Youth Black Belts
- Thread starter Gorilla
- Start date
Ok, Elaborate...
Just an old man's opinion who's probably too old fashioned for today's day and age. I have a somewhat romanticized opinion of what I think a Black Belt should be. But there's a better chance of it raining cookies this afternoon than me ever changing that opinion. I sure hope so, anyway.
Although......the idea of running down the street with an umbrella and a glass of milk.....
One of the issues I've seen over the years is the mythical status one's own BB test takes on when compared to "today's" BB candidates. Like our forefathers' "when I was in school, we walked to school...ten miles....uphill, both ways!" and the way they told us their struggles were so much worse than our's. Our experience become normative for everyone else that comes along, yet our memories of how good we were, or what actually happened tend to be a bit on the fuzzy side.
How we got our belts, who gave them to us, and what they mean to us are of tremendous importance to us. Folks outside of the arts don't really tend to understand that. But to point finger at one another & say how you got your's isn't valid or "that school gave a BB to that person?!" is the real thing that denigrates our Art; not how someone else who's neither our master, nor our student got their rank. It makes us all look petty and childish. Our focus needs to be makes ourselves, our training partners, and our students better martial artists. Not arguing over who should get what that we have no say or control over.
How we got our belts, who gave them to us, and what they mean to us are of tremendous importance to us. Folks outside of the arts don't really tend to understand that. But to point finger at one another & say how you got your's isn't valid or "that school gave a BB to that person?!" is the real thing that denigrates our Art; not how someone else who's neither our master, nor our student got their rank. It makes us all look petty and childish. Our focus needs to be makes ourselves, our training partners, and our students better martial artists. Not arguing over who should get what that we have no say or control over.
I think this is just an excellent post. I think one key thing here is that you shouldn't need someone else to respect your black belt. My black belt is my black belt and no-one has to recognize it if they don't want to. Respect is earned. That certainly doesn't mean I won't treat other black belts with respect. I hope that I can treat everyone, kids and adults with respect, until such time as they have earned that respect or done something bad enough where respect is no longer warranted. The internet is not the place to earn respect, but i think we can still treat each other respectfully.
Just so it's known, my opinions come from training in TKD. While not my primary style, I love it as much as all of you here. Probably been in it longer, too.
Unless things have changed, I don't remember Black Belts being awarded in Korea until someone was at least in their mid teens. Not that that's written in stone, but I consider it as a good base line.
Unless things have changed, I don't remember Black Belts being awarded in Korea until someone was at least in their mid teens. Not that that's written in stone, but I consider it as a good base line.
Poom Rank is rewarded under 15 by the KKW in all countries! Most wear BB Dan Rank is awarded after 15! We had my son's 3rd Poom changed to a Dan Rank when he turned 15. It was a simple transfer he is elgibe for 4th Dan at 18.
In most cases it is.
This is one subject I think there is a double standard. Practitioners can state that black is an indication of determination, dedication and having learnt the basics. But then can in the same sentence hold it out of reach because it should be revered and not achievable by some groups due to age, if they meet the club standards then so be it. Otherwise add 100 kg bench press to the grading and let that do the weeding for you.
Earl Weiss
Senior Master
OK, I will be one of the few to disagree here. The general Public has no clue what MA is all about. MA is really a case of buyer beware yet the general public often has no yardstick to measure the quality of the product they are buying. On top of that you have the culture imposed by some instructors where any experience outside their universe is treated as a disloyal act further insulating the consumer from comparative analysis. So, now you may have the consumers making huge investments in a faulty product / service. All the while under the delusion that the piece of cloth around a waist assures them of a certain competency level as the general market out there that has the same colored cloth around their waist. Most importantly a product that may fail at a crucial time.
Lot of truth in what you are saying! Many times people make assumptions about a particular Martial Artist/Art. They assume they can't defend himself based on the bias of that particular person making the judgement! A good example is that people will say that a sport tkd fighter can't defend himself based on watching an Olympic Tkd match. Even though these are supurbly trained athletes in superior condition who train 6 to 8 hours a day! The same can be said about youth BB or Poom belts which is the case with the KKW some may be very proficient and others may be lacking. Those making the judgements invariably are making them with insufficient information!
Nah, Koreans will issue a poom ranking to young kids, and have for a long time. That's why KKW's minimum age for a 4th Dan is 18.
I think the fact that there's so much interest in an old worn out topic proves Terry's point. There's little else to talk about in the TKD than who deserves a BB, apparently.
Maybe?
I know that's tongue in cheek, but I disagree anyway. I think there's lots of things to talk about. Side kicks for instance. Which way do you throw them the best? Say, in a self defense scenario? As a counter with your front leg to someone rushing? How about a long one to bridge distance? Do you like a step up? Crossing in front or in back? How about a hopping side kick? A fall away side kick? (I always like the look on their face when they run into that
) Do you favor the ribs, stomach, hips, chest? Do any of you guys throw a high one, I don't mean in class, but rather if you had the opening in self defense? How much better is your right leg compared to your left? (and don't give me they're both awesome, because every kicker has a better leg) Do you use it as a fake? In a combo? In conjunction with a punch?Heck, I could go on and on about side kicks. How the hell can you not love a good side kick?
I know that's tongue in cheek, but I disagree anyway. I think there's lots of things to talk about. Side kicks for instance. Which way do you throw them the best? Say, in a self defense scenario? As a counter with your front leg to someone rushing? How about a long one to bridge distance? Do you like a step up? Crossing in front or in back? How about a hopping side kick? A fall away side kick? (I always like the look on their face when they run into that
Heck, I could go on and on about side kicks. How the hell can you not love a good side kick?
Start a thread see how it goes!
