Kid blackbelts ? ?

Question

As long as they use the same standards of testing I have no problem but they don't I have yet to meet an 8 year old that is willing to full contact spar an adult. But by lowering the standards for the kids we are also lowering the standard of the blackbelt. Or that is what I believe.

Answer 1

I’m completely against it.

Like Stephen said it’s just a question of retention to keep them interested until they are in age. It kills the spirit and sanctity of the Martial Arts. Unless someone can prove me that the kids of our society can live up to the standards of the Shaolin monk kids I’ll reconsider it. But here they consider a black belt like a cool thing to have and a pride to their parents.

Moreover, Martial Art is something of the mind and spirit. Kids will do what they are been told and won’t go beyond. MA is also a responsibility, towards the others and your

Martial Art.

I would use the following analogy, driving age. A lot of 10-15 could be a much better driver than many adults out there but why can’t they have a license? Because they need to grow up, learn about life and its responsibilities before having the right to drive. Drinking age the exact same thing.

I must add that if punching and kicking like James video’s kid is what it takes to make Martial Art then along the line something has been forgotten. It takes more than punches and kicks to be a Martial Art. It requires a philosophy, precepts and rules. For my part only punch and kick I call it Tae Bo or a sport. What he said “It’s my dream, it’s my dream!” Well it tells it all, it’s all cute and stuff but at 10 you dream as well to be a ninja, astronaut, fireman and gods know what.

However, I do teach to kids at my Dojang and some are promising and other pretty cutes and will not stop teaching them nor I’m against them practicing a Martial Art but see for them more a sport or a hobby. I do believe that it’s really good for them to prepare them in life.

16 should be the age to get your first Dan according to me.

If I reopen a Dojang I will not accept kids under 10 but again I’m really traditional when it comes to Martial Arts.

Answer 2

We have children black belts.  If you have ever seen a national competition, you can see 10 year olds that are incredible.  

Check this one for example:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2O1nTCxEu...

This kid is not some rare example, we have kids this good at our school.

We also have kids that, in my opinion, should not be black belts.  

But I don't agree with the notion that they need to wait until they are 16, or wait 4 years.  Those are just numbers.  When they are ready, they should be promoted.  

Our school has about 12 black belts that are under 12.  I'd say about 1/2 of them deserve it, and the other half don't.  But that is the master's call, not mine.

James

EDIT:  Bottom line, if you are good enough, you are old enough.  Should soccer great Pele have been held out of the World Cup because he was only 16?  Another note is that children in Korea & Japan can earn black belts, why shouldn't children in the USA be able to do the same?

I totally disagree that it is a "retention" method.  Alot of kids quit when they get their black belt.  It would be easier to retain them by making them wait an extra 6 years or something ridiculous like that.  

James

Answer 3

You have some good points and I do sympathise with Lucia above me.

In my karate club, the youngest 'black-belt' is a 12 year old girl, albeit she is a junior 'black-belt'.

Thus, kids under sixteen years old have to test for a junior 'black-belt' first.

When a youngster reaches age 16 years old, they have to re-test for the 'black-belt proper'.

It is nothing more and nothing less than a (sad) sign of the times.

Answer 4

I practice Okinawa Goju-Ryu Shobukan.  The head quarters are in Okinawa,Japan and the belts are issued from Okinawa with traditional standards.  Shobukan is a member of the All-Okinawan Karate-Do Federation.  The standard for Okinawan Karate is a minimum is 16 years old. Originally, in Japanese martial arts,  a black belt had to given to you by the emperor.  I trained 7 years beforreceivingng mine and I started at 39.  

  At some schools it only how much you want to pay. Rank is irrevelant.  Work on being your best and improving.  You want to be a good black belt.  If you suck what does the belt mean.

Answer 5

I believe anyone who is talented and diplined enough should be able to earn a black belt.

Answer 6

When I used to go to karate you could be a black belt at any age, but had to wait a year from taking your belt before black. However, one of the requirements from purple upwards was that you helped teach a class, and sometimes the main teacher would let them take the whole class. This was completely ridiculous because they decided that, for instance, a six year old was capable of taking a class and teaching people in their late teens and old because they were of a higher belt. It was utterly ridiculous and I left after taking my sixth belt for this reason.  

