2 years of hard training to get yellow belt, my grandson gets belt in 6 weeks?

[Bruce7]

In 1973 I train in Moo Duk Kwan Taekwondo from one of Jack Hwang schools. I was an athlete and train hard for over 2 years to get a yellow belt. I had to learn how to walk a form perfectly before I was taught blocks and punches. I stopped training in Martial Arts around 1985.

Move forward 30 years. My grandson is taking Taekwondo, he goes at lest 3 times a week and works hard, but giving him a yellow belt in 6 weeks is odd to me. The other thing that seem odd to me is he is learning advanced kicks before learning balance and perfecting the front and side kick. I have not expressed my disappointment in the school. This is the first physical active he has been excited about and he is serious about it. He works hard and is very proud of his yellow belt.

Maybe child need to see that they are doing well by earning belts quickly. What happens when they get a black belt in 2 year ? Do they quit thinking they are a black belt? Do you start at the begin and teach balance and precision? I think when they turn 17 they should go to a
traditional school if there are any. Start as a white belt and work their way up to black belt. It used to take 7 to 10 years to earn a black belt.

I was very sad to learn Jack Hwang die last year. When I knew him his abilities were amazing, better than Bruce Lee movies. I have not been to Jack Hwang school in Oklahoma is it still traditional?

 

[Headhunter]

What's up with the massive writing

 

[skribs]

Different schools have different ways of teaching. Many schools nowadays use the method of teaching the students well enough, and over time correcting the mistakes. At my school, by the time they get to be Black Belts they usually have a good foundational understanding of the art, and by the time they get to be 2nd or 3rd degree their techniques are pretty darn good.

3-5 years for black belt is common nowadays. But getting your black belt doesn't mean what the public thinks it means. The uninitiated think the black belt is the expert, and the black belt is not. The black belt has learned enough to be a student. It is like getting your high school diploma. I'm a 3rd degree black belt and I'm not an expert yet (although I'd say I'm pretty close).

 

[Christopher Adamchek]

Different schools have different ways of teaching. Many schools nowadays use the method of teaching the students well enough, and over time correcting the mistakes. At my school, by the time they get to be Black Belts they usually have a good foundational understanding of the art, and by the time they get to be 2nd or 3rd degree their techniques are pretty darn good.

3-5 years for black belt is common nowadays. But getting your black belt doesn't mean what the public thinks it means. The uninitiated think the black belt is the expert, and the black belt is not. The black belt has learned enough to be a student. It is like getting your high school diploma. I'm a 3rd degree black belt and I'm not an expert yet (although I'd say I'm pretty close).

I agree its been hard with our young students but weve functioned the same way - well enough and then correct over time
Though ive implemented a new curriculum for incoming young adult students that will take closer to an average of 8 years for black belt to help correct the misunderstanding of black belt status

 

[skribs]

I agree its been hard with our young students but weve functioned the same way - well enough and then correct over time
Though ive implemented a new curriculum for incoming young adult students that will take closer to an average of 8 years for black belt to help correct the misunderstanding of black belt status

If you are in an organization that is typically faster, I almost feel it's a disservice to hold your students back, as it sets them back on potential promotions in the future.

If you're not affiliated then that doesn't matter as much.

But this isn't the teaching style I'd prefer to use. I'd prefer to perfect the details and then move on. I feel it's easier than correcting bad habits once they've become ingrained. With that said, there are several students at my school that have a lot to work on, and it's not about getting them perfect - it's about constant improvement.

 

[JR 137]

Times have certainly changed. In many ways for the better. In some ways not.

There are pros and cons to your training vs your grandson’s. Every chief instructor has to do what he/she feels is right - for the students, for the school as a whole, and for the art as a whole.

I’m not a fan of black belt in 2 years for anyone (except of course someone with a lot of prior experience and coming from a very similar school), nor am I a fan of kids wearing black belts. But I don’t get to make the rules.

One thing I’ve noticed about the short amount of time to black belt - their students at 2 years in don’t look much different (skill wise, and especially sparring wise) than students who are 2 years in from a school who takes 5 years or longer to get to black belt. Great example is we had a guy from a TKD school join our school. He was a 2nd dan, and trained there for 3 years. Sparring with people in our school, he fit right in with the students we had with around 3 years of experience. He certainly didn’t fit in with our 2nd dans who were at it 8-10 years.

He didn’t like being a green belt after several months training with us, so he left. I guess the ability didn’t matter to him; it was all about the rank. Hopefully he found somewhere that made him happy.

