age limit for black belt

[kazon33]

I was wondering if anyone had an oppinion on placing a minimum age requirement on who can become a black belt. I have seen alot of kids get to black belt and then after they get there they stop working and eventually quit, or they just dont set a good example to the other students. I am starting to believe that an age limit should be in place.

does anyone either run a school or attend one that has a minimum age on black belt? how does your school handle promotions of kids who are too young but reach the highest belt they can attchieve without going to black belt?

[pstevens]

There should definitely be an age limit on black belts! Either set an age limit on your school or create a special temporary belt for kids who have met the time/technical requirements, but not the age. Ofcourse, you may run into some problems, because kids in general need more motivation than adults. However, you're doing this for the prestige of your school. Kids and their parents will understand if you talk to them.

[kazon33]

It seems like the standard minimum age for most schools with an age restriction is 16 for black belt and that seems reasonable to me. If someone got a Jr black belt at age 14 and stuck with it for 2 more years to get there 1st dan then that would maybe ensure that they are acctually committed to the martial arts and hopefully wont leave as soon as they get their black belt. once you get that 1st dan that is when the next level of training begins.

[Ben Grimm]

I have to agree there. My shifu is different though. He teaches the forms in order, and when you are proficient in one you learn the next. But he won't teach you application until you're mature enough to learn it.

[Scott Bolinger]

if they know enough and there skill level is good enough to achieve a black belt, then thats what they get. But part of my program is to train officials and instructors and usually a young kid can't comprehend what a coach or official needs to do and know.

[7r14ngL3Ch0k3]

Age limit? What about actual skill limit?

This is why so many blackbelts these days are invalid.

[Birmingham]

I have seen alot of kids get to black belt and then after they get there they stop working and eventually quit, or they just dont set a good example to the other students.

if you keep teach them good stuff, they will keep coming back for more, and they will pass it on to their peers.

better to add a minimum amount of years studied in your school, rather than a minimum amount of years since birth

[Ben Grimm]

That's an excellent idea, but you know what they say..... In about 3 years you can attain a black belt.....

[Scott Bolinger]

well, on the skill level, I couldn't see a 10 year old kid testing for a black belt and breaking between 4 and 6 boards. But, knowlede of what to do, and why you do certain techinqeus a certain way, is important.

[Ben Grimm]

That's also very important, but these days it's too easy for a 10 year old to get a black belt. Which then means jack all, because a 10 year old black belt isn't going to be able to drop an unarmed assailant weighing 150+lbs.

[Birmingham]

i see nothing wrong with giving a black belt to someone after 3 years so long as they have actually been taught the skill worthy of a black belt level.

i could teach u to block multiple random punching combinations blindfolded in 1 hour, and u can tell ur friends "u can be better than an average 10-year-ninja in just 1 hour" and that would be no problem because it would be true. it's all about quality, not quantity. quality is not bound by time.

[JadeDragon]

I hear a lot of people say that a child (younger than 17) shouldn't be awarded a black belt because he/she wouldn't be able to defeat/fight an adult like another adult would because of size, strength, experience, etc..... This is crazy. So if an adult black belt can't defeat another adult does that mean he is stripped of his black belt??? This is stupid reasoning. If the child knows the material and can handle himself against someone his age and/or size then I see no problem with giving him a black belt (and not some bogus Jr. black belt). How about this scenerio..........a 140 pound adult, 22 years of age going for their black belt? Would you say he can't get his black belt because he wouldn't be able to hold his own against a 200 pound adult man? Same situation/arguement as with the child isn't it??

[Birmingham]

well i would say a well trained child could beat a thug of any size. but i would say that seen as i've studied a style named after and somewhat invented by a pair of girls

[Ben Grimm]

I've studied the same style.

[kazon33]

That's also very important, but these days it's too easy for a 10 year old to get a black belt. Which then means jack all, because a 10 year old black belt isn't going to be able to drop an unarmed assailant weighing 150+lbs.

I agree that it is way to easy for a 10 year old to get a black belt. there are some kids that have the skill to be black belt, but at the end of the day they are still kids and not experienced enough to handle that responsibility.