What does a Black Belt mean?

[Fortis]

All of the apparel jokes aside (even though they gave me a laugh), a Black Belt is an incredibly hazy achievement for some and a very real one for others. Many systems don't even use belts and many schools choose not to. Either way, I think it deserves respect because, most likely, that person worked very hard for it.

 

[white eagle]

What does a black belt mean?

To me its the begining of a new day

whereby you walk a more confident walk

 

[marshallbd]

Found this on the web today....posting it here for your reading pleasure....


Printed in MAWired, Vol. 6, No. 2, Feb. 1999

Black Belt Definitions...
Thomas Howard



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How do you define a black belt? How do you classify someone as a "black belt ranking" in a martial art? A friend and I got into this, with myself playing the devil's advocate (a position for which many people apparently think I was born) and after awhile, I realized that I was having troubles with my own definition of what "black belt" means, after shredding my friend's arguments. (I'm kind of nasty that way.)
We then traded positions, to be fair----and I stumbled around a lot.

How do you define a black belt?

Way back when, I used to say that anyone could be a black belt in hapkido. As long as they kept trying, kept working, and didn't give up, anyone who took the classes for enough time would, after 3-5 years, earn a black belt in hapkido.

My thinking at the time went along the lines of "In my opinion, everyone can learn to defend themselves adequately against 95% of the people out there, and hapkido teaches self-defense, so anyone can earn a black belt in hapkido." (1st dan begin my at-the-time perceived level of basic solid self-defense learning.)

I've changed my mind. :/

Several obvious reasons, and a couple of obscure ones. Obviously ones are pretty simple----hapkido may indeed teach self-defense, but that isn't all we teach. The above logic train (if you can dignify it that much) just doesn't hold up under an entire martial art.

So what became my basis for believing everyone could become a black belt in hapkido (as long as they kept trying)?

Not much. I had to seriously re-think it----and attempt to figure out my definition of what "black belt" means, in terms of what is required. (You'll note I'm skipping my other reason, both obvious and obscure---primarily because they show I'm an idiot for not thinking more in the first place.)

Definition of a black belt---for some people, it is easy: If you can do the techniques during your testing, and you've spent the time-in-grade, you are a black belt.

So it is based on what you can do? Let's take taekwondo as an example. TKD has a number of jumping/spinning kicks. I know a 7th dan TKD practitioner who no longer can do those jump-spinning heel kicks. His body simply won't do them anymore. By one definition, he wouldn't be able to pass a 1st dan test. Should he not be a black belt anymore?

Higher rankings have different requirements, you might say. Oh, so the higher ranked you are, the less you have to be able to do?

But they aren't physically capable anymore, one might argue. Ok, so now you don't have to be physically capable, you just have to know how to do the techniques? So, in other words, you can get a black belt from reading books and watching videos. After all, I can read a good reference and be able to tell people how to do techniques that way.

You don't think so? Okay, so what is the criterion?

For some people, it is the ability to compete and win, that gives them the "points" necessary to advance to the next rank. (Pardon me for errors in this thinking, I've never actually practiced an art where this was true, though I hear a number of Taekwondoin and Judoka practice this way.) So, if you can do the techniques, show the kata, teach the art----but can't win, you don't count?

What if you consistently win, using two techniques. (Bill Wallace comes to mind here.) You can't do anything else (okay, now we aren't talking about Mr. Wallace anymore) but those two carry you enough to win a number of tournaments. Are you a black belt?

I don't think so.

So, how do you define a black belt? Is it an attitude? Is it physical technique? Is it a levelheadedness with regards to physical confrontations, with emotional control? Is it an ability to teach?

Is it something that you reach once, and after that, don't have to ever demonstrate again?

There are a number of people out there in wheelchairs who are aikido practitioners, some of whom are black belt ranks. The question is, how so? They obviously can't do the footwork, the distance training, entering techniques (based on their physical movement) etc----a large section of their art, they can't do.

And yet, they are ranked. Was someone feeling sorry for them? I don't think so. I think they worked hard, and earned their rank. Does that mean that rank requirements change depending on the person's abilities? So a blind quadrapalegic can get a black belt somehow? That doesn't seem right. So where is the line drawn? (And no, I don't mean to pick on aikido----I just read an article about handicapped martial artists and self-defense, so this example came to mind.)

There was a blind man (well, actually about 17 years old) who had a black belt in TKD (or karate, I'm not certain). I read about him, and once saw him demonstrate a kata and some breaking techniques. He was Impressive. (And yes, I meant that to be capitalized.) He broke two boards at head height with a jumping back kick, did several kata with power and control, and overall, was very technically oriented.

On the other hand, his sparring was pathetic. He had no distance game (for obvious reasons) and as such, he'd never win a tournament in sparring. Similarly, he'd never be able to teach. A teacher could use him for demonstration, but he could never evaluate students in any meaningful way.

And yet, he is ranked as a black belt. Again, is it based on techniques? Is it not? Based on teaching ability? How about on self-defense ability? How do you define a black belt ?

