What is a Black Belt? Why are people willing to work so hard for years to earn one?
Why are others willing to pay thousands of dollars to be guaranteed one? Why do so
many quit soon after receiving a Black Belt?
I asked the first question when I started our Black Belt class at the new Centennial
School and it is asked frequently in the sphere of martial arts. Literally, it is a piece of
black cloth that can be tied around your waste. In the Japanese martial arts tradition, a
black belt started out as a white belt and as it got dirty with age it turned black as a
testament to the length of time the practioner had devoted to training and study. A
Black Belt, to the non-martial artist has also come to symbolize excellence or expertise
in martial arts. Unfortunately, in this time of "McDojos" and "Black Belt Factories" the
Black Belt has become a commodity to be purchased and guaranteed by contract. I am
dismayed when I see 5 or 6 year old First Dan Black Belts or 8 year old Second Dans
that are produced by these strip mall charlatans, I doubt anyone that young can learn
and refine the skills associated with a Black Belt, let alone understand and practice the
personal characteristics of a Black Belt. This type of commercialization has deluded the
meaning of the Black Belt rank.
In economic terms a black belt is what it costs to make it and how much consumers
are willing to pay for it, I can get a black belt from any number of wholesalers for $12 -
$30. Others have put a dollar value on a black belt when they sign multi-year contracts
with the local "McDojo" guaranteeing a black belt at the end of the contract term. I
have seen those contracts for up to 5 years and $17, 000. Some black belts get value
through the time and effort the student puts in to achieve the rank of First Dan. In the
accounting world we call that sweat equity. In the Taekwon-Do world we call it blood,
sweat, endless repetitions, sleepless nights and sore muscles equity.
The way things are now, there are a plethora of martial arts styles and as many
schools out there that have just as many different philosophies, including their own
definition of what a Black Belt is. I guess ultimately, the individual decides what the
Black Belt means for them personally and it is the responsibility of the individual to go
out there and find a school or club that shares that definition.
I started martial arts when I was about 9 years old, a virtual
senior citizen compared to the kids that practice martial arts
today. I would tell you how long I have been training in
Taekwon-Do but, for those of you who can add, it would give
away my age. In all those years, I have been exposed to a wide
range of martial arts, martial artists and their philosophies. I
have developed my own personal philosophy on what a Black Belt means and as Head
Instructor of a Taekwon-Do school, that is also my sc
hope that all of my students share my philosophy
students that haven't shared my philosophy have left my school to find
Instructors whose definition they
(yes, I dare to use the "Q" word) Taekwon
People begin their training and set their Black Belt goal for a lot of different reasons.
I will never forget a parent, who was living her life through her son's accompli
so she had this poor 10 year old boy involved in so many different activities he was
doing something different every night of the week including Taekwon
piano and so on. I felt sorry for him! He was a smart and skilled martial
was only attending class a maximum of once a week. One night after class this parent
approached me and asked, "What is the fastest way I can get my son to Black Belt?" I
figured she left out the rest of the question that probably would ha
move him on to another activity adding one more of my son's accomplishments to MY
resume."
Those who know me, wouldn't be surprised at my answer. I told her, "I can order
in a black belt for $12 and we can have it in about a week
name embroidered on it and it should arrive in about 10 days."
So I thought I better get serious fast. I explained the training and time requirements.
She let me know in no uncertain terms that his schedule
could not meet the requirements. That was the last time I saw that student and his
mother. The saddest part of the whole thing is that if his mother had let him
time and effort he could have been an outstanding Black
I recently saw a t-shirt, (some of the greatest truths are found on t
bumper stickers) that said "A Black Belt isn't something you get, it is something you
become." AMEN! That sums up my feelings exactly about what a Black Belt
I believe a Black Belt represents excellence, our school motto is "Seek Perfection,
Accept Excellence." I have known many students who go through the motions of
getting to the Black Belt level, they do the minimum necessary,
school's definition. It is my sincerest
philosophy. I know for a fact that some of my
other
were more comfortable with, or they have simply quit
Taekwon-Do.
Taekwon-Do, soccer, choir,
have gone, "so I can
elt week. For $25 he can have his
She was not amused.
was completely full and he
Belt.
, while whining the
hool's . accomplishments,
artist, but he
ve or put in the
t-shirts and
is.
entire
time about how difficult it is physically or how demanding it is on their schedule or how
they are missing out on other activities. These
Belt quality in my school. I would never give them permission to
the experience for those that go above and beyond the minimum requirements.
Anyway this type of student soon quits after receiving their First Dan because they did
not really become a Black Belt and they are content with their black
a side note, it has been my experience, generally speaking, it is the most talented
students who are natural martial artists that fall into
their talent and natural ability to get by, never really e
they were willing to put forth 100% effort.
people are NOT Black Belt quality. On the other hand some of the finest Black Belts I
have known started out with no natural ability or tal
hard time putting one foot in front of the other. But they work hard, sweat, go through
endless repetitions, put in as many classes as possible never slacking for a minute.
what it takes to become a Black Belt in his Student/Instructor
Relationship (Sajeji Do
be willing to sacrifice for his art...
Encyclopedia of Taekwon
45.) Unfortunately, most people misunderstand this precept
because they misunderstand the meaning of the word
'sacrifice'.
so many pe
connotation. That is to say people think sacrifice is a bad
thing. Sacrifice is a good thing! The best definition I have run across of sacrifice is:
"The giving up of something good, for something better.
