What should a black belt look like?

[Langenschwert]

That's a shame.

It is and it isn't. They came in with attitude with intention of showing us how much more badass they were than us. They would have been difficult to teach, despite their obvious potential. They would have been the antithesis of "the empty cup". They would have thought that their cup was full of better stuff than we had. The firefighter made the mistake of trying to take on my co-instructor (a longtime MMA/BJJ practitioner) on the ground.

 

[Ironbear24]

I had a similar experience, I was at the gym practicing on the heavy bag and this guy who was shirtless came up and asked "hey can you teach me some of that ****" ? I said I can teach you kenpo but I am no matter of it, only a student.

He said OK and I tried showing him stuff. He then ignored all the technique I showed him and proceeded to throw his own sloppy punches that were very telegraphed and terrible kicks.

I got the vibe he was just trying to look cool, he did the exact opposite though.

 

[JR 137]

Your post reminded me of a situation several years back...

A guy I worked with and I went to a bar for lunch. We were talking about MA and training stuff (he was an American Kenpo black belt, I was a Kyokushin offshoot shodan.

A guy comes over and tells us karate is useless, and we're too old for kids' stuff (we were both in our early 20s). We ignored him for a few minutes, then my friend issued a challenge..

He bet the guy $10 (who was about 6' tall) he could kick an ashtray off of his head without hitting him anywhere else. My friend was 5'5. The guy agreed.

My friend got into a sideways horse stance, let out a hilarious Bruce Lee shout, and side kicked him in the stomach. He then stood over the guy and dropped $10 on him nonchalantly saying "I lose."

The guy picked himself up off the floor and walked away quietly.

Definitely not the best thing he could have done, but hilarious nonetheless. If you knew him, you'd be amazed by his absurdity, but not surprised. He was 'that guy.'

 

[Ironbear24]

Your post reminded me of a situation several years back...

A guy I worked with and I went to a bar for lunch. We were talking about MA and training stuff (he was an American Kenpo black belt, I was a Kyokushin offshoot shodan.

A guy comes over and tells us karate is useless, and we're too old for kids' stuff (we were both in our early 20s). We ignored him for a few minutes, then my friend issued a challenge..

He bet the guy $10 (who was about 6' tall) he could kick an ashtray off of his head without hitting him anywhere else. My friend was 5'5. The guy agreed.

My friend got into a sideways horse stance, let out a hilarious Bruce Lee shout, and side kicked him in the stomach. He then stood over the guy and dropped $10 on him nonchalantly saying "I lose."

The guy picked himself up off the floor and walked away quietly.

Definitely not the best thing he could have done, but hilarious nonetheless. If you knew him, you'd be amazed by his absurdity, but not surprised. He was 'that guy.'

That's hilarious. Sounds like something I would have done.

 

[Human Makiwara]

Your post reminded me of a situation several years back...

A guy I worked with and I went to a bar for lunch. We were talking about MA and training stuff (he was an American Kenpo black belt, I was a Kyokushin offshoot shodan.

A guy comes over and tells us karate is useless, and we're too old for kids' stuff (we were both in our early 20s). We ignored him for a few minutes, then my friend issued a challenge..

He bet the guy $10 (who was about 6' tall) he could kick an ashtray off of his head without hitting him anywhere else. My friend was 5'5. The guy agreed.

My friend got into a sideways horse stance, let out a hilarious Bruce Lee shout, and side kicked him in the stomach. He then stood over the guy and dropped $10 on him nonchalantly saying "I lose."

The guy picked himself up off the floor and walked away quietly.

Definitely not the best thing he could have done, but hilarious nonetheless. If you knew him, you'd be amazed by his absurdity, but not surprised. He was 'that guy.'

I love this.

 

[FriedRice]

There aren't many overly, overweight or very old people or women, who starts out and stays in Muay Thai....the truth is, they can't hang. The very overweight ones, if they can stick with it, will start losing the weight significantly and wouldn't want to go back to being fat...otherwise they drop out. Those over 40's lasting longer than a year, is rare. 50's, then not even few months, if any. This is even before they're allowed to spar.

