What a Black Belt means to me

Discussion in 'General Martial Arts Discussion' started by ahsanmustafa, Jul 22, 2010.

  1. pydades

    pydades New Member

    Dojunim

    I read these words and saw my own philosophy and way of teaching in them. Thank you for stating them so eloquently.
    Ter-Jo Elliott
     
  2. TKDstudent

    TKDstudent Valued Member

    I think you post brings up many good points that highlight contradictions & are at times seems like you are contradicting yourself.
    If a BB is only the beginning, why does it take 5-10 years in karate or BJJ to earn a BB? Does one have to spend 5-10 years as a beginner?
    Certainly there must be some base level of talent, skill, attitude & performance, right? But how that standard is applied is another thing of course, won't you agree? I can set the standard, you can meet it or not. If you do & I award you a BB, you have earned it. If you didn't, but I still award the BB, you have purchased it or I have sold out.
    You really end with wonderful words!
     
  3. TKDstudent

    TKDstudent Valued Member

    I think you bring up a great point about the guep levels & linking it to the commercial schools in the West.
    Also to me it is fairly obvious that training in Korea, in the old days was very basic, led by Koreans who learned basic karate abroad in Japan or from a book. There are accounts with little talking in the class, virtually no questions & copying what the instructor or senior was doing was pretty much common. Today the training is mostly for kids & then elite players who develop success in competition or wish to pursue TKD as a career.
    In the old days, it was for SD, in an almost lawless society, where toughness ruled. So the training was more about toughness than anything else. They did few basic things, but they did them over & over again, which developed a level of talent & skill. The focus was not on sport, nor did they have the expanded number of techniques & scientific training methods.
     
  4. TKDstudent

    TKDstudent Valued Member

    SYSTEM OF RANK
    (Dan Gup Jedo)
    In Taekwon-Do, character development, fortitude, tenacity, and technique are graded as well as individual capacity. The promotional scale is divided into nineteen ranks - 10 grades (Gups) and nine degrees (Dans.) The former begins with 10th grade (Gup) the lowest and ends at first grade. Degrees begin with the first degree (Dan) and end with the ultimate ninth degree.

    There is, of course, a certain significance in the numbering system. With degree, the number 9 is not only the highest one among one digit numbers but also is the number of 3 multiplied by 3. In the Orient, three is the most esteemed of all the numbers. The Chinese character '3' contains three lines: the upper line symbolizes the heaven; the middle line, mortals; and the bottom line, earth.

    It was believed that the individual who was successful in promoting his country, fellowmen and God, and able to reach an accord with all three would aspire to become King. The Chinese character for three and King are nearly synonymous. When the number three is multiplied by itself, the equation is nine, the highest of the high; therefore, ninth degree is the highest of the high ranking belts.

    It is also interesting to note that when the numeral 9 is multiplied by any other single digit number and the resultant figures are added together, the answer always equals 9, i.e. 9x1=9; 9x2=18, 1+8=9 and so on up to 9x9=81, 8+1=9. Since this is the only single digit number having this property, it again points to the number 9 as being the most positive of figures.

    Taking the use of the number three one step further, the degrees are further divided into three distinct classes. First through third degree is considered the novice stages of black belt. Students are still merely beginners in comparison to the higher degrees. At fourth degree, the student crosses the threshold of puberty and enters the expert class. Seventh through ninth is composed of Taekwon-Do masters -- the elite who fully understand all the particulars of Taekwon-Do, mental and physical.

    There is perhaps one question that remains; why begin with the lowest of the two digit numbers, '10' why not begin with the lowest one digit number and proceed from first grade to ninth grade, and then begin again for degrees? Though it would certainly be more logical, the 10 to 1 and 1 to 10 numerical system in the Orient is ageless. It would be impossible, if not even a bit impertinent, to attempt to change a practice that is even carried into children’s games.

    Perhaps there was an initial logical reason for it; however, it seems to have been lost in antiquity. Anyhow, the number '10' is the lowest existing two digit number; consequently, a beginner must start at this number rather than 11 or 12 which is numerically higher.

