# White Belt--Long ago a Black Belt



## Alan (Sep 4, 2007)

After 17 years at the age of 50 I'm starting my martial arts journey again. Any advice for a former Black Belt who will start as a White Belt? Hint: Spouse is a practicing Black Belt and it feels a little weird.


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## terryl965 (Sep 4, 2007)

Alan welcome and happy posting as far as advice just enjoy yourself and remember have fun.


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## Kacey (Sep 4, 2007)

First, welcome, and happy posting!  :wavey:

Second, talk to the instructor about your previous experience.  You have already demonstrated your integrity by coming back as a white belt instead of a black belt, which speaks well for you; now you need to be sure the instructor knows about your previous experience, so that s/he will understand why you understand more than the average white belt, even if you can't currently demonstrate that understanding physically.  I've had other students return after similar time periods and choose to start as white belts - they tend to make awesome students.  Good luck to you!


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## exile (Sep 4, 2007)

Alan said:


> After 17 years at the age of 50 I'm starting my martial arts journey again. Any advice for a former Black Belt who will start as a White Belt? Hint: Spouse is a practicing Black Belt and it feels a little weird.



Alan, I started between four and five years ago, when I was in my _mid_ fifties, in TKD, for the _first_ time&#8212;and I'll be going up for first dan some time within the next 12 months. So it shouldn't take you long at all to get your Sho Dan ranking. Meanwhile, it's outstanding that your wife is an active BB&#8212;terrific that you have someone so close to you as a knowledgeable resource! Whenever you need someone to work with you as a partner on a tech, you've got one... no, I don't think it will take you long at all!


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## arnisador (Sep 4, 2007)

Welcome! Advice: Keep on keepin' on!


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## tshadowchaser (Sep 4, 2007)

First welcome

2nd  if it is the same style as yo studied befor let your instructor know , even if it is not let him know you had experence befor 

 HOWEVER 
 be humble and do not act like you know it all
 have an open mind and demonstrate that you are willing to learn
 Help if yo are asked to but stay within the quide lines of what is being taught and no more than that
 work as hard at it this time as you did the first time


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## 14 Kempo (Sep 4, 2007)

Hello Alan and welcome to MartialTalk ... enjoy!


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## Ping898 (Sep 5, 2007)

Welcome to MT  :wavey:


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## IcemanSK (Sep 5, 2007)

Welcome to MT, Alan. I'd say, enjoy it & don't push yourself like you once did. You have nothing to prove to anyone. Congrats for coming back.


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## tntma12 (Sep 6, 2007)

Hey there, welcome to MT


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## Last Fearner (Sep 7, 2007)

Welcome to MT, Alan, and welcome back to training!



Alan said:


> Any advice for a former Black Belt who will start as a White Belt?


 
My honest opinion, Alan, is that there is no such thing as a "former Black Belt." Take a look at what you put in your profile here - - "Tae Kwon Do, black belt."  Color belts are always changing as you progress and learn; a Black Belt is a rank for life. If your rank is in Taekwondo, and you are going back to Taekwondo training (regardless if it is the same teacher, school, organization or not), your previous rank is where you should start, in my opinion.

I have been at this teaching thing for a long time. I have known many Korean Grandmasters who will simply leave it up to the student to choose what rank they will re-enter training after a long absence. I have known some who will have you demonstrate what you remember, then rank you where they think you should be.

If you came to my school, and showed me a legitimate certificate of rank for a 1st Dan in Taekwondo, that is where I would place you. It does not matter to me what other students think (my students respect my decisions), and I am not concerned with what you might have forgotten, or how rusty you are. You only have to learn how to ride a bike once, or learn to swim once, then that skill is released and understood for life. It does not matter to me how long you have to stay at your 1st Dan rank until you are caught up to test for the next degree - - there is no rush. However, you earned that rank once, and I don't see any reason you should not be permitted to wear the belt in training, even if you were 80 or 90 years old.

If you were certified in a completely different discipline (say Judo or Aikido), and starting up again in a new discipline like Taekwondo, then there might be a reason for beginning at a color belt rank (not necessarily white belt), and even then, you should be able to advance at a smoother pace than the first time through.