That guy was just an example. I’ve worked out with people from different schools and organizations. Somehow the time spent training shows their ability far more than the belt around their waist.

There’s no substitute for experience.

 

[Bruce7]

What's up with the massive writing

I am sorry for the massive writing. I have not been in a school in 30 years and was trying to figure things out.

 

[jobo]

In 1973 I train in Moo Duk Kwan Taekwondo from one of Jack Hwang schools. I was an athlete and train hard for over 2 years to get a yellow belt. I had to learn how to walk a form perfectly before I was taught blocks and punches. I stopped training in Martial Arts around 1985.

Move forward 30 years. My grandson is taking Taekwondo, he goes at lest 3 times a week and works hard, but giving him a yellow belt in 6 weeks is odd to me. The other thing that seem odd to me is he is learning advanced kicks before learning balance and perfecting the front and side kick. I have not expressed my disappointment in the school. This is the first physical active he has been excited about and he is serious about it. He works hard and is very proud of his yellow belt.

Maybe child need to see that they are doing well by earning belts quickly. What happens when they get a black belt in 2 year ? Do they quit thinking they are a black belt? Do you start at the begin and teach balance and precision? I think when they turn 17 they should go to a
traditional school if there are any. Start as a white belt and work their way up to black belt. It used to take 7 to 10 years to earn a black belt.

I was very sad to learn Jack Hwang die last year. When I knew him his abilities were amazing, better than Bruce Lee movies. I have not been to Jack Hwang school in Oklahoma is it still traditional?

well it still does take a decade at some schools, which units self id possibly much to long and to far the other way,,
people don't have that long an attention span that they are going to donate 10 years to something, not in this age where they can't wait till sataday to go shopping, or even a minute to down load something,, instant gratification is the norm,, , kids n particular experience time differently to adults td, two years to them is a decade or so to you, twoyears with out some payback is a big ask, to keep them involved and interested

 

[skribs]

I am sorry for the massive writing. I have not been in a school in 30 years and was trying to figure things out.

The normal font and everything on this site works just fine. If you don't edit your font, it will be normal.

 

[jobo]

The normal font and everything on this site works just fine. If you don't edit your font, it will be normal.

not perhaps if he writes in elsewhere and paists it on to the site, that will und up going strange

 

[skribs]

not perhaps if he writes in elsewhere and paists it on to the site, that will und up going strange

Then use the normal font where you typed it! I do that in Word sometimes, and it still comes up normal if I don't format it weird.

 

[Bruce7]

The normal font and everything on this site works just fine. If you don't edit your font, it will be normal.

Thank you for the help, I though I was writing to much.

 

[skribs]

Thank you for the help, I though I was writing to much.

If you think you're writing too much, read some of my posts!

 

[jobo]

Then use the normal font where you typed it! I do that in Word sometimes, and it still comes up normal if I don't format it weird.

there isn't a" normal, " font in word,or rather all font are not abnormal and it's not the font that's the issue its the point size, which could also be considered normal, just different that the one thipe site uses

 

[skribs]

there isn't a" normal, " font in word,or rather all font are not abnormal and it's not the font that's the issue its the point size, which could also be considered normal, just different that the one thipe site uses

Actually there is a "Normal" style, which is by default Calibri in 11 point, and no bold/italicized/underlined.

 

[jobo]

Actually there is a "Normal" style, which is by default Calibri in 11 point, and no bold/italicized/underlined.

no there's Not, there is a default font, but there is no font called " normal" and therefore no normal font and the issue is he has changed the point size, which is also a normal thing to do, particularly by those who have poor eyesight or sit a fair way from their screen

 

[WaterGal]

American schools seem to be increasingly moving towards the Korean model of a TKD 1st dan black belt meaning, basically, "you've got a handle on the basic stuff". In Korea, you usually get your black belt after 1-2 years, and then there's lots more training you do after that, to actually get good. In the US, it's still typically more like 2-5 years. Some people quit after that, but others will stick with it for a long time. (I think a good question to ask is whether the school has a dedicated black belt curriculum & classes, and whether many students continue after they earn their first black belt.)

 

[Buka]

Welcome to Martial Talk, Bruce7. Hope you enjoy it here. We have some fun conversations from time to time.

 

[Bruce7]

That is very interesting. The Koreans are driving the fast progression. I had thought it was the Americans trying to get more money for belts. I am glad I was wrong, way did the Korean want to change to this fast progression?

 

[Bruce7]

Welcome to Martial Talk, Bruce7. Hope you enjoy it here. We have some fun conversations from time to time.

Thank you for your welcome.