hogstooth
Green Belt
I don't understand how you can award a 5 year old child a black belt. The bottom line is that there are a set number of techniques and a certain amount of knowledge that you have to obtain to test for your Shodan. I can't fathom a 5 year old having the motor skills to execute 1/3 of the techniques and being a father and having taught children for years I can't believe that a 5 year old could remember every Kata, his terminology, and every technique (punches, strikes, kicks, teak downs etc.) at the ripe old age of 5 much less what they had for breakfast the day before.
That to me is not possible. In my opinion when you start dumbing down the requirements what you get is a dumbed down art and instructors that don't have the necessary skills to pass on the original teachings and requirements of the art.
It took me years to accomplish the rank of Shodan. Now days I hear and see kids getting there black belts in 2 years or less. The worst case senario was a friend of my daughters who achevied her black belt in 6 months at the ripe old age of 13. It used to be a required age of 16 (15 if you were exceptional) to acheive black belt. The basics had to be Mastered to move to the next level. Now if you can somewhat perform the techniques and can at least perform the kata you pass.
The problem is the art turned from a pursuit to teach quality and promote good well qualified students, to nothing more than a fast food buisness, that as long as you pay your fee's you get your belt.
I coached soccer for a few years and that same mentality is everywhere. The losers get trophies just because they showed up to the game. Not because they trained harder than the next person or that they spent the countless hours, days, months and years perfecting their chosen sport/art, but because it wouldn't be right to make someone feel bad. Basically what has happened is that there is no seperation between the ones that do and the ones that just show up.
So in essence yes I do feel that there should be a standard for each level and no matter what your physical ability, age, or mental abilities are you should have to reach that level. Of course that would be bad for buisness and might make some underachievers upset. Boo Hoo.
I love when I hear those same instructors talk about the warrior spirit. They wouldn't know the warrior spirit if it jumped up and bit them in the butt. They certainly aren't teaching it. That's for sure.
That to me is not possible. In my opinion when you start dumbing down the requirements what you get is a dumbed down art and instructors that don't have the necessary skills to pass on the original teachings and requirements of the art.
It took me years to accomplish the rank of Shodan. Now days I hear and see kids getting there black belts in 2 years or less. The worst case senario was a friend of my daughters who achevied her black belt in 6 months at the ripe old age of 13. It used to be a required age of 16 (15 if you were exceptional) to acheive black belt. The basics had to be Mastered to move to the next level. Now if you can somewhat perform the techniques and can at least perform the kata you pass.
The problem is the art turned from a pursuit to teach quality and promote good well qualified students, to nothing more than a fast food buisness, that as long as you pay your fee's you get your belt.
I coached soccer for a few years and that same mentality is everywhere. The losers get trophies just because they showed up to the game. Not because they trained harder than the next person or that they spent the countless hours, days, months and years perfecting their chosen sport/art, but because it wouldn't be right to make someone feel bad. Basically what has happened is that there is no seperation between the ones that do and the ones that just show up.
So in essence yes I do feel that there should be a standard for each level and no matter what your physical ability, age, or mental abilities are you should have to reach that level. Of course that would be bad for buisness and might make some underachievers upset. Boo Hoo.
I love when I hear those same instructors talk about the warrior spirit. They wouldn't know the warrior spirit if it jumped up and bit them in the butt. They certainly aren't teaching it. That's for sure.
