I've seen tests like that, and honestly.... they were embarrassing. While everyone is at a different level in terms of physical ability and skill, there needs to be a minimum requirement. Which people should have developed by coming to class regularly for a few years.
"What does it feel like to get your black belt?"
- Thread starter Gwai Lo Dan
- Start date
I've seen tests like that, and honestly.... they were embarrassing. While everyone is at a different level in terms of physical ability and skill, there needs to be a minimum requirement. Which people should have developed by coming to class regularly for a few years.
TrueJim
Master Black Belt
At the school that my son and I attend* we have (typically) four, fairly grueling, afternoon-long practice sessions before the actual test-date. Our instructors usually weed-out the folks who aren't ready during the practice sessions. Not everybody makes it to the fourth practice session. By the time you get to the belt-test, pretty-much everybody who takes the test passes it, but that's because they've already done the filtering. I
Getting my Black Belt kinda reminded me of getting my Bachelor's Degree. I remember in both instances thinking, "Well, no matter what happens in life after this, this is something I accomplished." (I came from a very poor family, so a college degree was not taken-for-granted.) I wouldn't say that I felt elated, but I felt very satisfied. Not entirely satisfied with all of my taekwondo of course....my taekwondo was in many ways better back in college when I was just a color belt but was also much younger. It's hard getting this old body to do some things.
I got my Black Belt with my young son, so I was also very glad that he'd have that as something to remember in the future.
* I always say that instead of "at my school..." because I think that saying "my school" makes it sound like I own a school.
My first black belt was in Bujinkan taijutsu around 27 years ago, back when it was still being marketed as "ninjutsu." It reflected a few years of consistent (though not strenuous) training, lots of seminars, and moving to of the few cities in the U.S. that had a dojo in the art back then. While I gave lip service to not caring about the rank, it was kind of a relief. I had internalized the training as part of my personal identity and was a topic that I was prepared to talk about at length with anybody. As a result, it was sort of embarrassing when people would ask me about my rank in this art I wouldn't shut up about and I had to admit that I was not yet a black belt. (I never brought up the subject of my rank, before or after, but it was nice to not worry about it any more.)
My second black belt (15 years ago) was in a form of eclectic American kickboxing. My instructor awarded it in conjunction with my passing my instructor's test in the Thai Boxing Association (primarily a test of physical conditioning and mental toughness and willpower) and fighting a couple of times in the ring. The rank felt like a nice pat on the back, but not much else.
My latest black belt promotion was in BJJ and took place earlier this year. It reflects close to a couple of decades and thousands of hours of mat time getting my butt kicked and pushing myself physically and mentally. My first reaction was "they can't possibly be promoting me yet - I've got another year or two before I'll be ready." My next reaction, once I realized they really were going to promote me, was "I need to start training extra hard now so I can catch up to the rank." Six months later, I'm just getting to the point where I feel like I deserve the rank more days than not.
My second black belt (15 years ago) was in a form of eclectic American kickboxing. My instructor awarded it in conjunction with my passing my instructor's test in the Thai Boxing Association (primarily a test of physical conditioning and mental toughness and willpower) and fighting a couple of times in the ring. The rank felt like a nice pat on the back, but not much else.
My latest black belt promotion was in BJJ and took place earlier this year. It reflects close to a couple of decades and thousands of hours of mat time getting my butt kicked and pushing myself physically and mentally. My first reaction was "they can't possibly be promoting me yet - I've got another year or two before I'll be ready." My next reaction, once I realized they really were going to promote me, was "I need to start training extra hard now so I can catch up to the rank." Six months later, I'm just getting to the point where I feel like I deserve the rank more days than not.
Underwhelming... I got my junior black belt at 14 and stopped TKD soon after as interest fizzled. I was subsequently was 'upgraded' to 1st Dan in my 20's after a chance meet up with the head of my TKD school... needless to say it didn't feel real or deserved at all. I never felt I could fight, or was even fit enough to be a black belt of any sort, but I went for the required tests and somehow found myself a black belt.