Answer 7

If they really deserve it, being talented and all, then great.  But like you said, I can't stand it how people just give black belts out.  I used to do tae kwon do and gave that up because it was a joke where I went.  You could get a new belt every month, as long as you pay a fee and pretend to try your best.  People would mess everything up, but to them, it's like whatever, we got our money.  Here's your belt.  Boo.

Answer 8

we have junior blackbelts too. it basically means that you get a blackbelt below the age of 15. we also have adult blackbelts (older than 15). i have never heard of an 8 year old blackbelt but then again there could be many out there. at my studio we have 13 adult blackbelts and 7 junior blackbelts. our studio isn't very big. for the blackbelt test you have to do the whole curriculum and you have to spar and breack boards and all that.  

Answer 9

the place where i used to train had two different belt sets one for kids and one for 16+. The place where i train at now has one belt set but does not teach joint locking to kids  

Answer 10

I think it's stupid.  But they're so cute running around in the gi.  haha.  Oh, what the hey, give em a black belt!

Answer 11

I used to be in karate, but then I quit because I thought it got boring (no offense) but the school I used to go to, it took about 3-4 year to get your black belt and we had a promotion about every couple months .. they higher you got, the longer you had to wait for a promotion, because they have to make sure that your really ready, and to get your black belt you had to do this test thing, but I['m not sure what is was because I only made it to the blue belt :/

Answer 12

yea i totally agree with you.

at my school we start kids at 4 but their class is hardly karate. what we do to prevent 8 year old black belts is we split up the belt system to half belts and split belts. so from ages 4-6 is the little ninjas class and they earn belts that are like half white belts. when you move to the next class (7-10) you start earning belts that are like half yellow belts and when you reach the next class you can earn a full yellow belt then move up ranks normally.

The minimum testing age is 14 here but we only have on who tested while he was under 16, he was 15 and a half but he was amazing.

I guess if the standards were the same for everyone i would be ok with like 8 year olds testing but it would depend on how hard the standards at the place were.  

Answer 13

i disagree with bestowing a blackbelt to anyone under 16 except in extreme circumstances; there are some prodigies out there, but not 3 or 4 in every school.  i think at 16 you can be expected to do anything a full adult would be expected to do, and before that time, no dice.  this problem comes out of kata practicing schools alot of times. you learn a kata, get a belt, learn a kata, get a belt. no test of practical skills at all. im not bashing kata, it can be a great tool, but its part of the means, not the end itself. and this is how you end up with black belts young and old who couldnt defend themselves for anything.

Answer 14

The problem I have with a  7,8 or 9 year old black belt is that it could make them over confident in their abilities.

I have spoken with Kenpo Grandmaster Richard "Huk" Plans about this and he sees it this way.

When someone says that "when you corner a kitten they will fight with the ferocity of a lion". While that may be true, the still only have the strength of a kitten.

Answer 15

In American Society no person under 18 will receive a Dan rank from me, unless they truly possess the character and skill of an adult.

Answer 16

First let me say that "Blackbelt" is the most misunderstood and misused tool in martial arts.

Kid black belts? Sorry but there shouldn't be ANY.

I have been around fantastic kids with great talent from 10 to 15 years old but to reward them with a blackbelt is just a way to keep them in the school. A retention method. A Junior blackbelt. WTH is that? Being politically correct? No, again  it is just another retention method. Schools need students to stay in business.

Maturity is a necessary part of the black belt agenda and that only comes with time. There is nothing that will ever change that!

I have seen great kids quit because of the age requirement for a blackbelt but life is full of waiting and disappointment. Get used to it now there is a lot more coming if you are only 12.

I do hate to see talented youths quit but what other answer is there? Junior blackbelts? Some youths don't deserve a blackbelt even at 17.

Most blackbelts today are just a waste of cloth and die.

I can't suggest what to about this issue but I can tell you what not to do. Sorry but NO kid blackbelts unless you enjoy wearing meaningless cloth and die.