going 3 nights a week generally how long before you can get a black belt. Its not that I value getting a black belt. I'm just trying to see how many arts I can train in before I turn 50.Im 27.
Most karate associations seem to run gradings every three months. Usually a student is required to 'wait' 6 months between at least the final 2 gradings no matter how much they train. Depending on the style there are usually between 10 and 8 kyu grades to go through.
10 years to get a black belt might mean a person has busted their balls for a decade in one club, or a person has been lazy for a decade in another club. Time in grade is an individual measurement and shouldn't be taken as an indicator of skill.
As many as you want. How much of those systems you'll learn is another matter. For instance, I've technically trained in Combat Hapkido and Brazilian Jiujitsu, though the former was just a two-hour seminar and the latter was three years of formal instruction, lots of out-of-class practice for years with competent, competitive practitioners when I could no longer afford to attend the school, and three seminars with top-level guys. My knowledge of the former barely exists, but I've spent probably upwards of $2000 worth in instruction in the latter, and have been practicing it for years. So I guess the question is, what do you really want out of your training?
Focusing too much on receiving the token versus actually developing a skill set. The black belt is a symbol, and it's issued by people with wildly varying standards for wildly varying reasons. It's not a particularly good indicator of skill. Belt collectors are people who make it their priority to achieve recognition and rank in various styles. Hannibal is suggesting that shouldn't be the priority.
So true. Except. Wing chun... That style I think I forgot. Anyways chi is a symbol for guidance anyways
I want to be angry at this. I want to tell you you're a bad man and that you're wrong. But I can't because 99% of the time you're right. Damn you The majority of the time people who practice katas don't/can't apply it, even after years of training in some cases. So yeah, it really is a dance for a lot of people. Say whaaa....?! Most organisations make you wait around 5 years if you go for your grades when you're told and pass first time, every time. Most commercial clubs aren't McDojos', but a lot of them also don't deserve the title "dojo" either in my eyes. They're just commercial clubs taken by guys that like their hobby and want to make money. Besides, a McDojo would be more likely to give it to you in 2 years. And you need to define "legit" in that context. Most don't because the sheer costs of running classes multiple times a week would eat any money they make to cover their overheads, pay licence and organisational fees and so forth. Before I say this next bit I want to make it clear I don't consider myself "good" or an authority or anything else on the subject of karate. I love my karate, but that's it. Spoiler With that said, here's something to think about: The dojo I train at runs 6 days a week across a fairly large area (for the UK). The chief instructor makes frequent trips to train across Europe and with much stricter Japanese sensei and most recently the grandson of the founder of our style. He has trained virtually daily for the last 43 years (if I have my dates right) both in dojo and as a private student of T.Takamizawa and M.Shiomitsu sensei (google 'em). To get a black belt from him, you have to be training a realistic minimum of 8-10 years (unless you're really special - and that figure is still if you pass your gradings well and first time), compete reasonably often and then your BB grading isn't done by him but by a group of impartial black belts who make a trip once a year to a special grading day just to examine people hoping to obtain their shodan (first level black belt). His roll of honour for past and present black belts from his dojo over 3 decades of teaching numbers about 36 (ignoring honourary members). That still doesn't mean that anyone who hasn't studied karate in the same way for the same time is in a McDojo. That's horrendously insulting to a lot of people that mean well but may not have the time or money to train like that.
Joe Lewis earned his in a year, as the story goes. While he sadly lost his battle with cancer not so terribly long ago, I'd LOVE to have seen someone try and tell him he didn't deserve his black belt when he was alive.
Who was Joe Lewis? As I understand it, the "Tiger of Shotokan Karate" went through his BB grades incredibly quickly too. He had a level of understanding and athleticism I don't think any of us could ever match, though.
Do you hear that sound? That's the Baby Jesus crying. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Lewis_%28martial_artist%29
After accidentally agreeing to meet a couple of mormons in a few days and being given their book to read, I needed that sound :cry: :bang: I'm having a dumb and cynical day. That's essentially all I understood what from you said. Could you elaborate a little more?
No. Just no. Go sit in the corner and don't come back until you've had a good hard think about what you've said. We might have to put together a Martial Artists 101 as required reading before anyone is allowed on MAP in future. *walks off shaking his head and sucking his teeth mumbling about the youth of today* Mitch