No, it's not. Because not all TKD systems do it.
I'll take your word for it.
Jacky Zuki
Yellow Belt
My first black belt was in Iaido and was a bit of a relief for everyone, I was the only one in the group below 3rd Dan and they had been really putting me through the mill to get me up to speed. Since the club only had one club grade for 1st kyu and then on to national dan gradings they were a bit worried that I had only been training for a few years and had little exposure to grading pressure. Fortunately I relaxed into it and got a good score and my sensei got a nod.
My karate black belt was a different matter, I was pressured into it from being a happy 3rd kyu. I could have stayed a brown belt for a year or so consolidating what I had learned so far but I was put into the next two gradings in rapid succession and I started getting sloppy and injuring myself. When it came to the (club) dan grading I made a complete hash of it, forgot a couple of ohyogumite, could only throw a round kick at about waist level due to a groin strain and fully expected to be failed. When I was passed I was more angry than elated and it signalled the start of my exit from karate (until now) as there were a few in the club who were unhappy with my promotion as well. Former friends became enemies overnight. Its amazing what a simple piece of cloth can do.
My karate black belt was a different matter, I was pressured into it from being a happy 3rd kyu. I could have stayed a brown belt for a year or so consolidating what I had learned so far but I was put into the next two gradings in rapid succession and I started getting sloppy and injuring myself. When it came to the (club) dan grading I made a complete hash of it, forgot a couple of ohyogumite, could only throw a round kick at about waist level due to a groin strain and fully expected to be failed. When I was passed I was more angry than elated and it signalled the start of my exit from karate (until now) as there were a few in the club who were unhappy with my promotion as well. Former friends became enemies overnight. Its amazing what a simple piece of cloth can do.
Balrog
Master of Arts
Not so, Grasshopper.
We have a saying in our school: you don't earn the Black Belt, the Black Belt earns you. In other words, you'll promote when you are ready to, and not a day before. Showing up for three years won't cut it. Showing up for three years, busting your hump and striving for continual improvement will.
As I've said before, 1st Degree Black Belt is a great goal to set as a White Belt, but it's like setting a goal that says I'm going to graduate from high school. 1st through 12th grades are getting you ready to go to college and do some serious studying. White Belt through 1st Degree is about learning the basics of Taekwondo. From 1st Degree onward, you are now learning the art of Taekwondo.
For me personally....it was a strenuous testing. My instructor ran me through every low-rank form and one-step, had me do extra board breaks, do multiple sparring as well as the two required rounds of one-on-one, etc. When he presented my belt to me, I felt like the king of the world because I had had to overcome severe physical issues as well as the testing requirements (I have rheumatoid arthritis). The only thing that has exceeded that feeling was the day when the Grand Master dubbed me with the Big Stick and announced that I was a Master Instructor.
I'm sorry you got short-changed on your experience, my friend. My only suggestion is to put your own value into it. Spend extra time working on your basics and your forms. Strive to continually improve. Set a personal workout schedule for yourself that leaves you dripping with sweat at least three times a week, if not more. Perhaps you didn't get to do this for your 1st Degree, but set your own personal goal to make the 2nd Degree Black Belt earn you.
That some schools have low standards? That's true of any popular style, and even unpopular ones. Many people want to make money more than they care about the integrity of the art, and so will water down the classes and requirements to make sure everybody can get a trophy (belt) just for showing up.
Even if you're in a style that gives poom belts, they don't have to be like how zzj described. You can have high standards and make kids work their little butts off to earn that belt. A 10-year old can learn to run a mile, do 50 crunches, 200 kicks, 6 rounds of sparring, do all the Taegeuk (or Palgwe or whatever) forms correctly and gracefully, etc. It doesn't have to be easy.
Hyoho
2nd Black Belt
I gave up on dan grades at 42. The chairman of the association said to me, "It's not so much about you. Your students will be pleased and proud if you go up another rank.