We all say "black belt" and it means different things to all of us---and yet, there are certain things we expect of a person we call "black belt." But what is it? Our requirements, while obviously different for each art and each style, seem to also change based on who we are dealing with.

And yet, we seem to expect many of the same things from our black belts, even though we can't seem to define what those things should be. And of course, people get in arguments as to what a "proper" black belt can do and be.

I think of my instructor, who doesn't kick above the waist anymore, because his back and an injured knee. I think of that blind kid, who had the best jump spinning crescent that I'd ever seen at the time. I remember a guy from Omaha who visited down here one day who was technically proficient, (quite good actually) but wasn't a black belt, and who had the willpower of an unrepentant heroin addict, and the emotional maturity and control of a 14-year-old on cocaine. I'm not even sure how he stuck with it enough to gain that much physical control---but he certainly had it.

A woman I tested with once would just take you apart with her self-defense techniques. Her locks were sharp and solidly in control, her pressure points were precise and effective, and if you grabbed her and tried to restrain her you'd end up a close, personal acquaintance of the floor, wondering if your body was ever going to work correctly again, IF she ever let you up. And yet, none of her breaks worked during that particular test. Not one. She didn't break her bricks, her hand techniques didn't break the boards, and she bruised her heel badly on her spinning heel break. By some testing criteria, if you don't break (if you even miss one) you don't pass.

Should she be a black belt? By what criterion?

My friend and I finally came up with a tortured, mangled, alterable-but-working definition of a black belt, according to us.

Black belt: Someone who has a thorough, proficient grounding in the basic techniques of an art, such that they can effectively demonstrate and/or teach those techniques. Additionally, someone who has the mental and emotional control to both use those techniques effectively and appropriately in society.

That seems to cover just about everyone I know that I consider to be a black belt, and disqualifies everyone that has some knowledge but whom I do not consider black belt material. (Hey, I can be subjective---this is my definition, after all.

That blind man----he may not be able to teach, but he certainly can demonstrate. That wheel-chaired black belt----she may not be able to demonstrate footwork, but of all people she understands the concept of effective distance, and can teach it. That woman who couldn't break that day----I've seen her break before, and I'm sure she'll be able to do it again. She is a wonderful teacher, and an excellent practitioner. It just wasn't a good break day.

They are all black belts, and should be.

And that one from Omaha who visited? Nope. "Appropriateness" is a word outside his vocabulary. (Actually, "Duh" was about his limit, but let us not be unkind. Well, not TOO unkind. Ahem.)

The definition of a black belt differs greatly from art to art----and yet, when we say "dan rank," "black sash," or whatever term reflects that particular rank, we expect the practitioner to know certain things, to act certain ways, and to be an example for lower ranks.

We don't always get it----I've seen black belts that I would not let get anywhere NEAR my students, and others that I think need remedial emotional control practice. However, that doesn't change what I expect:

A person with emotional, mental, and physical control, teaching or technical ability, and above all, the capacity to be an example of a good martial artist to lower ranks.

A black belt.



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Thomas is a hapkidoist who just ran into another example of someone who shouldn't even being wearing a MA uniform, much less a black belt. When he comes down off his high horse about it, he'll probably be decent to speak to again. To see what he and his art are normally like, take a look at the Nebraska Hapkido Association page. :asian:

 

[Grasshoppah]

Most meanings are positive, which are on the good side.
The negative darkside is what you have to be aware of.
This may take place in the beginning stages of Black Belt.
Example: you get a big head

 

[marshallbd]

Most meanings are positive, which are on the good side.
The negative darkside is what you have to be aware of.
This may take place in the beginning stages of Black Belt.
Example: you get a big head

Yeah, Is ee that the "Big Head Syndrome" is prevalent in alot of schools especially in the younger, less mature people who earn thiers... I am speaking from the perspective of a non-black belt.... :asian:

 

[Hanzo04]

becoming a black belt means more then just knowing the basic techniques of your art. It means you have graduated from highschool and you are ready for the real world. you don't have to prove yourself anymore, but the training becomes more serious because you hold yourself to higher standards. you are more disciplined and the martial arts etiquette routine is second hand. and most important you find that there is no need to fight for any reason unless your life is literally in danger. that's being a black belt should mean.

 

[Taimishu]

1. The MA shop is having a sale of black belts
2. Black matches my pants/hair/eyes
3. My dojo needed the money.
4. My Sifu/sensei needed the money.
5. It was white when i bought it.
6. Braces/suspenders look funny with a gi.
7. Not a bloody thing.
8. Its good bragging material.
9. You are at least 4 years old.
10 you practice at a Mcdojo.

 

[ppko]

In this country (or other americanized countries that teach Martial Arts) a Blackbelt is the a sign that you know the material well enough to start perfecting the material that you have learned. If you learn in a more traditional (by traditional I mean not Americanized (this is all what I believe, and have heard)) a Blackbelt just means that you are a serious student

 

[Galvatron]

I tell people that as a colored belt you get new pieces of the puzzle each time you advance, and at black belt you have all the pieces and can start putting them together.