    CRITERIA FOR GRADE AND DEGREE
    This criteria is based on the total number of hours and days required for the student to obtain first degree black belt, and years for the further black belt degrees.
    There are actually three programs a beginner may follow:

    An 18 month course; an hour and a half per day, six days per week for a total of 702 hours.
    A 30 month course; an hour and a half per day, three days per week for a total of 585 hours.
    A 12 month course; four hours per day, six days per week for a total of 1248 hours.

    Significance of first degree
    First Degree---Expert or Novice
    One of the greatest misconceptions within the martial arts is the notion that all black belt holders are experts. It is understandable that those unacquainted with the martial arts might make this equation. However, students should certainly recognize that this is not always the case. Too often, novice black belt holders advertise themselves as experts and eventually even convince themselves.

    The first degree black belt holder has usually learned enough technique to defend himself against a single opponent. He can be compared to a fledging who has acquired enough feathers to leave the nest and fend for himself. The first degree is a starting point. The student has merely built a foundation. The job of building the house lies ahead.

    The novice black belt holder will now really begin to learn technique. Now that he has mastered the alphabet, he can begin to read. Years of hard work and study await him before he can even begin to consider himself an instructor or expert.

    A perceptive student will, at this stage, suddenly realize how very little he knows. The black belt holder also enters a new era of responsibility. Though a freshman, he has entered a strong honorable fraternity of the black belt holders of the world; and his actions inside and outside the training hall will be carefully scrutinized. His conduct will reflect on all black belt holders and he must constantly strive to set an example for all grade holders.

    Some will certainly advance into the expert stages. However, far too many will believe the misconception and will remain novice, mentally and technically.

    BY:
    Ambassador Choi Hong Hi (Major-General Retired), The Principle Founder of Taekwon-Do, Author of the 15 volume Encyclopedia of Taekwon-Do, from which the above is taken.
     
  5. monkeywrench

    monkeywrench Valued Member

    It can take that long because once you get a promotion, it's my belief you should stay at that rank for a while. Not just long enough to get promoted again. But long enough to actually have your new techniques become ingrained and second nature. I've trained in a system that tested and got you to BB in a relatively short time. I was about halfway to BB with a head full of techniques that I scantly understood. I began to struggle with new techniques when previously they all came easily.

    There's no rush.
    :D
     
  6. TKDstudent

    TKDstudent Valued Member

    No I agree there should be no rush. But for me TKD is a lifelong pursuit, so I am not in a rush, nor do I advocate rushing. But it seems far too many people get hung up on the color of a belt.
    To me, if you & I trained diligently for 10 years our skill set & experiences should be fairly equal, if we had similar talent to begin with. Would you not agree?
     
  7. pydades

    pydades New Member

    Journey to My Black Belt

    I have been in training off and on since 1978... I owned and ran my own school for over 10 years.. One of my greatest accomplishments was to see my Children and Some Students surpass even the skills that I have attained...I am now disabled due to a head injury..Work related not from Martial Arts....I still maintain the Black Belt attitude...It is a way of Life now...an integral part of my being.
    Terri Jo Elliott
     
  8. monkeywrench

    monkeywrench Valued Member

    Yes, belt color shouldn't even come up in your mind very often when training. I'm glad to read your views on not rushing your training.

    I would generally agree with your last statement, yes. Any caveats I might bring up would take a whole thread, so I'll save those.
    :D
     
  9. Razgriz

    Razgriz Valued Member

    Nice article mate, only scruple is including Anne Frank and Mother Theresa, one kept a diary (which Ive read so im not being ignorant)
    The other well... she was a friend of poverty not the poor she thought being poor brought you closer to god....
    All she wanted all along was to establish her own order which she did, then... she goes and have a crises of faith and is like "oh maybe im wrong"

    Sorry for the potential "hatin" you might see with this reply, just something i find annoying.
     
  10. tryst72008

    tryst72008 New Member

    I just started taking tae kwon do at age 35 my son is 4 and just started i agree with the original poster on the majority of the points and the other posters on their points i definitely agree that a black belt is just the beginning my instructor is 4th dan and it took him 24 yrs to get there. I respect anyone that has the time and patience to make it that far and only hope i can attain mine to honor my sensei and i would love to see my son attain his.
     
  11. Kwajman

    Kwajman Penguin in paradise....

