Joined: 5/10/2008
Posts: 2
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In this day and age more and more people are practicing martial arts and the availability of a black belt it growing. Black belts use to mean you were "hard core" and you have that black belt around your waist for a reason you put in the time and brutal training to start perfecting your martial arts.
But now everyone is able to get that black belt young kids, adults, teenagers, so my question is do we as martial artists still hold the BLACK BELT is high regard like we use to or is it just something we can buy now?
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Joined: 5/10/2008
Posts: 4
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Ooo...this is a good topic.
I think it's both.
An average person may not understand the commitment put into earning a black belt, and they may see it as just an object (just a piece of cloth) that can be bought. But for those who were forced to EARN their belt, and weren't just given it by default, a black belt represents all the time and effort they put in to achieve that rank. Master Rath once said something to the effect of "if I were offered a million dollars for all the knowledge I've gained (a.k.a. for my black belt), I would decline the offer". I would too.
Also, I think there is something to be said about the difference in the quality of movement between an adult black belt and a child black belt. Obviously there will be a more noticeable grace and intent behind the adult's movement, unless the child was trained like an adult (which most kids couldn't handle, because they aren't adults and get bored if we try to train them like adults). You have to evaluate the individual, be it child or adult, on their comprehension, determination, and physical ability, but also by the growth they've made since they started their training. Not everyone is going to be a Master Ping, or an Instructor Aaron, or a Master Rath. But reaching that black belt is about personal growth and achieving a goal. And learning how to kick butt. There's the value, and most who have trained for and achieved their black belt can understand this, and cant put a price on it.
I'm sick and delirious and it's causing me to ramble. 
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