People understand your points and disagree. That doesn't mean they miss them.
Requiring Patience For The Black Belt And For Rank Advancement In General
- Thread starter PhotonGuy
- Start date
Yes I know there's a difference between getting a point and disagreeing with it and missing a point altogether, but the thing is people do miss my points altogether, at least some of the people on this forum do.
Taiji Rebel
2nd Black Belt
Sometimes a student can possess the skillset, but lack the correct mindset to be honored with a blackbelt. Martial arts chains and McDojos can be less concerned with the overall quality of their students. Pay your money and they will award the belt. A lot of us have come across such schools and their students, blackbelts who do not deserve the recognition or grade. And then you have instructors and schools who require their students to uphold the honor, respect and characteristics of the original martial artists. A white uniform and blackbelt are not necessary requirements in order to be a martial artist of the highest caliber, the real treasures of martial arts go much deeper than that.
HighKick
Master Black Belt
HighKick
Master Black Belt
That is Your opinion, and No One Else. This forum and beyond.
You've missed my point you just won't admit it.
HighKick
Master Black Belt
Okay, make your point.
That depends on the dojo, some dojos only require skillset but not mindset for a blackbelt, some dojos might require mindset as well, and some dojos might require other stuff. It all depends on what your dojo requires.
Depends on what you define as a McDojo. Based on your post, what you define as a McDojo is a dojo that will hand you a blackbelt when all you've got to do is pay them enough money, I would agree with you on that and I would not waste my time at such a dojo.
In your opinion they don't deserve it.
And if you prefer such dojos you can go to them, and if you set up your own dojo you can run it that way.
Exactly what is required to be a martial artist of the highest caliber is a matter of opinion, what do you hope to get out of the martial arts? What are your goals? I would agree with you though about the real treasures of the martial arts going much deeper than that but that's just me.
Prince_Alarming
Master Black Belt
Taiji Rebel
2nd Black Belt
How about your dojo? What does your school expect in order to award a blackbelt?
HighKick
Master Black Belt
Prince_Alarming
Master Black Belt
Yes but like clackledockling the test is the hardest thing
My point is that I never claimed that tests are for acquiring skill, I did not make that claim in post #40 or in any other post in this thread.
In post #40 I said "No you also need skill, but that's what the test is for, to see if you've got the skill." You ignored the part that I have in boldface and acted like you thought I was saying that tests are for acquiring skill when in fact that is not what I said and that is not what I meant, not when you take into account the part I have in boldface.
I tried setting it straight in post #50 by explaining what I really meant in post #40 but you responded by telling me to just let it go and admit I was wrong, that I was wrong for making a claim which I never did make.
So that is my point, that I never made the claim that tests are for acquiring skill and if you would read and take into account everything I say in post #40, especially the part I have in boldface above, you would know that.
At the Goju Ryu dojo I go to now, to get a black belt at the very least you have to be able to perform the katas Gekisai Dai Ichi, Gekisai Dai Ni, Saifa, Seiyunchin, and Sanseiru and you have to be able to perform them with a certain degree of proficiency that the sensei deems adequate for the black belt.
Aside from that there are other requirements but they can sometimes change. For me, in addition to the katas mentioned above I also had to run three miles in under 45 minutes, break two bricks, spar with the sensei until he said to stop, teach some applications of parts of katas to other students, (explain what certain movements in the katas would be used for in real life confrontations and watch as students practice them with training partners and correct as necessary), identify three vital points on the body and explain how to strike them and the effects of striking them, be able to perform various defenses against being grabbed, struck, ect. and attend a two day seminar. You also have to be a student at the dojo for at least five years before you're eligible for the black belt.
It sounds to me like this instructor had determined patience would be a valuable life skill to develop, and made it part of his curriculum. Just as I made being able to talk to a group part of mine (because I think most folks benefit greatly from improving this skill). Most folks will never need the real "martial" parts of their MA training. So I worked to build some pieces into my curriculum to build other skills, including some basic physical abilities that should serve them well as they aged.