    I love the martial arts, as a black belt however its difficult for me to describe to other non-martial artists what it means to me. I am retired from the sport but it will always be a part of me as will MAP.
     
  12. matveimediaarts

    matveimediaarts Underappreciated genius

    A lot of great posts here on the subject. The colored belt system is basically arbitrary and was invented for Western students. Traditionally, one attained a black belt by training so long and hard that the belt turned black. As mentioned earlier, this is only the beginning of another journey-continuing to refine and improve oneself and his skills. :)
     
  13. Aegis

    Aegis River Guardian Admin Supporter

    Often claimed, but sadly just not true. The culture the black belt came from was one of fastidious hygiene, where someone who washed their uniform so infrequently it turned black would not have been welcome.

    The black belt associated with martial arts was invented by the founder of Judo to help distinguish advanced students from beginners in the late 1800s.
     
  14. matveimediaarts

    matveimediaarts Underappreciated genius

    I stand corrected. :) Domo arigato, Aegis-san. Rank is quite arbitrary WRT colored belt systems though, yes?
     
  15. Hannibal

    Hannibal Cry HAVOC and let slip the Dogs of War!!! Supporter

    Depends on the art and depends on the teacher - like everything. One of my Ju jitsu green belts puked on the test it took to get that rank. You train with me you earn it :)
     
  16. klaasb

    klaasb ....

    And he got the idea from swimming. Apparently they used a system where advanced swimmers would wear a black ribbon around their waist.
    But the dan system was already in use for go players as well. Dan means step or grade. The Japanese system of dan ranks for go was likely inspired by a Chinese system that was in use to rank go players.
    The different colors for the kyu (geup) was invented by a Japanese judo teacher in Europe in the 1930's.
    Koreans adopted the dan system.

    In the 1970's one way for Koreans to get a US green card was to have a high rank in a martial art (I believe 6th dan or up), this way it became very profitable for MA organisations to sell higher dan ranks.

    Not really making a point here, just some background information.
     
  17. Kwajman

    Kwajman Penguin in paradise....

    All interesting posts...
     
  18. Saved_in_Blood

    Saved_in_Blood Valued Member

    I'm only working on my green belt in combat hapkido, which will be the third belt up, but I can imagine it's a real sense of pride, not in a bad sense of course but to really feel good about your work. It's great to not only do something, but to REALLY enjoy it and not just go through the motions each day like so many of us tend to do with our lives.

    I've learned as i've gotten older that if you are going to just do something for the sake of doing it, you'll wake up one day and just wonder where all of the time went. Studying something that you love however is just one of those things that makes you always want to keep learning. Very good job on your achievements OP.
     
  19. philosoraptor

    philosoraptor carnivore in a top hat Supporter

    Black belts hold my pants up pretty durn well. So do brown belts. But with a brown belt you can wear brown shoes. (this is important).
     
  20. *Dusty*

    *Dusty* New Member

    I have to say that in recent years in my opinion the standards of black belts have lowered considerably. I personally attribute this to a lot of the rules and regulations which are for supposed "child protection" policies.

    I agree with a lot of them, however the last child protection course I attended for our association summed it up as "kids are there to have fun, if they learn on the way it's a bonus".

    I got my black belt by working long and hard, that said it took me 3 and a half years however I did spend the last two and a half years training 5-7 times a week whereas some of my peers did 2 classes per week.

    many years later, i'm now training 17 years and I'm still on my 2nd Dan, quite content with it and confident I am a 2nd dan of a decent standard. Some of my former students will now be applying for 2nd dan this year, one of my former students is now 3rd dan.

    At the end of the day, when we wanted to grade our instructors decided whether we could or not. If students weren't ready, they didn't grade. Nowadays, the classes seem to be spent teaching the next section of the syllabus in time for the next grading, teaching someone a particular technique is ok but knowing what it is and knowing how or when to use it are two different things entirely.

    I agree with the OP about a black belt being a state of mind, it's also seen by people who haven't reached it yet as a kind of line in the sand where you move from being a student to another level of commitment.

    Once I reached black belt I was only too aware of how much I still had to learn although it did give me a lot of extra confidence that others of greater experience had deemed me fit to wear it.
     

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