No centralized organization governs black belt certification for all martial arts. In the case of large organizations, a head instructor may exert a level of quality control. However, most black belt certifications are approved at the level of the individual instructor. This can lead to a wide variety of quality from black belt to black belt.
Time in Rank
Some low-quality black belt programs promise certification in as little as two years, a time period most traditional martial artists consider far too short to produce a quality black belt. Although opinions vary, many martial arts masters liken a black belt to the education level of a four-year college degree. Thus, a quality black belt should require approximately four years of study. An organization might express this in the time since a student's first class. Others might require attendance of a minimum number of classes. It's also common to reduce or dismiss time in rank requirements for a new student who comes with rank from another martial arts system, such as a Taekwondo black belt who begins a karate program.
Curriculum
The curriculum of study for a black belt varies from teacher to teacher. Although different programs will place different levels of emphasis, quality black belt programs all include several areas of study. Physical techniques, self-defense concepts, fitness, history and ethics are all part of the training in any quality black belt program. Equally important is the degree to which a curriculum is formalized. A black belt program with a written list of requirements for each level is more likely to be of high quality than one that relies on an instructor's fiat.
Advanced Rank Requirements
Black belt is only the beginning of advanced martial arts study. After completing black belt rank, a student can continue to receive additional "degrees" of black belt -- second degree, third degree and upward. Upper-rank requirements tend to be less formalized than first degree black belt. They are often customized for the individual student to capitalize on his strengths and mitigate his weaknesses. As a rule, the higher "degree" a student approaches, the greater the emphasis on spiritual and ethical esoterica of the art.
Ultimate Black Belt Test
Tom Callos, a martial arts industry consultant, runs his "Ultimate Black Belt Test" as a tour de force experience for serious martial artists. A student in this 12-month course will do 55,000 pushups, run 1,000 miles and complete 100 hours of cross-training. More interestingly, the student must also perform more than 100 hours of community service, complete anger management training, practice meditation and "mend" a broken relationship. The impact of this program has begun to affect black belt requirements throughout the industry -- it's not uncommon to see a similar focus on personal growth and responsibility in other black belt requirements.
References
- Dave Coffman; martial arts instructor; Hillsboro, Oregon
- Jason Brick; owner, Bushido Martial Arts; Hillsboro, Oregon
- Tom Callos; martial arts industry consultant; Hilo, Hawaii
- The Ultimate Black Belt Test
Member Comments