You're right, but that's technically nothing to do with the belt. Everyone's maturity levels are different. As a teacher you do your best but only the practitioner can take what you say to heart or not. I think what this thread does show quite nicely though is how subjective a 'black belt' actually is.
Very good point there. Again though I'd have to emphasise, it doesn't matter whether you gain that experience from ages 50 to 55 or 14 to 19.
For me it's not just "maturity" (whatever that means). For anyone getting a black belt I want to see how they react when someone sits on their chest and hits them, how they act around the class in general, how they relate to other students, how they come back from injury, how they react during SD scenario training, how they react when someone is effing and jeffing in their face, etc etc. So not stuff they have to take from me or agree with my point of view. But a process. So they would gain the benefits whether they take what I say to heart or not. Well that's the idea anyway. I can agree that such things aren't age dependent per se but would argue that most (not all) "children" couldn't hack doing them.
don't worry, it's me who doesn't want a student like you in my dojo ( BTW : if the avatar it's you, you are a terrible kicker ). And I want to say to the others that I believed this was a serious forum where the reciprocal respect was a must, but I see that just after a simple opinion of mines, your aggressivity has exploded. I don't think I want to interchange opinions anymore , because I NEVER LIKED VULGARITY. Thanks to the few posters who manteined good manners even when they disagreed with me ...I appreciate it very much... bye
Hello, Great bun fight going on here. I thought I'd throw this into the mix. The Zen Nihon Karatedo Renmei Wadokai (JKF Wadokai to you and me) does not stipulate ages for dan grades. Here is a copy of their overseas regs pertaining to the criteria. http://www.karatedo.co.jp/wado/engli.../index.html#11 "Members wishing to acquire dan grade, titles or other qualifications must satisfy the prerequisites stipulated in the tables below:" Shodan (1 Dan) - Must be 1 kyu - Trained in Karate for at least 5 years. Nidan (2 Dan) -Must be Shodan holder for 3 years or more. So, no mention of age - however timescales are important as arguably there is very little difference in terms of examination content (between 1st and 2nd dan) Just thought I'd lob that in. Gary
I can see your point here mate , and don't completely disagree. The main problem is that the above criteria are fairly subjective , i agree that they should be taken into account , but, on the whole grades are given out on specific quantifiable skills (kata , kihon etc) , for me maturity etc has more to do with wether someone is suitable to be an instructor rather than "just" a dan grade.
Making general assumptions. Again. I am so far removed from the importance of grades that you'd think I never earned a black belt. I have three, the highest of which is a 2nd Dan; had I been "sooo linked to grades" as you put it, and attended every grading when I was eligible*, I would be grading for my 5th Dan next year. But I only graded to black belt so I could compete in black belt level tournaments. * = By "eligible" I mean waiting the minimum times after each grade set by the organisation, not age limits. Llamageddon's avatar is a picture that is widely available on the Internet. His photos on MAP show that his man boobs aren't quite as epic. Still chunky though (That was humour, Mawashi, in case you were too mature to notice). Y'know, before, I would have guessed you were an old guy angry at all the younger, more athletic practitioners earning grades faster than you did. Maybe because, at 19, they're training hard and enjoying the rewards, when at that age you were playing Space Invaders and watching The Waltons. Just a guess. No? It's that, or going by your attitude and god-awful grammar, you're younger than 19 and just plain ****ed off because your lack of life experience is making you believe a black belt is something it isn't. Am I close?
OK you know, most of the time I keep my thoughts to myself but in this case I think it is going over the mark. For the record, it is absolutely impossible to watch The Waltons whilst playing space invaders and get anything out of the experience. Lord knows I tried, so please lets not go there. Gary
Allow me to offer my congratulations. i think if someone can be a 19 year old Nidan, more power to them. I think i see both sides. Age IS a factor in who gets a grade, so is maturity to a point, like wouldnt wanna give a kid a black belt, (none of us like that idea much hehe) but a 19 year old is a young man, and I am aware that in many MA it dont take 6 or 7 years to reach a BB like ours do. Also Fish of doom has told me funakoshi used to award them BB's in like 2 or 3 years and I know belts are subjective really. I see everyone else's point, and I also don't think Mawashi is completely nuts.
If the young person actually behaved immaturely, I'd see a reason for not giving them the grade. But that goes for anyone who doesn't show the correct attitude. If anyone of any age treated others disrespectfully, spent half their time in class talking, lorded it over people smaller or less skillful than them, I'd refuse to give them the grade, too.
what she said if a young guy is immature, it's to be expected, they're young. if an adult behaves in an immature manner, it's a whole different ballgame
Yup. If an older person is being a douchebag it's because they're a douchebag. If a young person is being a douchebag it's because they're young and they must be representative of all young people everywhere.
Thanks everyone. No offence taken on some of the comments. To each his own. Testing was spread out over 3 weeks. Whenever a mat was available, or during the adult class where he used the students there as Uki's. Little bit of everything he's ever learned in the past 13 years. He got his BB at 16 and his Nidan, 3 years later.
