Beyond Aggravated....

[Jeff Boler]

Last saturday, our local government here in town had a "Youth Fest" for the kids living in the city. At this event, a local Tae Kwon Do school (one who is apart of a National organization) held a demonstration.

In this demonstration, there were approximately ten students, all under the age of 10, running around with blackbelts. Does anyone else have a problem with this? Had they been adults, I would have had a problem, as this school has been in this town less than two years, but to have this many kids wearing blackbelts?

Can someone under the age of 16 really appreciate and understand the meaning of the dan rank? Can they hold this much responsiblity?

 

[Disco]

Question; does this school have a drive thru? :uhyeah:

 

[Sin]

ok now it is ok for childrent o have a black belt....BUT only if it is a jonior black belt and they can start again at a white belt in older classes.

 

[The Kai]

What kid ever admits to a Jr Black Belt? Or is a smaller verision of the same thing? Like a Jr. Happy Meal?

Todd

 

[Jeff Boler]

Question; does this school have a drive thru? :uhyeah:

Might increase their profitability....

How common is this? In any art that I have studied (and there are several), this was all looked down upon. I'm amazed that anyone would ever award a kid of ten years of age a black belt.....

 

[Shade Silverwing]

Might increase their profitability....

How common is this? In any art that I have studied (and there are several), this was all looked down upon. I'm amazed that anyone would ever award a kid of ten years of age a black belt.....

If any dojo/dojang is handing black belts to people that young, it's usually a sign that they're only in it for the quick cash. Not always, but most of the time.

 

[terryl965]

Mr Boiler for a school to have 10 Black belts in 2 years what a Mc Dojo. Now to your question 1st under 16 by the Kukkiwon they are Pooms not Dans, which means junior BB. My son is one of those 10yrs old BB, But since he has been training since the age of 3 with me he understands the BB philosophy. Took him 7 yrs to get it and he stills has alot to learn. My school only has 1 Junior BB and that is my 1st son, now my other two are no way ready for even a junior BB, you still have to be able to understand the inner structure of your Art that is why they may never get there Junior Bb until they reach 16 and test for there 1st Dan a certain maturaty must come with the Junior BB... Hope this helps in some regrads.... GOD BLESS AMERICA

 

[Jeff Boler]

This group is a member of the ATA (American Tae Kwon Do Association?) Is this normal with that group?

 

[Jeff Boler]

Mr Boiler for a school to have 10 Black belts in 2 years what a Mc Dojo. Now to your question 1st under 16 by the Kukkiwon they are Pooms not Dans, which means junior BB. My son is one of those 10yrs old BB, But since he has been training since the age of 3 with me he understands the BB philosophy. Took him 7 yrs to get it and he stills has alot to learn. My school only has 1 Junior BB and that is my 1st son, now my other two are no way ready for even a junior BB, you still have to be able to understand the inner structure of your Art that is why they may never get there Junior Bb until they reach 16 and test for there 1st Dan a certain maturaty must come with the Junior BB... Hope this helps in some regrads.... GOD BLESS AMERICA

Is there an emphasis made on the difference between a Junior BB and a Senior BB? I will admit that I do not entirely understand that methods of the various Tae Kwon Do systems, but I am afraid that these kids are not really at a point that they can grasp the fundamental aspects of being a Black Belt. I guarantee you that this particular group of kids did not understand, as they were working with weapons and sparring in very unsafe manners.

Understand that I am not criticizing the Tae Kwon Do community as a whole. I am simply inquiring as to whether or not this is standard procedure.

Thanks.

 

[bluemtn]

I think it depends on the maturity, mentality, and dedication to the practice of the art inside and outside of the dojo. Then again, it takes 4 years for anyone in my school to progress to black belt, and that requires a lot of patience plus what I stated earlier.

 

[terryl965]

If any dojo/dojang is handing black belts to people that young, it's usually a sign that they're only in it for the quick cash. Not always, but most of the time.

