Worlds Youngest Black Belts

[Alex Córdoba]

Black Belts at 8, 9.. even 6 years old?

http://youngblackbelts.tripod.com/

Is that possible or am I missing something?

[Empty_Cup]

Depends on what your standards are. With how quickly kids learn I have no doubt these kids could absorb the basic knowledge/kata if they are at all focused.

I really disagree with the idea behind this, though. Rank shouldn't be put up on a pedestal as the be all end all. And to drive kids to try to become the Youngest Ever is the wrong approach IMO.

[Syn7]

If rank is the goal, you're kinda missing the point.

Giving out black belts like that is always about ego and/or money.

[Jimbo]

Personally, I don't care how intelligent or physically talented a child may be, a black belt before the age of 16 or so is too young. And while the BB is definitely not (or shouldn't be) *the* goal, it should represent something...in this case, a level of maturity, physical capability, and that you're serious about your MA training. There are lots of adults who should never be awarded BBs, much less children.

I spoke to a lady who joined a class in a Korean system, together with her now tween son, who is now a BB. She described their test as basically just performing all the forms. Back when I trained Kenpo, at 17, I became the youngest student my teacher had ever tested for BB (at the time). He flunked me twice before I finally passed the 3rd time. And it was long and grueling each time, certainly a lot harder than just doing forms. A child of 6, 7, or 10 cannot be put through that.

If you just hand out BBs like Halloween candy, that's all they're worth.

[GoldenBrain]

I don't think a black belt should be awarded before age 18. A black belt test should be a gut busting right of passage which shows you exactly where your limitations are. Sure you need to know the material but the student should also be taken all the way to their physical and mental threshold. This includes a really tough, harder than normal sparring match at the end to test whether or not they truly understand how to use the applications and to give them the experience/perspective needed to be able to handle themselves in a real fight. I think a good black belt test should be around 8 hours and the sparring should be at the end so the student is placed in an un-winable situation due to their physical and mental exhaustion. Of course the higher ranking opponent shouldn't beat them into a coma but instead they should use this unfair match to take the student way beyond where they have ever been before during regular class sparring. I don't think a minor should be subjected to this so age 18 to me is quite appropriate.

[bawang]

how much can he squat?

[mickey]

Greetings,

I remember my very brief stint with TKD. There was a student who just achieved his brown belt after training for five years. Sensei told him, "You're going to be wearing that for a LONG time." And it was undestood by the student. The student was 16-18 years of age.

mickey

[maxattck]

Belt rank is something bjj got right. No blue belt before 16, takes an avg of 8 to 10 years to get a black, with no guarantee you will ever make black belt.

[Kellen Bassette]

Belt rank is something bjj got right. No blue belt before 16, takes an avg of 8 to 10 years to get a black, with no guarantee you will ever make black belt.

I really wish the striking arts that use belt ranks would adopt this policy.

[FullPotentialMA]

From an instructor's perspective, the question is "what is the purpose of the Black Belt". For all too many schools, belt awards have become part of the "business model". The incentive is therefore to have lots of ranks between white and black, with frequent (and costly) tests run frequently. There is also a strong incentive for "belt inflation", with 9, 8 and even six years old holding 1st, 2nd or higher degrees. In my opinion, this is ridiculous.

Belts are a relatively new addition to martial arts. In Chinese, Okinawan and Japanese martial arts, belts were not used until the early 20th century. When karate made it to Japan in the late 19th century / early 20th century, this martial art was incorporated as a branch of Judo (long story -- it related to the relationship between Japanese and Okinawan cultures). It was only then that karate adopted the belt system of Judo (which was basically white and black). It's only much later that different color belts were "invented", and also "imported" to other martial arts.

A first degree black belt is not just a symbol of attaining a (certain degree) of mastery of physical techniques, but also a symbol of maturity. At our martial arts school in San Diego, we do not award black belts to students under 18. Instead, those students receive a provisional black belt. They can be eligible to test for black (for free), once they are 18. BTW, another nice touch, which I have not seen in many other schools: our martial arts school does not charge for belt tests or belts, as our instructor believes that "you earn your belt by working hard, not by paying for it".

I like Sensei Miyagi's answer in the movie "Karate Kid", when Daniel asks him "Hey, what kind of belt do you have?". Sensei Miyagi's answer: "Canvas. JC Penney, $3.98. You like?"

What matters is how you conduct yourself and what you know. Not what color belt you wear.

[David Jamieson]

Black Belts at 8, 9.. even 6 years old?

http://youngblackbelts.tripod.com/

Is that possible or am I missing something?

No, no, it's them that are missing something.
You just go ahead and carry on doing what it is you were doing.

A black belt on a child is as valid as any episode of the power rangers.

[Alex Córdoba]

A black belt on a child is as valid as any episode of the power rangers.

http://legacy-cdn.smosh.com/smosh-pit/062011/power-ranger-red-lol.gif