But I still gave up to concentrate on classical arts that have no rank. No regrets at all.
I would say that the problem is not that some schools have low standards, but that too many TKD schools have low standards, including the one I attended. When McDojangs become the norm it can't be a good thing.
I have since stopped TKD and am learning Tai Chi now, and similarly, due to the popularization of the Art, 95% of Tai Chi being taught nowadays is just moving meditation for seniors. However, the difference is that for Tai Chi, people generally know what they are in for, whether they are doing it for low impact exercise, or if they are looking to learn the actual Martial Art. For TKD, my sense is that parents are signing up their 5 year olds expecting them to learn an effective Martial Art at a McDojang.
Chris Parker
Grandmaster
Hmm, to be honest, reading this, I wonder why you'd attend a school that you don't value the skills you gain from, the ranking structure (and what you feel it is representative of), and that you, in your words, don't feel any pride in your achievements within…
Or, you know… street. As in "Main Street".
What I'm saying is that, while there can be such ideals associated, it's hardly a thoroughly universal aspect… and honestly, "journey" would be your interpretation.
Doing Muay Thai will improve your TKD? Is that the same as learning Italian to improve your Swahili? I mean… much of what you're listing is not TKD… it's a different approach, a different context, a different methodology… so what does having your name on the KKW website have to do with it? Are they not going to put your name up if you do muay Thai too early? And, if you have no pride in your rank, or your achievement, or in the skill you feel you've attained… why are you waiting to have it advertised?
Leaving off the gaps in the maths there (hmm… that might explain the second part), are you suggesting that it's not possible to fail to graduate from high school? Really?
And yes, there are plenty of places where you simply can be not good enough (in various ways) to get a black belt… regardless of what you believe.
Er… right. You think you needed a black belt to leave and try other things? And now you can comment? Even though you're looking to leave?
Yeah… the impression you're giving me is that you're not in the right school for yourself. Unless you can say something positive about it, that is…
When I earned my black belt I knew that I was more than a guy that is "now just beginning and starting my journey". I started my journey when I walked in the door as a white belt. The 5 years of hard work I put in made me what I am today, and that's not a beginner. Please don't insult me by telling me that I was now just starting my journey. I wonder why people keep saying this. I realize that it a humble thing to say but the reality is if you earned a black belt you should be qualified, unless your instructor let you down, and then yes, you are a beginner. I know I will receive a lot of flack on this but it's ok, bring it on
So… 40 years down the track, and you're insulted that your first major achievement, some five years into your journey, was considered "the beginning" of it? And, out of interest… "if you earned a black belt, you should be qualified"… qualified for what?
So it was your first 5 years of hard work training that made you what you are today, more so than the subsequent 35 years of training?
From the standpoint of your current self who has been training for 40 years, you don't see your 35-year-ago self who had only 1/8th your current experience as a beginner? I've only been training for 34 years, but I very much consider my earlier self with 5 years of training to have been a beginner. It's a matter of perspective, to be sure.
Okay. Any particular reason why? It seems like just a matter of perspective. To a 10-year-old, a 20-year-old seems old. To a 50-year-old, a 20-year-old seems very young. To a new white belt, a shodan with 5 years of training seems very advanced. To someone who has been training for 30+ years, that same shodan will seem more like a beginner.
Personally, I wouldn't say that my first black belt was the "start" of my journey so much as one particular milestone out of many during the very early stages of my journey. Then again, I don't take the saying in question exactly literally.
I have to tell you, it feels weird. When I am walking around in street clothes, I am ostensibly the most no-threatening person you could ever meet. (I find this to be a great advantage) However,if people see me in my super-hero black belt costume, people look at me differently: Black-belts want to beat me up because they see the conflict; Karate Moms look at me like I wish women would look at me at the club; and last but not least, your friends might start acting the fool, because they think you will jump in and save them.... Other than that if feels no different than it did the day before.