That's not true if you have been studing for 6,7,8,9,10 years and you are mature enough to handle it and the guidelines state you can then you can as does the Kukkiwon, but as I stated before they are Pooms not Dans and this is govern by the WTF which is the govering body for TKD sport style. Look I started out in the 60's training with my father by the time I was 10 I could take care of myself if need be was I a BB wha knows we had no belts just training. I was given my BB by my TKD instructor for he said I was worthy of one, did not know belts was in exsistance until I joined his school in California. Do not judge a book by it covers you might be shocked to find out what is inside!!!!!

 

[terryl965]

Is there an emphasis made on the difference between a Junior BB and a Senior BB? I will admit that I do not entirely understand that methods of the various Tae Kwon Do systems, but I am afraid that these kids are not really at a point that they can grasp the fundamental aspects of being a Black Belt. I guarantee you that this particular group of kids did not understand, as they were working with weapons and sparring in very unsafe manners.

Understand that I am not criticizing the Tae Kwon Do community as a whole. I am simply inquiring as to whether or not this is standard procedure.

Thanks.

Mr Boiler I do not judge people and believe me I see Junior BB running around and wonder how come they play so much and then I remember Mc Dojo's and that is the bottom line so many schools make the junior bb look bad and for those kids that are dedicated to there Art it is frustrating like my son he cannot believe the way other kids act with there Junior bb.. guidelines are a mere formality with the Art of sport TKD....GOD BLESS AMERICA

 

[Sin]

but I mean if a sensi is going to hand out blackbelts like candy then i will not bow and call him teacher

 

[Blindside]

This group is a member of the ATA (American Tae Kwon Do Association?) Is this normal with that group?

If I told you the ATA has a "camouflage" belt would you believe me?

You cite a particularly bad example, but I can't say I've ever been impressed with the ATA schools that I have seen.

Lamont

 

[bignick]

If I told you the ATA has a "camouflage" belt would you believe me?

i knew this too...to me the color of the belt is not all that importan if you're still doing good technique

that being said...my only contact with the ATA is a former practitioner that came to one of our schools...he's a first dan...and i've seen him in action probably about 3 times...and i've never been impressed..but judging an entire system by a few practitioners isn't the best way to determine whether or not it has any merit

 

[AnimEdge]

where they any good?

 

[ThatWasAKick]

Our school hands out Jr. Black Belts but believe me, these kids work for it for a loooong time. They have a very sharp sense of the difference between Jr and adult belts, and they have to have proven their maturity level before degrees of brown.
Their BlkB test is TEN hours long. They get it, they deserve it.

That said, I agree that most schools seem to hand 'em out like candy for profit - and many not just to the kids.

 

[8253]

In our school, we were told that a person can achieve a black belt only after the age of 16 to 17 and that is dependant on whether or not they are mentally ready for it. We were told this because of the belief that a person who holds the rank of black belt should be able to defend theirselves from anyone. Meaning that they can stave off an attack and escape. Awarding a black belt to a person who is not ready mentaly and/or physically can be catastrophic during a confrontation. They can be over confident and get hurt. The thing that made the most sense of what they said was that if a 6'5" 250lb man attacks a 5'1" 100lb 10 year old, who is going to get hurt? A 10 year old with a black belt in this situation isnt a good thing.
We also do not have junior rankings. The younger students are told when they first start that sometimes they must wait on a certain ranking because of their age. However they can still learn the techniques of the higher ranking and have a head start when they do get old enough to advance. This is so they do not have a feeling of being stalled in one place, and are still learning the art. I believe that there is several reasons for this. One being that they will have the right amount of confidence when they do achieve a black belt ranking. Another is that if there is a 10 year old that is a junior black belt, and when they turn 11 years old their rank is taken back to white belt, it could dishearten them. I guess that this is a way to reaffirm the confidence in their current ranking. The main reason i guess is that a person does not earn the rank untill they are mentally ready for it, and can determine the consequences of their actions.

 

[TonyM.]

I use this differentiation. If I can pick the student with a BB up and throw them it's a junior BB.