Martial Arts Belts, Ranks, and Promotion
April 16, 2008
When people think of the martial arts, they usually think of people wearing belt ranks, or more specifically, the Black Belt. What is not common knowledge is the fact that the belt rank systems modern martial arts styles use are a fairly new addition to the ancient traditions of the martial arts.
Martial arts historians agree that the founder of Judo (means “the gentle way”), Jigoro Kano, was the first instructor to use colored belt ranks sometime around the turn of the century. Soon after Kano sensei started using colored belts for his students, many other instructors from other martial arts styles and systems began using them as well. Now, virtually every martial arts style uses some sort of colored belt rank system as an easy way for the instructors and students to tell how long a student has been training, and how much they have learned.
The standards for what a student should know and the techniques they should be able to demonstrate to earn a particular rank vary from school to school. As a new student in the martial arts, you should be aware that students in some schools may move through the ranks at a faster or slower pace than other schools do.
Does not mean that their school is “better” or “not as good” as yours? Although you should respect students from other styles and schools, be wary of schools that turn out black belts and instructors very rapidly. Generally speaking, it should take an average student at least four years to earn a legitimate black belt in a striking style. And, in some grappling styles (like Brazilian jiu jitsu) 8-10 years to black belt is the norm.
My suggestion is that you forget about earning rank and instead focus on learning skills. It is important that you focus on learning first, and advancing in the belt ranks second. A good student knows that they earn their rank by living up to it… working hard in training, paying attention in class, listening to the instructors, and practicing at home. Worrying about how long it will take to get the next belt will not get you to the next rank any faster. Just keep working hard and that martial arts belt display rack on your wall will fill up before you know it.
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About the Author: Mike Massie has been teaching the martial arts for over twenty years, and is a well-known and outspoken advocate on the topic of ethical martial arts school management. He resides in Austin, Texas and runs a full-time martial arts studio in nearby Hutto, TX.
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