Everything and nothing about what a Black Belt is.
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Everything and Nothing
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Everything and Nothing
Hard hitting post.
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote
Skill in what, exactly?
And the higher your "skill" the more expensive it is to get it reflected in your diploma.
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Van Canna
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote
I think a major problem is the public's and the martial artist's perception of "skill"_If these definitions are indicative of the uninitiated public's perception of a black belt, then a black belt in their eyes is at least "an expert of the highest skill"
Skill in what, exactly?
And the higher your "skill" the more expensive it is to get it reflected in your diploma.
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Van Canna
Everything and Nothing
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Van Canna:
Skill in what, exactly?
And the higher your "skill" the more expensive it is to get it reflected in your diploma.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Nobody knows what qualification's or background we have. I like your statement written in another post "just because you have rank doesn't mean you can fight".
[This message has been edited by crazycat (edited October 08, 2002).]
Skill in what, exactly?
And the higher your "skill" the more expensive it is to get it reflected in your diploma.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Nobody knows what qualification's or background we have. I like your statement written in another post "just because you have rank doesn't mean you can fight".
[This message has been edited by crazycat (edited October 08, 2002).]
Everything and Nothing
It took about 17 years for me to get my Black Belt... But within the first year and a half, all the purple belts were equivalent to the black belts in most commercially popular schools out there.
We'd have to put on brown belts and black belts in tournaments in order to compete and came out sweeping tons of tournies...
I believe that you must give out black belts in order to keep the students who keep the commercial side of it going. It was reflected well in our organization based on turnover of students. Hence, only a few black belts ever lasted their tenure with the Grandmaster... And most students left after several years with only a green belt to show for it.
Little do these students know, that green belt carried a lot of weight and knowledge along the way... and again, as reflected, many years later... these same students returned to the dojo, wiser, older, more mature and realized what they had. By venturing to other forms of marital arts, they also realized achieving a black belt wasn't particulary hard. Earning it in an art that respect 'the belt' was a different story.
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“Don’t let Martial Arts grab hold of you. Grab a hold of it.” -James Ibrao
We'd have to put on brown belts and black belts in tournaments in order to compete and came out sweeping tons of tournies...
I believe that you must give out black belts in order to keep the students who keep the commercial side of it going. It was reflected well in our organization based on turnover of students. Hence, only a few black belts ever lasted their tenure with the Grandmaster... And most students left after several years with only a green belt to show for it.
Little do these students know, that green belt carried a lot of weight and knowledge along the way... and again, as reflected, many years later... these same students returned to the dojo, wiser, older, more mature and realized what they had. By venturing to other forms of marital arts, they also realized achieving a black belt wasn't particulary hard. Earning it in an art that respect 'the belt' was a different story.
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“Don’t let Martial Arts grab hold of you. Grab a hold of it.” -James Ibrao
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Bill Glasheen
- Posts: 17299
- Joined: Thu Mar 11, 1999 6:01 am
- Location: Richmond, VA --- Louisville, KY
Everything and Nothing
This rank inflation thing is actually universal in our society. Academia deals with it all the time. These days at Harvard you get an "A" just for showing up for class and doing a minimal amount of work. It didn't used to be that way.
The same thing happened with SAT scores for college entrance. At one point they inflated the scale so that now everyone gets a higher score.
Could it be that a black belt worth having is STILL a rare commodity and reflective of an expert of the highest skill?
The only thing any one organization can do is to set reasonable standards and then protect them so that a black belt from that organization means something. I think there's a "right" level of difficulty - something inbetween giving it away and making it difficult for most to achieve. If you create a goal that isn't achievable, you risk discouraging a good portion of the population. Then the group suffers from lack of traffic that could be the source for a few really good talents.
- Bill
The same thing happened with SAT scores for college entrance. At one point they inflated the scale so that now everyone gets a higher score.
Could it be that a black belt worth having is STILL a rare commodity and reflective of an expert of the highest skill?
