We're on the same page. If you have 100 elite martial artists then they all should be black belts. In my opinion, that's not how things bear out in reality though. Many schools will eventually reward someone who puts in the time and effort with a black belt after years of study. Perhaps he might not be physically gifted and he just took a long time to learn the material. In the end, he learned the curriculum but he's by no means proficient. In fact, more than a few of the color belts are sharper in execution than he is. What's the call on promotion for a guy like this? In my school, he would stay a kyu student forever. Some would call it harsh, but I would call it keeping true to a high standard.
Well, there are people who play violin for decades but never make the cut for the orchestra. They are decent players and could probably be killer in a new age or country band, but they do not have the precision needed for playing in the orchestra. And more often than not, they know it and are okay with it. They continue to play violin because they simply love playing the violin.
There are people who learn a martial art good enough to defend themselves but who are never going to make the K-tigers.
Having said that, a BB should be proficient. The violinist that I mentioned above is proficient with the instrument. Just not orchestral quality. I will address proficiency at the end of my reply.
Ah, I always forget the poom belt is colored differently. I suppose I really meant more a junior black belt, where it is understood that the rank is not a full, permanent adult one, but where the child still wears a black belt. This practice is more common in my area than a poom belt.
The poom belt is Kukkiwon specific. The problem that I have with poom rank students wearing a black belt is that there
is a specific poom belt and an official procedure for converting the rank from poom to dan.
Before a poom existed, a black belt meant dan rank. A poom is not a dan rank. If your system uses the Kyu/Dan system and you do not hold a dan rank, then you should not wear a black belt. Period.
Junior blackbelt is a rather nebulous term. It could mean that the student is first dan but only ten or it could mean that the student is some sort of nominal keup, dan bo, or simply a first kyu second level.
I could have worded my statement better. You believe in an objective measurement of technical skill and knowledge to qualify for rank. I generally agree with that, but I wanted to make the point that there should be more criteria for rank than just techniques listed on a chart. Things like power, precision, prowess at actual fighting... These attributes are difficult to put onto a chart to fit to every single person, but subjectively as a teacher one can definitely tell whether a student has them or not.
Agree completely. The curriculum is only one part of the equation. The student must be proficient in the curriculum.
So, proficiency: Proficiency is separate from being physically gifted. I want to see the student demonstrate proficiency, not athletics. Meaning that when performing forms, strikes and blocks should have reasonable snap and power; enough power that the strike would actually hurt an opponent and that a block would actually stop an attack. The form should be done with precision: a kick that is supposed to be aimed at the knee should be aimed at the knee, not some nebulous, mid-leg-ish area, and not at the sky.
A guy who does Koryo, for example, who aims the first set of double kicks skyward is demonstrating athletics. That is it. As impressive as that is, he is not showing an understanding of the form. The first kick is to collapse knee. The second is aimed at the solar plexus and is meant to take down the now crippled opponent. No matter how much power and snap he has, if he misses the target entirely, then it is meaningless. Firing a .44 into the air makes a big, cool sound. But it is also a waste of ammunition.
Aside from reasonable power and snap, I want to see the student handle themselves in free sparring. I want to see them exert control over the pace of the fight, maintain their composure, remain precise. Even if the student is sparring a fifth dan uber-Chuck and has to fight defensively, their proficiency should be clearly seen.
There are tons of people who can do every form and execute every strike and block and who may look pretty doing so. But do they understand the techniques? Can they use them against a resisting opponent?
Lastly, is their ability to spar entirely dependent upon them having a certain degree of physical prowess? In other words, is the guy sloppy, but always wins because he is tall and built like Bret Hart when Bret was in his prime and simply can punish you because he is really, really strong? If so, then he is not proficient; he is just really strong and athletically gifted. But when that deserts him, as it will eventually, without proficiency, he will start getting beaten by really sharp low belts.
Ultimately, a martial art is supposed to be for life, not just for your athletic prime. Techniques are supposed to be done correctly because if done correctly, they do not require you to muscle through them. A person with substantial technical command of their art can remain formidable well past their prime and competent into their old age.
Daniel