How old before you are a 10th degree black belt?

[MisterMike]

What's the earliest age you think someone should be a 10th dan?
Or at what age would you be skeptical of seeing someone with such a rank?
Does rank really mean anything anymore or do people just 1-up each other?
What kind of traits would you look for in a 10th dan?

 

[Disco]

What's the earliest age you think someone should be a 10th dan?
At least 12.............. Mabey 11 if it's from a MacDojo

Or at what age would you be skeptical of seeing someone with such a rank?
7 or 8......Don't care if it is a MacDojo, that's boarderline too young. :uhyeah:

Does rank really mean anything anymore or do people just 1-up each other?
Thought it was 7up....... :idunno:

What kind of traits would you look for in a 10th dan?
Be able to tie their own belt and have their mommy drop them off at least 3 times a week.

artyon:

 

[Kembudo-Kai Kempoka]

If you're young enough to ask, the answer is "No."

 

[Han-Mi]

What's the earliest age you think someone should be a 10th dan?
Or at what age would you be skeptical of seeing someone with such a rank?
Does rank really mean anything anymore or do people just 1-up each other?
What kind of traits would you look for in a 10th dan?

60
under 60
I keep my 1-ups. I always get stuck on the castle level.
10 stripes, and the ability to say really cool MA things, like flying monkey biting tiger claw attack.

Seriously though, the people who deserve to be 10th dans, often would not want the title because they look down on it for one reason or another.

 

[terryl965]

To answer your question the miminum age is 60 yrs old. I myself have been the same rank for twenty years for rank has no meaning anymore to many water down self proclaim master of there own art. So many 7,8,9 Dan that it is not funny anymore, I've even seen 5th dan 7 years old my GOD they out rank me and I've beeen in the MA for 41 years. GOD BLESS AMERICA and all those self proclaim Master........!!!!!!!!!

 

[TigerWoman]

To answer your question the miminum age is 60 yrs old. I myself have been the same rank for twenty years for rank has no meaning anymore to many water down self proclaim master of there own art. So many 7,8,9 Dan that it is not funny anymore, I've even seen 5th dan 7 years old my GOD they out rank me and I've beeen in the MA for 41 years. GOD BLESS AMERICA and all those self proclaim Master........!!!!!!!!!

He must of been the son of the 7,8,9th Dan. What do you do when you have to judge a tournament with a 7 yr. old 5th dan sitting next to you? Or when they introduce you to the audience and he comes before you or even after you. I would think it makes "rank" pretty worthless. I've gotten to that stage too. TW

 

[Firona]

Personally I think rank is just a way of someone trying to define where respect should be placed. Because MAs are generally strictly based on respect for teacher and a definition between students and instructors we have to have some way of building a hierarchy. When it comes down to it I don't think the 10th dan is necessary, because every person is different you can't say that each 10th dan is at the same skill level esspecially when crossing schools.

 

[Ceicei]

Isn't 10th dan reserved for founders or for those who have spent a L-O-N-G lifetime doing their styles?

- Ceicei

 

[MisterMike]

Well, since the Dan grading system came out of Judo we'd probably have to go back about 90 years to find out what the levels meant to that system and how many 10th Dans there were walking around in the early 20th century.

Evidently, this system of ranking took quite a hold on other styles as well and once it came to the U.S. Dan grade competition pretty much spread like wildfire.

"Why are you studying with so-and-so 4th Dan when so-and-so 5th Dan is up the street?"

I've read Aikido systems will not give out rank over 8th Dan to anyone living. Kinda makes you wonder about the levels of respect people have from "I'm my own 10th dan" to "I don't ever want a 10th Dan."

Generally, ranks of 6th dan and up are given for time and contributions to the art. So 10th dan to me would at least have a time requirement on it no matter what system. I just wonder about the 10th dans running around in their late 30's early 40's.

 

[Mark Weiser]

IF I remember correctly 10th Dan is an honorary title given to those that either founded a system or have at least 30 years or more in the Martial Arts in a paticular system. 10th Dan is usually given by a group of peers aka Black Belts for reconginition of acheivements within your system of MA. Or at the order of the Founder of a system in order to perserve the purity of the Art names a successor upon his or her death will be given the rank of 10th Dan.

I think honestly there should only be a single 10th Dan in any system meaning the head of that Art the final decision maker and the embodiment of that Art. You can have all the 9th Dans you want but only one 10th Dan the Living Senior Grand Master.

 

[auxprix]

Well, since the Dan grading system came out of Judo we'd probably have to go back about 90 years to find out what the levels meant to that system and how many 10th Dans there were walking around in the early 20th century.

