Black Belt

[Anesti Vega]

What does a blackbelt mean to you?

[Derek Conley]

Diligence... dedication... heart...

The list could go on and on.

The most important aspects I find, however, are those such as humility; to attan that level is to then understand that in many ways, your journey has finally just begun.

[Dianna Nicole Keithley]

This is a very good question Anesti,

There are a few differnt perspectives on this. The physical black belt itself to me is a token of all the hard work sweat and tears you have put into training. A black belt in the sence of the person who earned it is someone who posesess the patience and wisdom to know when and when not to use they're training, who has a personal understanding of the art and how they interact with it, and act on genuine intentions. There are alot of words to describe what a black belt should be but in my opinion could be summed up like this,

You are a black belt when you posess the skill, knowledge and compassion but also realize though you might teach others you will always be a student. Remain humble and hungry to learn more, spread the dicipline, never discourage and be the best example you can be because others do look up to you!!

Sincerely~Dianna

[Gordon Stewart]

I see gaining the rank of black belt as confirmation that you are ready to start training in earnest. For example when you are at school, first you learn all the individual words before you then start to put them together to make sentences. Getting to first dan black belt to me means that you have learnt the words and are now ready to learn how to make sentences.

I feel that this further confirmed when I hear of some people who attain their black belt, but then following an incident in reallife are dis-illusioned because perhaps they did not manage to defend themselves as they had previously in the controlled arena of training. They then give up on their training as they do not appreciate or understand the basic level they are still at. This to me shows that the basics have been learnt, but there is still a long, challenging, discilpined (and very rewarding) road to follow.

Pil-Suhng!

[KianMagana]

I hope I don't offend, but it seems to me that, ultimately, it's just a nice piece of cloth to keep one's jacket proper.

[Jason Hedrick]

I could not agree more. Nowadays most Dan ranks are awarded by time in training rather than ability. As far as knowledge goes, I know plenty of Dan ranks who have knowledge but not the ability to apply it.

[Carlos A. Morales, Jr.]

Wow, many great answers and all of them correct in their own perspective. Personally, it means that the Martial Artists has now come to know all the techniques in a particular style and now has the responsibility to master them. A Black Belt doesn't mean that you will be the best fighter in the world but it will or at least should mean that you are the best person that you can be to the world.

[KianMagana]

"the best person you can be to the world."

The world needs more thinkers like you.

[Kelvin deWolfe]

I don't think it ever meant at much as we thought it did.

[Bill Pensy]

In Tang Soo Do they choose not to issue black belts to their 1st Dans. Instead they issue midnight blue belts because they felt too many people think that the black belt is the end goal when in reality we know it is just the beginning. Me personally, I know when I reached 1st Dan, my eyes where open to how little I really did know any how much more there is to learn...

[Larry Stone]

When I obtained my black belt, I realized I was just a beginner. I learned that the more I thought I knew the more I had to learn, physically, mentally, and spiritually. To make oneself better in all aspects.

[Toni J]

Getting my first black belt has just been a beginning.
It means I'm relearning everything all over again. I learned how to crawl in karate, and now I'm learning to walk. If that makes any sense at all.

[Nasaru Ward]

My belt is intimate to my own journey as it was passed from my teacher, and was his belt.....but my belt does not have the same meaning any more. In Okinawa, to be a sensei was a high honor....here in the west Kyoshi, Master, and 10nth degrees reign. I happly remove my belt and were a white belt. Too many sensei in here hide behind there political rankings.......I believe technique is a better display of education. A black belt was intended to begin ones journey. You are student......as the best teacher is one who eternaly is a student. A black belt was a significant symbol to my teacher, yet time has withered the credibility of most belts. Every one I meet now is a black belt ages 6 to 90. I even met a 3 degree sensei that was 10 years old. In okinawa, one learns a war art encapsulated as a life protection art....not a play tool!!!
Thank you very much!