Is American Karate Flawed....kids can get black belts, whats that all about?

Question

Why do i see 10 year olds or 14 or 16 year olds with black belts, second degree blackbelts,, or even higher. I have a feeling these american karate instructors are using belts in order to attract customers, but karate is a life process, they can't possibly master the true essence of karate in just 4 years or something..and certainly at 16 a master...without having had maturity? I will consider a master at 40 or 50, after years of training and developing spiritually not at 10 years old.

Answer 1

I would agree with most of the answers posted here.

The main source of the problem, though, wouldn't necessarily fall onto the student's ability or lack thereof, but upon the instructor and structure of the school. Sadly, full-time instructors, regardless of the discipline rely on teaching martial arts for their main source of income. That being the case, students must be kept interested, white belts/sashes should always outnumber the other ranks, and sometimes, even the system of martial arts itself must be compromised. Making money and having a consistent source of income is the main goal.

In addition, the ranking system itself is an American idea. Traditional schools don't even have ranks. We as Americans like to be able to chart and map our progress. Children are taught that "every kid is a winner", and egos are padded... but at what cost?

When I hear a black belt kid talk about defending himself against an adult, I think of the movie "3 Ninjas" and how ridiculous it was! I think your comments with regard to your question hit the nail on the head.

Answer 2

I would say that it's very flawed but that's just my opinion

but there ARE some students that at a very young age can attain a blackbelt. But as you said, Martial Arts is a life process, and you'll never MASTER any Martial Arts Discipline no matter how many years you spend studying it.

And You're right for thinking that some instructors of not just Karate, but of OTHER Martial Arts as well use the belt system as a crutch to recruit new students or retain as many students as they can.

A prime example is the Camoflage belt, I've never even heard of such a belt (especially in the Tae Kwon Do disciplines like the ATA clubs or associations, sorry folks but that's just an example where I've seen this, I'm not tryin' to trash your groups or Tae Kwon Do in general), nor do I see the need to ADD a belt in the order.

But look at it this way, if they want tomlearn another discipline later, they still have time to learn.

Martial Arts has never been about how soon an individual can attain their first level of Blackbelt, or by how many tournament that they can place in or win a trophy in.

but unfortunately that's the way things have become in this day and age and now as another contributer has said before, Martial Arts has now become "McDojos", but that's the what happens ewhen people learn Martial Arts purely as a business venture, to make a living or make money.

Answer 3

Just to add to what Pugspaw and Shihan K said. No student should be awarded a black belt until they have reached the age of 16. Even then it should be rare that they earn it before the age of 18. Not only do they are not physical or mentally developed enough to be a black belt they also lack the fine motor skills of a black belt. I don't know where you have trained, but you should find another place to train. It is not your fault. There is no way for you to know that that school is misleading people. When you grow up in a system like that you think that it is a normal practice. Just like the one poster said that 3 years is okay to earn a black belt. In her school that may be the norm. But that is not normal for good martial arts schools. It most good schools most people never earn a black belt. There is no minimum time frame in which a person can earn a black belt or any rank. I've seen guys that too 4 or more years in my dojo to just get an orange belt. A good school does not just hand out rank. You must earn the rank and be deserving of the rank. I will not sign a certificate of a student that will nor represent me or our dojo well. Some people responding to this post may try to insult you, but I have no intentions on insulting you. It is my desire and the desire of other martial artist to help others that really want help. I don't know you location, but I'm sure some of the other top contributor may know a few good school in your area or they know someone that can refer you to a good school.

Answer 4

American Karate (or martial arts, you probably not differentiating between Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Shaolin Boxing etc) is far from a monolith. Some schools are badle flawed, some are very good. As for kids with black belst & them being or not being masters, 1st degree black belt is far from master. That usually starts at 5th or 6th degree. In fact the Korean term for 1st degree black belt is cho dan which literally means starting level or beginning level. In other words, 1st degree black belt is a beginner.

Answer 5

The McDojo and black belt factories out there are a disgusting perversion of martial arts.

