I am a beginner in Hapkido. I attend class 3 times a week. How long should it take me to earn a Black Belt?

Question

I am 38 years old with 17 years security experience in which I have received countless hours of self-defense training. However, I have never had formal lessons in the martial arts. I am dedicated to this new endeavor in Hapkido and plan to progress well. I chose to study Hapkido because of the techniques having both soft and hard elements. I understand once a Black Belt is earned, it merely indicates I will have a good grasp on the fundamentals and will now REALLY begin to learn. I am curious how long it SHOULD take me to earn a Black Belt with the degree of effort I am committing myself to.

Answer 1

It depends on how hard you train and how fast you learn. Ballpark it at 3-5 years.

However, you're missing the point here. Black belt is not the goal - it's only the beginning. A black belt does not mean master, not does it mean you're done learning. A black belt signifies only that you've become adept enough at the most basic techniques of the art, and are now ready to begin the majority of the real training. Black belt is not the end of the path - it's only the starting point :)

By traditional standards, a master was defined as any skilled martial artist who had been demonstrated set skills and had been training in the style for at least 10 years.

Answer 2

Best bet would be to ask your teacher. He can gauge the way you learn and practice better then people who don't even know you.

Answer 3

It could take from 3 to 10 years.  I would expect an average of five years.  It all depends upon your own level of talent, experience and how often you come to class.  This question is best posed, though, to your Hapkido instructor.

Answer 4

5-7 years

Answer 5

3-5 years if you are already in good shape. traditional Korean arts usually have a fairly strict testing schedule. you should be able to tell after a couple of tests how well you are going to advance. slow isn't always bad!