A Black Belt symbolizes

[shaolin-warrior]

The only true American is the drunk wife beater, the rest of us are immigrants.

[shaolin-warrior]

No disrespect to the Native American Indian, just following the previous thread assumption.
Americans should be proud of its diverse culture and treat it as a positive and not a negative. Just like we should all be thankfull that this forum is represented by so many different styles of MAist. Imagine how boring this forum would be if we were all from the same school of thought.

[Toudiyama[NL]]

Black belt just represents a certain level of skill and knowledge
It isn't an absolute but differs amongst organisations
One org it might represent a certain level of fighting skills others demand understanding of the techniques used
again other just that you can perform a specific part of the curriculum

As stated before most will go upto 5th degree BB for this, anything beyond is awarded for other things but not just for age or politics ( except for McDojo Styles) most of the time you are awarded those for what you do for the styles/arts
For instance one of my teachers travels all over Europe and charges very moderately for it, therefore he has been awarded 8th debree BB ( I believe between 5th and 8th was a total of around 20 years)

Another, Jon Blumming, who introduced Kyokushin Karate in Europe was awarde 6th degree bb by Oyama but eventually was awarded 10th by the highest graded students ( 6th and higher) in the same way as Oyama was awarded 10th

To conclude BBs are steps, in fact dan means just that, step

[Jamie"Spitfire"]

The Belt Means Nothing, It Who You Got It From.

I went down to a local TKD class, mostly for some extra sparring. I was still having to take part in the lesson like everyone else, but at the end the instructer said "you should stick at this you could get your BB in a year", I was like "WHAT"? She said other get it in 2-4years. I said, I cant believe that it could only take me a year, when I went to a good TKD "HANWONG" in edinburgh and he gave me an estimate of 5years, I was more comfortable with that as that was for my level. Others may spend 10years. So it where it comes from, not the system but the individual. WUMA BB are the hardest gradings in the world, www.wuma.uk.com, me thinks anyway. "belts are for holding your pants up" brucey boy.

[foofies]

Black Belt is just anthor belt that we put on to hold our GI tight..

[Whispers]

I would have to say that the black belt represents knowledge and in most schools only knowledge. Thinks about it, most schools black belt test consist of demonstraighting a form, breaking some boards, and some poor quality no contact sparring.

No place in there do you show the ability to land a solid blow on a moving and resisting target.
No place is you ability to apply techniques underderess(the true measure of skil in the martial arts) measured.

All that you demonstriaght is knowledge of certain movements and the ability to perform them while bouncing around.

This isn't typical of all schools, but let's face facts; At most schools, a black belt is just a sign that you're capable of performing a certain number of techniques and performing certain techniques in a certain order. In other words that you know the techniques, not that you're particularly good at them or applying them.

[kuk sool won]

true but you have to have a certain level of fitness, our black belt gradings are agonising and if you can't 'keep up' then basically, you fail.

[taoistscholar]

Nothing.

[brokenelbow]

true but you have to have a certain level of fitness, our black belt gradings are agonising and if you can't 'keep up' then basically, you fail.

So as a black belt if you get older or injured and could no longer keep up if retested do you lose your black belt?

[kuk sool won]

nooope, we don't have retests, besides you have already proven yourself, its like a medal, you cant take it away after you have won it, unless a technicality arises, drugs for example but its rare for use KSWists to have drug tests these days......

....anyways obviously there are some circumstances where it doesn't apply to its full extent - injuries, illness, age limitations, joint liabilities, Neurotic and Psychotic Disorders the list goes on, YAR

[robertlee]

1st degree blackbelt means a good understanding of the basic requirements. From there advanced training and over all improvement on the below blackbelt training is demonstrated at testing. Used to take about 15 years to make 5th dan. But now you see people doing that in as little as 5 to 6 years. But It means less if you really did not work for it. And skill level shows in performance.

[Whispers]

5-6 years for 3rd degree?!!?? I've been at this 3, almost 3.5 years training at the very least an hour a day on my own (that means wether or not i go to class) and I'll be lucky if i get firsts degree this march. It should take years to get your 3rd degree.

Let's face it; as you go on in the martial arts, it takes more and more time and training to make any noticable improvement in technique. It's the same with anything that you do, you'll learn way more and improve more at the beginning and then you'll move up the learning curve to where it takes more work for each improvement.
5-6 years implies to me there isn't enough time in between testing for the individual to make any big improvements, just enough time for them to master a new slightly more difficult form. That's complete crap.
If/when i have my own school, gradings will be decided by tournement combat. If you want your rank, you can fight for it.

[brokenelbow]

So you spend more and more time for smaller and smaller results? Now that's crap.

[Tom Yum]

A black belt symbolizes...

a tension bearing device used to hold up pants.

[Whispers]

So you spend more and more time for smaller and smaller results? Now that's crap.

Call it what you want, that doesn't make it not true.