If starting at a white belt in Taekwondo is an option given to you, and it is you who are choosing this rank, I would say you are being too hard on yourself, and placing too much emphasis on the belt color. Usually, it is the other way around, where people care too much about having a higher belt, but your doing the same thing in the opposite direction. You are being more concerned about the belt and the rank, than the fact that you earned the knowledge once, and now you are going to brush up on what you know. You will probably learn new things along the way, but so do all of us.  Don't think you have to wear a white belt, in order to learn what the white belts are doing.  Don't think that your skill has to be as good as any other Black Belt in order for you to justify wearing the belt yourself.



Alan said:


> Hint: Spouse is a practicing Black Belt and it feels a little weird.


 
If this "hint" means what I think it means, then this is something you will have to deal with in your own development. Again, your rank, or anyone else's rank should not be of concern. Wear the belt you earned, and focus on your skills as you train. My wife is a 3rd Dan, and I am a 6th Dan. If it were the other way around, I might have the same concerns you are feeling, but I would have to learn how to deal with that myself. The mere mention of this difference between your rank and your wife's, reveals that you are focusing too much on rank, even though you have made the humble effort of starting at white belt (latent ego). 

My advice: Be the Black Belt that you are. Wear the Black Belt and spend 2 or 3 years finding out what that really means to you. In the mean time, enjoy the fact that you are alive, and healthy enough to train in the Martial Art - - and don't be so concerned about this rank thing!

Good luck!
Chief Master D. J. Eisenhart


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## KempoGuy06 (Sep 7, 2007)

Welcome to MT

B


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## stone_dragone (Sep 7, 2007)

Greetings and welcome to MT and back to the arts!  The best advice that I can give is to take it slow but keep moving forward!


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## ArmorOfGod (Sep 7, 2007)

Last Fearner said:


> My honest opinion, Alan, is that there is no such thing as a "former Black Belt." Take a look at what you put in your profile here - - "Tae Kwon Do, black belt." Color belts are always changing as you progress and learn; a Black Belt is a rank for life.


 
I agree!
Black belts aren't like milk--they don't go bad.

Anyway, welcome to MT.

AoG


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## seasoned (Sep 29, 2007)

Don't stop moving, age is in your mind. Good luck, and enjoy.


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## Steel Tiger (Oct 1, 2007)

Hi Alan.  Good luck on your new journey.  Welcome to MT.


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## Drac (Oct 1, 2007)

Greetings Alan..Your are NEVER too old to restart a journey..Best of luck...


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## Black/Red Block (Jul 23, 2012)

No too sure how you went, as not too sure hold old this thread is.

Its entirely up to you as to what YOU feel confortable with.

50 isn't an issue, you just do it to the best of your abilities

just relax and get on with it. sometimes its nice to wear a white belt as there's no pressure to perform etc

good luck my friend


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## Bill Mattocks (Jul 23, 2012)

Black/Red Block said:


> No too sure how you went, as not too sure hold old this thread is.
> 
> Its entirely up to you as to what YOU feel confortable with.
> 
> ...



It's from 2007.  Says so right on it.  Upper left corner.


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## seasoned (Jul 23, 2012)

My computer is upper right corner.


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## Yondanchris (Jul 23, 2012)

Wow talk about dragging stuff from the grave! Anyways, a belated welcome and enjoy your training!


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## Gentle Fist (Jul 24, 2012)

holy thread necro!


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## Tez3 (Jul 24, 2012)

Bill Mattocks said:


> It's from 2007. Says so right on it. Upper left corner.



Yep top left.


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## Black/Red Block (Jul 25, 2012)

Gentle Fist said:


> holy thread necro!



I think the acranym PMSL is a perfect here


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## seasoned (Jul 25, 2012)

Bill Mattocks said:


> It's from 2007.  Says so right on it.  Upper left corner.






seasoned said:


> My computer is upper "left" corner too.






Tez3 said:


> Yep top left.


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## Tames D (Jul 25, 2012)

I don't think Alan is with us anymore. This was his only post and it was in 2007.


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