it is the the perfect business plan. Come to class, pay your dues. If you quit then you're a loser. If you no longer enjoy karate, keep your mouth shut or your a loser. Be loyal to your 'sensei', and to your dojo or you're a loser. The difference between practicing martial arts, and being a martial artist? An example. I play the guitar. I love to play guitar. I haven't made playing guitar my life. Does this mean I'm not a 'real' guitarist? Don't say that one doesn't receive the same level of philosophical BS from music that one does from martial arts because most would disagree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
telsun Posted July 3, 2003 Share Posted July 3, 2003 You can read the bible, but when you have finished it does not make you a Christian. To be a Christian you must follow a Christian life......all your life. I think that this is the analogy granmasterchen was using, or close to it. The baseball player? Well he won the world series, quits, then what? He could have gone onto become a legend. I don't know much, indeed, anything about baseball. I think MA is a bit different as you never stop learning. Giving up when you reach your blackbelt goal is like giving up driving after you have learnt to pull away. I keep asking God what I'm for and he tells me........."gee I'm not sure!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 3, 2003 Share Posted July 3, 2003 I see the points that are trying to be made here, but I don't think that I could ever agree. This is just another one of those issues where people disagree and there is nothing that can be done about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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