A 6 year old with a black belt? Get the hell out of here! Talk about a false sense of security.

A studend should not be able to attain a black belt until they're at least 18, and it should take anywhere from 7-10 years.

If you see a school with little kids or even teens with black belts or if it says "we're a black belt school" run in the opposite direction. Total fraud.

Answer 6

I have to agree with Quicksilver, that many of these have diluted themselves to the point that they are a joke. I sometimes think that martial arts instructors who are trying to make their living teaching martial arts fall into the trap of quantity over quality, promoting when it is undeserved just to keep the people in the dojo and the money coming in. Thankfully none of my martial arts instructors have ever been like this. They all had regular jobs and taught because of their love for the arts and the desire to see them grow.

In traditional Goju Ryu our younger students couldn't reach the Dan levels until they were at least 16. They didn't consider anyone a sensei until they were at least Sandan (3rd degree black belt) and even then only when the international organization formally recognized and licensed them to teach (just being a Sandan didn't mean you would get this license). To be considered a master? You're not even considered Expert until at least Godan (5th degree) and not Master until Shichidan (7th degree).

Answer 7

They may not be a master, but the general public sure sees them as one. The whole thing is just a lot of marketing; black belts impress people and the thought of getting one makes them want to go sign up. To keep people happy, many commercialized schools will give out belts like candy.

Answer 8

Having trained for more than 30 years I can say that I have seen far too many instructors in MANY martial art styles that are too concerned with numbers and not cncerned with quality...it took me 11 years to get my black belt, but then I was trained in a Traditional Japanese manner rather than the american speed training that I see. I have even seen schools where the ONLY test a student takes is for their black belt, the rest of the belst are base simpkly on how long they have ben there, regardles of how much they knew, and while they still had to have the knowledge to get that black belt, many times they spend 2 or 3 years as a brown belt learning everything that they didn't learn before then.

American martial arts is more concerned with compettion and winnng trophey's than with teaching real, effective practical techniques. Comptetions are not a real test of skill becasue the situation isn't realistic. How often, when you are atacked, will there be a referee, gloves and rules. I can't remember ever being on either end of a confrontation where those things came into play.

The martial arts need to get back to their practical usage and not on being flashy, showy and lacking in effectiveness. I still train every day...even after 33 years...teach when I can find someone that has a genuine interest in learnig to do more than win a tournament, break bricks or impress his friends. Too many american schools have lost the sense of tradition and dedication necessary to the practice of the martial arts. There are shill traditinal schools out there, but we are hard to find as so many have americanized and lost the sense of what the martial arts are all about....

As far as the spiritual aspects. Most Americans are to prejudiced to have any interest in the spirituality that accompanies the study of the Asian martial arts. Most don't even WANT to know about the spiritual side, and far to many american instructiors are willing to sacrifice that connection in order to have students, and in order to increase the number of black belts they turn out. After all it isn't the quality of students a teacher turns out that matters to them, but the quantity.

THAT is why I make such a conerted effort to to keep the traditional teacing I received alive and to instill that sense of tradition in my students, and with one exception, I have been quite successful.

Answer 9

ur not a MASTER just cause u get a blk belt,, thats like saying just cause ur an ace,, u can pitch 102mph fastball and 12 to 6 curve, and everysingle pitch,,, and they EARN it,, if they pass the test, they earn the belt, if they dont, than they dont, and just cause ur old.. doesnt mean ur a master,, u can be old, have blk belt and not b a master at anything,, most of the time,, young kids 14-16 have better technique than 30-40 yr ppl that has blk belts,, so ya,,

Answer 10

some schools wil let any one in and promote if the parents/ gurdian pays for it. but other schools stick to the traditional ways of making them actualy have to do the kata and and perform it forwards and backwards. altho thoses schools are hard to find. but there are some where you have to have the talent to get the belts and move up through the ranks. andI have no idea how 10 yr oldas get 2nd degrees. I mean my friend has a 1st degree but he was 11 when he got his. But that was from a buy a belt school.