In our schools we want the black belt tests and the training process leading up to it to be a growing process. It is to be the student's own "personal Olympics". For a minimum of 12 weeks prior to testing, the students are put on a strict training and nutrition regimen, including cardio, resistance training, and an average of six nutritionally balanced meals per day. During this time, they are also training hard on curriculum and refining that to new levels.
The discipline and intensity that they develop during this period is for most of them something that takes them to a whole new level. Everyone has different talents and abilities, but our goal is to take the individual further than they would have gone on their own (or ever imagined they could). A good percentage will, at least to a large extent, keep up the habits that they developed during this training period and for many it becomes part of their lifestyle (though I admit they might not be quite as strict).
We also have a much higher than usual retention of our students after reaching black belt. I feel many schools have a tendency to water down the standards for black belt in hopes of retaining students, both in time to achieve it and in the standards they expect for it. IMO, if they have not truly grown from the experience and feel a truly life changing sense of accomplishment, there is no real reason to stick around. Besides, our "product" as a school (and as an industry for that matter) is the quality of our advanced students, especially our black belts. If we put out a low quality product, then there is little or no value to it. This is why I feel that when a school or assn. diminishes the requirements for black belt, they hurt the reputation of us all and diminish (in the public perception) what others have worked so hard for.
All of our black belt candidates are required to have a doctor's exam before they begin this training. Any legitimate physical limitation that they have is noted and they are not responsible for on the test. We do try to come up with an alternative that they can safely do. This way, their own experience is the most it can possibly be.
I had a lady in her 50's who broke her back in an accident when she was a red belt (2nd gup). After therapy, she was able to resume training, but had some limitations. The surgeons had put concrete in her back to replace some of the damage to her spine. There were several things that could crack or break the concrete, so we had to be very careful of that. She used to be very good at sparring and was very gung ho about it and took it to ladies half her age, so I had NO hesitation about this area. She may no longer be able to take the impact, but I am very confident that she can be a very good coach to her juniors.
A major portion of our curriculum and testing requirements is BJJ and submission grappling, but with her back, that wouldn't be safe. We made sure that she could still coach it, but she was tested on Small Circle Jujitsu instead. That way, she knows that she HAS earned it and it was not a token "gift". She now volunteers her time to assist with our "Little Dragons" class working with the 4-7 year olds and she loves it and they love her. She also assists in the Ladies class and trains hard on what she can do.
I have junior black belt that at the age of 14 has had 6 strokes and 4 open heart surgeries. She is on the blood thinning drug, cummadin (spelling?) and because of this, if she takes an impact, she is on her way to the emergency room. Also because of complications of her health, her cognitive abilities are compromised. She came in as a white belt with these conditions and she will have to battle against them all her life. Where most of our students have a lot of contact in sparring, she spars non-contact and we pad her up from head to toe.
You know what? She has really good movement and technique, as well as good footwork and can control the setpoint far better than most people who are wearing black around their waist. As far as her conditioning goes, she has an artificial valve on her heart and it can only process so much at a time. And when she has to stop, she has to stop, but she has come SOOOOO much beyond what anyone ever thought she could. I am so proud of her, as are her parents and most importantly, herself.
