My colleague, Daryl, was recently looking at the martial edge forum when a post regarding whether children were capable of earning black belts caught his eye... I imagine the magazine's official stance, given that we recently inducted Megan Abel into our Hall of Fame [for being an outstanding martial athlete and role model for her peers - as well as a black belt holder] is that, yes, children are capable of being labelled 'Black Belt' as long as they satisfy all the criteria for gradings. [The matter of life experience and depth of knowledge notwithstanding...]

What I'm curious about is whether you deserve to hold a black belt for the rest of your life without reservation or, like a pilots license, it ought to validated periodically? Someone who earned a black belt in their early twenties but who hasn't practised martial arts for a subsequent thirty odd years must surely forfeit the title of 'black belt'... especially if, in the intervening years, they've been piling on the pounds and break into a sweat just thinking about running for a bus.

I wonder if all those black belted martial artists of a certain age and girth out there still possess the ability to pass a black belt grading?

The complete grading system has now become a joke and should be done away with. The only person who recognizes Black Belt is the person you are buying it from.

ianmccranor wrote:


I mean no disrepect here Ian, but if you feel that way, then why did you use pictures of yourself wearing your dogi and 'worn in' obi in the April edition that MAI ran on you?

I'm guessing you both earned your black belts back in the day, and I reckon they were a pretty big deal when you did and certainly mean something to the pair of you. We ran a letter a few months back which addressed the current state of black belt grading and I suppose that bears some relevance as to whether or not an out of practise and out of shape ex Karateka could still pass a grading...

Ian, if the current grading system were to be replaced, what would you replace it with? Yet another governing body for schools to sign up to? I know that, if I were to undertake attaining a black belt, I'd want to know it was a worthwhile endeavour that was going to test me... I certainly wouldn't expect one until I had at least five solid years of training under my, um... belt.

Great thread, I think a good discussion on this topic is well over due.

Why did I wear a black belt in April’s edition of Martial arts illustrated? I guess because I was wearing a gi and that was the belt I pulled out if my bag, but point taken though. I am guessing that if the likes of Terry O’Neil and Pete Spanton saw the those pictures they would also be saying, what the hell is he doing wearing a Black Belt.

What would we replace the current grading system with? I have no idea but I think a debate on the fact that the system is broken may be a good place to start.

Good point... As it is, most belt related posts usually swing around to that subject pretty quickly! I'll go and post a new topic now...

I reckon that I do!!! But of course I'm biased. I guess only you and your Sensei and examining panel really know whether you do deserve a black belt. It took me 7 1/2 years of solid training to get to some sort of standard capable of taking the Shodan grading.

However I definately think that the standard to achieve a black belt now is probably less than it used to be although I can't speak from experience. Personally my grading was very rigorous, about an hours worth of solid kihon, hard kumite and lots of kata. Plus a fairly in depth oral exam on the history and meaning behind karate. So after that I definately felt that I deserved my black belt.

I do reckon that different schools, associations and governing bodies hand out black belts and equivalents at different standards though. Maybe there could be a way of stabilising that but other than a national governing body I'm not sure how.

The standard of black belt depends completely on where your learning and whether or not your instructor is happy teaching you the complete technique. I've known instructors to hold back info for any reasons. Some were honorable as they would like to see their student get it right before they progress and others weren't. Some schools have such little skill they genuinely don't know and are concentrating on getting people to black belt so they can teach bringing more students to the school.
As for the system of forms that you have to go through in order to attain your black belt I am happy with it. It's very important you practise as many differnent techniques as many times as you can so that any situation can be handled, within reason.

I agree this reply. The complete grading system has now become a joke and should be done away with. The only person who recognizes Black Belt is the person you are buying it from.
And I am new here.