Evidently, this system of ranking took quite a hold on other styles as well and once it came to the U.S. Dan grade competition pretty much spread like wildfire.

"Why are you studying with so-and-so 4th Dan when so-and-so 5th Dan is up the street?"

I've read Aikido systems will not give out rank over 8th Dan to anyone living. Kinda makes you wonder about the levels of respect people have from "I'm my own 10th dan" to "I don't ever want a 10th Dan."

Generally, ranks of 6th dan and up are given for time and contributions to the art. So 10th dan to me would at least have a time requirement on it no matter what system. I just wonder about the 10th dans running around in their late 30's early 40's.

There have been very very few 10th dans in Judo. And there will never be another 10th dan, because only Kano can award them. And he's, well...long dead.

 

[DeLamar.J]

To answer your question the miminum age is 60 yrs old. I myself have been the same rank for twenty years for rank has no meaning anymore to many water down self proclaim master of there own art. So many 7,8,9 Dan that it is not funny anymore, I've even seen 5th dan 7 years old my GOD they out rank me and I've beeen in the MA for 41 years. GOD BLESS AMERICA and all those self proclaim Master........!!!!!!!!!

I dont belive a person under the age of 18 should be allowed to hold the rank of 1st dan black belt until there 18th birthday IMO.

 

[AaronLucia]

Everything is circumstancial...

 

[Andrew Green]

I believe 70 is the age requirement in many forms of traditional Japanese arts.

Personally I'd say be skeptical of ANYONE claiming that rank.

 

[bignick]

auxprix was correct on that...10th dan's in judo are reserved for kano and his original students...of which very few are left alive today...one of the only ones i know Sensei Keiko Fukuda...

 

[John Bishop]

auxprix was correct on that...10th dan's in judo are reserved for kano and his original students...of which very few are left alive today...one of the only ones i know Sensei Keiko Fukuda...

I have been told in the past that Kodokan Judo ranks go up to 12th dan. Is this incorrect?

 

[SMP]

After looking around a bit I was unable to find any acknowledgements of a 12 dan.



I did find this answer to a question on ranking at the International Judo Federation’s web page.



http://www.ijf.org/info/faq.php

Again, each judo club and National Federation has a different system of assigning judo ranks. Achievement in Judo is recognized by awarding different color belts. The six student ranks are called kyu. The ten black belt, or expert, ranks are called dan. Juniors under 17 years old earn different color belts than seniors. ( I did the underlining for the sake of our conversation.)





Another good source of info can be found at http://judoinfo.com/obi.htm

 

[Mark Weiser]

Promotion to 9th Degree Black Belt: (HANSHI-GO)

Is eligible to be promoted after devoting 40 years to the practice and
teaching of Isshin Ryu Karate


I did some research and here is some interesting facts. Assume you started training at age 10.

THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF JUJITSU
1st Degree Black Belt is 3 years of training. A basic time guide for further advancement is as follows:

2nd Degree after 2 years as a 1st Degree Black Belt
3rd Degree after 3 years as a 2nd Degree Black Belt
4th Degree after 4 years as a 3rd Degree Black Belt
5th Degree after 5 years as a 4th Degree Black Belt
6th Degree after 6 years as a 5th Degree Black Belt
7th Degree after 7 years as a 6th Degree Black Belt
8th Degree after 8 years as a 7th Degree Black Belt
9th Degree after 9 years as a 8th Degree Black Belt
10th Degree after 10 years as a 9th Degree Black Belt

Total Time = 59 years

 

[auxprix]

I have been told in the past that Kodokan Judo ranks go up to 12th dan. Is this incorrect?

the only 12thy dan I've ever heard of was Kano, who was promoted to that rank posthumanously. I may have been wrong in my post. It could be the 11th dan that I was thinking of. I'll look it up.

 

[MichiganTKD]

In WTF Tae Kwon Do, I believe you must be at least 60 years old to be considered for 9th Dan (there is no 10th Dan). This is after significant promotion of Tae Kwon Do on the worldwide level. The only exception I ever knew was our Grandmaster, who was allowed to test 9th Dan in Korea before reaching 60 due to his acknowledged contribution to World Tae Kwon Do. Lest anyone question, the certificates he was issued were made of marble and issued from the Kukkiwon. I held them myself.

I would beware of anyone who lists their own rank as 9th or 10th Dan, especially if it is through an organization they founded. Sounds absurd, but it happens.
Double beware: any Tae Kwon Do Instructor who lists their rank as 10th Dan. Tae Kwon Do does not issue 10th Dan ranks.