What is this mysterious black belt thing ?

[Cye Kinomiya]

I think your belt color just signifies how much information you have been exposed to.

[jabonn]

LT, great to see you here! Sorry I have been kind of slack on email; I will try to be better. If you could send me another one, I will make sure I load you into my global address book. Send me your DSN and schedule too, and I will see if I can somehow work out a phone call.

Jeff Cook

Roger!

(filler for number of character rule)

[skatergirl]

From my understanding, a black belt means you've gained good control of your basics, and the real pain is about to begin.

[scruffysmileyface]

I am very proud of having earned my Shodan. 16 years ago this week, when I was in the ICU after my motorcycle accident and my First Sergeant was begging me for permission to call my parents in New Jersey to let them know that I could go at any time, nobody on Earth would have guessed that I would be able to accomplish this.

There are plenty of things I cannot do and probably will never be able to do with any degree of accuracy or finesse. That's OK. There are lots of things I can both perform and teach which people look at and go "woah".

When I started taking jujutsu, I did so with the absolute certainty that I was going to stick with it until I earned my black belt. Having done so, I attend each class with the certainty that I will continue to practice jujutsu until they roll me into the furnace. Death better be up on his ukemi.

I love it, brother. Death better be up on his ukemi.

[tgace334]

I recently earned my shodan. There was no change in my technique or my ability. However, there was a big change in how other people looked at me, and what they expected of me. Many of these people, I did not expect these changes from. The biggest change I have to make, is finding the humility to accept the fact that there are techniques that I don't do as well as some of the lower belts. I also have to learn to not worry about living up to other peoples expectations.

I find this passage an excellent statement about new leadership positions in general. I have recently been promoted at work and find myself in the same position as when I was made Sgt. I havent suddenly gained any expertise I didnt have at my previous rank, but the expetations and the way people interact with you changes considerably. If you have the proper mentality, this pushes you to live up to those new expectations.

[Oelier]

Hello all:

I am a 45 year old brown belt in Shuri-te Okinawan karate. For a long time I have dreamed of being a "black belt". I am confused, however. I am told that having earned a black belt is about equal to earning a Bachelors degree in college. I went to college, so I understand this. My sensei says that belt colors don't really mean that much. I am sure he means that he wants his students to not become egotistical or "big headed" just because of their belt color---he has said so. He has also said that after you get the black belt is when the learning really starts. So, my first question is, what "learning" is meant by this ?

My second question is--why is the black belt testing so serious and sort of mysterious if accomplishment of a black belt is not such a "big deal" ?

thanks.

First, I agree with everything everyone has said thus far. Here are my takes on your two questions:

In my experience, the learning at the black belt level is as much (or more) mental and emotional than physical. I personally did a whole lot of thinking of what it means to be a black belt. I had to come to terms with a bunch of stuff already mentioned, as well as several things not mentioned. It took me about a year-and-a-half to finally settle down and be a "black belt", not a guy who has a piece of colored cloth.

Keeping style/school-specific tests out of the picture, black belt testing tends to be (not always) a serious matter because by the time you finish, you should feel like you've done something. Pushing your knowledge and skills to the limit and yourself beyond what you think is your limit is one way of accomplishing this. At a more academic level, a black belt test (and often a ceremony) bestows a certain level of credibility in the eyes of the lower rank students not previously possessed by the new minted black belt. Right or wrong, there is a tendency for this to occur and is often taken advantage of by head instructors to help maintain discipline in the long run.

That being said, I've met at least one instructor who does not have "tests." When he sees you're ready for your next rank (including the various dan ranks), he gives you the belt.

[CEB]

.....
In my experience, the learning at the black belt level is as much (or more) mental and emotional than physical. .....

Do you think this is a good thing?

[doubleouch]

Black belt is a big deal..... Until you get one. Then you wonder why you made such a big fuss over it. If you concentrate on your training and let your instructor concentrate on belts you'll be in good shape...

[Oelier]

Do you think this is a good thing?

In general, yes. In terms of specifics, it comes down to the "end result". If you end up as one of these black belts who think they are the Avatar of Martial Arts (and act on that belief), then it's a bad thing.

[Oelier]

Black belt is a big deal..... Until you get one.

best response yet

[poetic misjustice]

When i got my black belt it felt like a big deal, i got a massive ego too i'm ashamed to admit, but in sparring two weeks later i got destroyed by a 3rd kyu. Obviously i was embarrassed but later i learned to accept that being a black belt doesn't mean you're 'one of the elite' or anything like that, i have since shrunk the ego and accepted that there will be lower belts better than you at certain aspects of training.