 

[shaolinchi]

to me the black belt means that you have put enough blood, sweat and tears into your training to be considered a member of an elite group. But then I believe the real training begins. My instructor honors the white belt as the most important belt one can receive. I totally agree with him, because many people pass by Karate dojos and studios day in and day out and never stop in. The white belt symbolizes the beginning, and without stopping in, and without getting your white belt, one can never receive a black belt

 

[deadhand31]

Came from a testing today. One of our sabunims, a 5th degree, told everyone his interpretation. For him, it means that you have now been taught all of your techniques to a point where you can begin to learn how to use them.

I have to agree with him. Too often, black belt is seen as and ending, when in reality, it should be viewed as a beginning.

 

[Raewyn]

Im not a black belt yet, I thought to reach black belt level, you would have needed to perfect what you know already to be able to attain that level?? Black belt for me is a long way away, but Im not about to give up and quit, at the moment it seems quite unattainable, but I know I will get there in the end with a lot of pain, sweat and hard work. What happens after black belt besides being able to instruct other people???

 

[bignick]

in some styles...specifically judo, but i know there are others...red belt is the highest attainable rank...

but white, orange, yellow, blue, purple, green...all these are referred to as color belts...

coming from one who is facing a black belt test in about four months...

black is just another color....just one more step along the Way...

Professor Kano, founder of judo and the man who came up with the modern ranking system...began wearing a white belt again towards the end of his life...Ueshiba did the same thing, instead of wearing the black hakama like all the other instructors, he began to wear a white one..it was probably a humbling experience...these men that founded their own arts...martial artists of the highest caliber..demonstrating, that black belt isn't the final step...in the end, we end up right back at the beginning...

 

[Raewyn]

That is exactly what my instructor told me tonight after I posted my last message. His black belt is that worn it has turned white!! He said you basically work your way back to the beginning!!!

 

[sifu nick]

To me it means that you have gained a solid base in your material and are ready to learn the advanced techniques of your art. It means you should be able to teach beginners the basics and forms. It means you have achieved the discipline and self confidence to be a role model to younger less experienced students and so much more.

 

[karate chick]

i knows that there is so much to be said about a black belt that one person cant say it all. and i know that a big part of it is maturity but there is one thing that i would like to say that might not seem so mature. I, being a relatively quiet girl in middle school (gossip/drama central) and having just gotten my black belt, find it hilarious when people who dont know me that well find out how seriously i take my training and that i am a full fleged "ninja". lol you should see some of there faces, expecially guys.

also, somone i know pointed out an interesting point that i remembered from a while ago: a first degree black belt is actually just a fully qualified (for lack of a better word) brown belt. and if you think about it, its completely true, i mean, what are you really tested on? underbelt material. at a black belt test, you arent tested on any black belt material. i thought that it was an interesting perspective and figured that i would share it.

 

[seasoned]

In days of old my friends, there were no belt colors, only white. From many years of patience and practice, that white belt turned darker and darker. The old masters, did nor believe in any rank, only ability. It was said many times that the belt was just a way of holding up your paints. Now a days, you learn techniques up to black belt, then begin to hone those skills for the rest of your life. Your will never call yourself a master, but after a life time others may. Just some thoughts.

 

[SamT]

At a blackbelt test in Dyersville, IA, Grandmaster J.C. Shin said this, in a few more words:

"Tang Soo Do is a lifetime journey. Those of you who are testing for 1st Dan, you've completed the first 10%, and are now ready to take more steps forward. When you obtain 2nd Dan, you will have reached 20%, and so on. 100% comes at the end of your journey, which is death. To obtain 100%, you must make Tang Soo Do your life."

As such, I view a Dan rank holder as someone who has laid out their foundation for their journey. They've proven that they take their art seriously, and wish to continue on with their training. Any blackbelt should also be the same, regardless of whether their belt is on or off. As my instructor says, "Someone could come up to me and ask for my belt, and I'd give it to them. The belt is only a symbol, the skills are still within."

Heck, just look at my sig.

 

[Kwanjang]

A black belt is a white belt that never quit. a black belt is symbolic of a new phase of your training- a new beginning!

 

[Paksos]

What does my black belt mean to me? Simply put, it means I keep my promises. To me, my black belt means that, six years ago when I told myself I’d get there, I made sure I did. It means that I’ve worked hard in my training – with the help of damn good instructors and in spite of frankly terrible ones. It means I didn’t let my asthma hold me back and that I didn’t give up after travelling over 200 miles for a grading only to be told no. It means I conquered my self-doubt and my niggling insecurities. It means I stood up for a third round with a guy who was beating the **** out of me just so I could learn how to perform a certain technique when I’m under real pressure. It means that when I set myself a goal I’ll damn well make sure I do everything in my power to achieve it.

What should my black belt mean to everyone else? Nothing, it’s just a piece of cloth.