Now let's put General Choi's precept together with this definition of sacrifice;
student who wants to become a Black Belt must be willing to give up something good,
like casual time or other hobbies, for something better, becoming a
attitude, along with knowledge and skill are how
In my martial arts experience I have met people who are so focused on perfecting
their technique for Dan testing that they lose sight of developing a true
character. This type of person may be impressive in demonstrating physical skill, but
are lacking in the demeanor required for a Black Belt. As the saying goes "a wrench in
the hand of a gorilla is not a tool." So even
character is not a Black Belt and can be a dangerous combination.
are average martial artists and not Black
test, it would cheapen
piece of cloth.
that category. They rely
excelling the way they could
They tend to be the real whiners!
talent whatsoever, often they have a
, I believe General Choi Hong Hi revealed th
ìì¦ì´ ë) "#2. A good student must
art..." (The Condensed
Taekwon-Do, General Choi Hong Hi, page
I would like to put this into perspective because
people give the concept of sacrifice a negative
better." (Ezra Taft Benson)
Black Belt
students become Black Belts.
Black Belt
a student with the greatest skill without the
As
solely on
xcelling if
These
ent the secret to
ople a
Belt. This
In my school, a student doesn't just earn a Black Belt by
becoming proficient in kicks, blocks, strikes, patterns, step
sparring, self-defense, breaking and tournament competition. I
do not believe in average Black Belts. A student must excel in all
of the physical requirements according to their own physical
abilities driven by the attitude of sacrifice for the art. They must
also develop the characteristics of the tenets of Taekwon-Do, they
must exemplify in their actions, attitudes and behaviors Courtesy, Integrity,
Perseverance, Self Control and Indomitable Spirit. So becoming a Black Belt is a "whole
package" deal, developing the physical, mental and spiritual aspects of one's life.
Again as I look back at the finest Black Belts I have known over the years and they
range from First Dan novices to Ninth Dan Grand Masters, they have all had excellent
physical skills, but in addition, they were humble, caring and personable people. There
is no arrogance or condescension when they dealt with lower ranks. There was no ego
or contention when dealing with those of equal ranks.
Unfortunately, these type of Black Belts are not the rule. Far too many have worked
to get the Dan ranking for ego purposes, or have had their egos inflate as the gold bars
on their belt increase. I have also known "Black Belts" whose attitudes are in direct
opposition to General Choi's precepts, they are arrogant, self-centered, abusive with
lower ranks both physically and emotionally. They are egotistical and contentious with
fellow Black Belts. One of my favorite stories is about several Seventh and Eighth Dans
that were attending a seminar put on by General Choi Hong Hi, the creator and Father
of Taekwon-Do. What an incredible experience that must have been. But instead of
taking full advantage of such a rare opportunity, they got caught up in a contest of
egos arguing over which direction the knot of the belt should open. They wasted the
General's time and immense knowledge asking him to address this silly and trivial
matter. The General gave a wonderful answer to this petty little squabble among the
"elite" group of upper Dans. I will share that answer with you on another occasion.
Even though their skills may have ranged from passable to extraordinary (most of them
could probably beat me soundly in sparring) and they have earned their rank through
physical tests, they do not have my respect and they would not be welcome in my
school.
Another important aspect to the character of becoming a Black Belt is a depth of
interest and knowledge of martial arts, not just the techniques but the philosophy and
history. Those who focus only on physical training are superficial practioners. A
student must also break a mental sweat to become a Black Belt. As I evaluate First
Dan candidates I look for an intellectual curiosity. Does the candidate ask questions?
Does the candidate read and study about the various aspects of Taekwon-Do? I even
think a candidate that is a voracious consumer of cinema martial arts demonstrates an
intellectual curiosity worthy of becoming a Black Belt.
This type of mental training is difficult because most of it takes place outside of the
training hall and independent of an instructor and other students. Regrettably, the vast
majority of students restrict their training to the physical activity that takes place in
class. The typical, dare I say, the average student doesn't give any thought to
Taekwon-Do or martial arts outside the school. This is tragic because Taekwon-Do can
benefit the student in their lives outside of the training hall! Someone who has become
a Black Belt can effectively translate his or her training and experience into all aspects
of their lives.
A First Dan Black Belt is not a destination at the end of trip of only a few years, but
a benchmark in a life long journey. The other phenomenon I can't understand is the
First Dan that quits just a few months after receiving his Black Belt. Obviously this
person has put in the time and effort only to pad their resume with "Black Belt". This
type of attitude is not uncommon among martial arts students. I have never been able
to get comfortable with the idea of people that work hard for several years to test for
their First Dan Black Belt only to quit (there's that "Q" word again) thinking they have
made the ultimate accomplishment in Taekwon-Do. That's like a 12 year old quitting
school after making it through the sixth grade saying that they have accomplished the
ultimate in education.
The ideal that martial arts is a way of life has eluded the First
Dan quitter. These students have earned a Black Belt, but they have
not become a Black Belt. So their resume will look good, but they
will not receive the full benefit that a Black Belt has to offer
throughout a life lived as a true martial artist. A life lived as a Black
belt is rich and rewarding as the lessons learned in the dojo
permeate through all the other aspects of a person's life. No one in
Taekwon-Do tests for a Black Belt, they test for a First Dan, if they
pass the test they are still considered a beginner, there are 8 more
degrees to go!
I just want to reiterate that this is my philosophy and definition of a Black Belt. I
am not saying that I am right and others are wrong. I am just putting out my ideas in
hopes that those who are in agreement can find a home in my school. Those who
disagree need to take the time and put in the effort to find a school that more closely
mirrors their idea of what a Black Belt is. So what is a Black Belt? What do you think? Add a Comment Back to All Articles