The only thing any one organization can do is to set reasonable standards and then protect them so that a black belt from that organization means something. I think there's a "right" level of difficulty - something inbetween giving it away and making it difficult for most to achieve. If you create a goal that isn't achievable, you risk discouraging a good portion of the population. Then the group suffers from lack of traffic that could be the source for a few really good talents.
- Bill
Everything and Nothing
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Bill Glasheen:
The only thing any one organization can do is to set reasonable standards <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>I think that is the best way to deal with the black belt issue.
Reasonable standards should be in my opinion applied with acknowledgement that if a student is recommended for a test then the standard has been meet. If a candidate does not meet the standard it should be the instructors duty to explain to the board why he was allowed to be tested. If it be simply a bad day then so be it, if the candidate was performing at the standard expected from his instructor, then the instructor needs to share with the board his reasoning. Not all black belts are of equal ability (no suprise to anyone) However, some black belts of ability fall short of being a positive image of a black belt. I would much rather hand a black belt to a poor fighter with a desire to be the best he can, than an a** that can fight. Which of the two is most likely to get his a** kicked in public?
[This message has been edited by CANDANeh (edited October 08, 2002).]
The only thing any one organization can do is to set reasonable standards <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>I think that is the best way to deal with the black belt issue.
Reasonable standards should be in my opinion applied with acknowledgement that if a student is recommended for a test then the standard has been meet. If a candidate does not meet the standard it should be the instructors duty to explain to the board why he was allowed to be tested. If it be simply a bad day then so be it, if the candidate was performing at the standard expected from his instructor, then the instructor needs to share with the board his reasoning. Not all black belts are of equal ability (no suprise to anyone) However, some black belts of ability fall short of being a positive image of a black belt. I would much rather hand a black belt to a poor fighter with a desire to be the best he can, than an a** that can fight. Which of the two is most likely to get his a** kicked in public?
[This message has been edited by CANDANeh (edited October 08, 2002).]
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Sleepmed.md
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Sun Mar 17, 2002 6:01 am
- Location: Lynn, MA
Everything and Nothing
Karate kid posted "I believe that you must give out black belts in order to keep the students who keep the commercial side of it going".
I am thinking about leaving my school because of this. Some students were recently promoted even after not attending for weeks. Even though I am not in karate for the belts, I would rather earn my black belt after 17 years rather than buy it after 3 years.
I am thinking about leaving my school because of this. Some students were recently promoted even after not attending for weeks. Even though I am not in karate for the belts, I would rather earn my black belt after 17 years rather than buy it after 3 years.
Everything and Nothing
I totally agree... But you also have to understand that Martial Arts is also someone's way of life as well as the business that supports his life.
It's not the Mr. Miyagi mentallity of teaching in the back yard. It's the business side of things...
maintain 200 students a month at $100 a pop... with new students coming in and belt testing at $50 bucks a pop and black belt courses at $2000 along with privates at $50 an hour...
If those students don't get their belt to 'show their accomplishment' they're gonna leave and go somewhere they can get it.
Those dedicated have to only concern themselves with their own wants of being a well-rounded martial artist. If they get it in 18 months what can you do about it? You just have to realize there is more for you than the 18 months and keep striving to complete your training.
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“Don’t let Martial Arts grab hold of you. Grab a hold of it.” -James Ibrao
It's not the Mr. Miyagi mentallity of teaching in the back yard. It's the business side of things...
maintain 200 students a month at $100 a pop... with new students coming in and belt testing at $50 bucks a pop and black belt courses at $2000 along with privates at $50 an hour...
If those students don't get their belt to 'show their accomplishment' they're gonna leave and go somewhere they can get it.
Those dedicated have to only concern themselves with their own wants of being a well-rounded martial artist. If they get it in 18 months what can you do about it? You just have to realize there is more for you than the 18 months and keep striving to complete your training.
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“Don’t let Martial Arts grab hold of you. Grab a hold of it.” -James Ibrao
Everything and Nothing
Those are some interesting points Karate Kid. Really, everyone is happy. The new black belt gets to be a badass to the general public for his money, and the people who know anything about martial arts know to just keep on training; it's no different from a yellow belt, except its a whole lot purtier with them there shiny gold symbols.
