for all Taekwondo students. I need your help please?

Question

I train every day even out of class. I practice my form a lot in between training. I havent been to class for the last week and a half because my instructor is in the hospital due to a bad infection. Would it hurt my chances of going for my black belt in 21/2 years? Why is the black belt test so much money. Its like $200.00

Answer 1

That small gap of time is not going to hurt your chances of getting the black belt. You should be looking higher than black though: Having a black belt, simply means that on the surface, one knows the basics. It isn't the end all, be all. Mastering a style takes much more time. Keep practicing on your off time, and you should be fine.

-The black belt test is expensive, because of what I said above. The transformation from red to black is what shows that you have mastered the basics of the art. The preparation is much different from a normal test: You will be tested on everything you've learned from white to red/poom (Depending on school), and not only that: But in certain schools, they want good technique, in addition to good thinking. You may know how to counter a person grabbing your wrist, but do you know which techniuqes out of the 100s you could know is more practical for you?

It is likely that your school doesn't send in lower belt videos to organzations for serious observation of testing either, but that is a black belt standard in many arts. This is the part I'm focusing on here: It's not that OMGZ UR GUNNA BE A SAINT WHEN U GET UR BLACK BELT, but there's a lot of different procedures that have to be done for the black belt, and above.

That video has to be sent in, so the organzation in question (ITF, ITA, WTF for example) can decide if one is ready or not. It isn't just a pay, and congrats! in a real school (Contrary to what Ronin said: Obviously coming from someone who knows nothing about Tae Kwon Do): You have to work for it, and you have to show that you've made much improvement from your days of being a white belt.

Good luck getting to your goal.

Answer 2

If you practice every day, it won't matter if your instructor is out for a couple weeks. Once I missed about 3 months because my parents 302ed me into a inpatient mental hospital and I practiced almost the whole time I was there and as soon as I went back me instructor saw how much I improved so he arranged a test for me the next week to move up to the next belt. And $200 isn't that bad at my school it is only about $100 but if you really love Tae-Kwon-Do that much and are that determined to succeed at it then you would pay almost any price.

Answer 3

As Xin Yao said, it does not hurt the chances of you being black belt. I guess you are a yellow belt-greenbelt? Not sure but 2.5 years is still a long way to go. Train hard on your forms, pattern. It will increase your chance of getting a good grade on your test. What taekwondo are you doing anyway?
ITF or WTF, if you don't know ask your master, heh. You should know that for later. The black belt test is pretty expensive, because they make you a ID, certificate, and you get put in some list of blackbelts in the federation. Saying you made it to black belt. It's completely different in each dojang though I believe. What I got was a framed certificate, ID of me prooving im Blackbelt, belt, awards.

Answer 4

LOL of course it will not hurt your chances to getting your black belt in 2 1/2 years. dont worry about it. besides, getting a black belt is not that important. very good job on your training. training a lot is good. i dont know how much a black belt test would be. it usually depenends on your style of tkd or assosciation. but i think some of the money goes into a new uniform + belt and black belt id or something.

Answer 5

Took me little more than 3yrs to get a black belt.......and the test was free. With belt and a new gi. Well, I think I paid like 15 dollars for the belt.

But no, a week or two is not going to hurt your chances.

Answer 6

As others have said, Sa ba nim means master 1st/2nd Dan Sonsangnim 3rd/4th Dan Kyosanim Instructor Kyobomnim Master Sabomnim Kyosanim is more formal and can be used for a lower dan. The dan's I listed are just a guideline and are not exact. All of these terms can be used for a teacher, but you wouldn't call the master anything other than Sabomnim. James

Answer 7

If you are practicing every day, it won't matter if your instructor is out for a couple weeks (I feel bad for him that he doesn't have an assistant to help out - maybe you should work on that also...).

As for your fee - that's reasonable. I'd be worried if it were twice that much. I charge $180 because that's what our association charges for certification (once you add in the new uniform and a couple extras).

Answer 8

2.5 years seems to be rushing it a bit (but i wont get on my soap box), 200 dollars seems fair, if you will be testing in front of a panel of masters, but if it is your instructor with his own hand out, i don't want to say it but you'd be in a bad school...

Answer 9

it probably costs so much b/c u are in an organization that is more about business than martial arts. let me guess, maybe the ATA?