Now there can be someone who trained a long time and have good skills but took some time off for whatever reasons.....got fat and came back, so they need to get back into it, but they already have the skills...so that's different. Like there are fat BJJ Black Belts, but they can still whoop 90% of everyone under their rank.

 

[FriedRice]

We had a gym bunny come to our club once. Strapping young lad, came to show the sword nerds up. We did a card workout that day, and he wilted comically. He said "you guys are crazy". Note the instructors were two 40-somethings who could each stand to lose some weight (I was one). On another night, we broke a fit young firefighter who couldn't handle the conditioning.

It depends on what kind of conditioning you made him do. Like gym-bunnies who lifts weight would usually suck at heavy cardio and worse with agility.

 

[Buka]

There aren't many overly, overweight or very old people or women, who starts out and stays in Muay Thai....the truth is, they can't hang. The very overweight ones, if they can stick with it, will start losing the weight significantly and wouldn't want to go back to being fat...otherwise they drop out. Those over 40's lasting longer than a year, is rare. 50's, then not even few months, if any. This is even before they're allowed to spar.

Now there can be someone who trained a long time and have good skills but took some time off for whatever reasons.....got fat and came back, so they need to get back into it, but they already have the skills...so that's different. Like there are fat BJJ Black Belts, but they can still whoop 90% of everyone under their rank.

Yes. No. Maybe. Once in a while. And sometimes. Except for....you know the guy, yeah, that one.

Thank God we straightened that out.

 

[AIKIKENJITSU]

When I picture a black belt I used to think of a very muscular guy, looks dangerous and in general a tough guy. Now that I am no longer 7 years old I learned that for many martial arts, black belt is an impressive feat, but it does not necessarily mean you are a master.

Still even though there is that fact, I see many black belts that look obese and out of shape. Is level of fitness not a requirement for most martial arts? I know in my old kenpo dojo it was to an extent, I mean you were not required to be Mr universe or something but you had to be on good shape to spar for awhile without getting too winded to continue.

What are your thoughts on this? I am very interested to learn.

I'm a sixth degree in AKJ-Kenpo and first degree black in Tracy Kenpo. I'm old. I'm 5'2", slim and small boned. When I was 28, I had my first black and I still looked like I couldn't punch my way out of a wet paper bag. Now at 72 I look even worse, yet my speed is still as fast as when young and my strength, well I workout with the Totalgym with extra twenty pounds on it and I also work out with 20 lb dumbbells. I have always taught adults, no kids, so I could teach everything. I still can take down large guys without hitting and I still can rock a punching bag. But I workout five days a week on weights and Kenpo, always have. Therefore, anyone you see can be an expert in a martial arts. Looks deceive you because of the movies. They always show strong tall guys that know martial arts. Now a days they call any black belt that is a celebrity, a Master. Actually thee are very few masters in martial arts. A true master is someone what accomplished something most black belts can't. Of course if a black belt is old and can still teach, call him Master as a sign of respect that he devoted his whole life to teaching martial arts. Most students that achieve black belt status, stop practicing as the years go by. I am in the select few that has kept up his training throughout his entire life. To me, Kenpo martial arts is very interesting and I'm always learning something new. I have been lucky enough to have had many articles published in martial arts magazines. If I lived to be a hundred and ninety, I would never learn all there is to learn in martial arts.
Sifu

 

[maryf]

most of the men i have seen with black belt are usually slim and their body shape is even not very visible, different from gym guys. i wonder if i have cleared out, what i want to say

 

[moonhill99]

When I picture a black belt I used to think of a very muscular guy, looks dangerous and in general a tough guy. Now that I am no longer 7 years old I learned that for many martial arts, black belt is an impressive feat, but it does not necessarily mean you are a master.

Still even though there is that fact, I see many black belts that look obese and out of shape. Is level of fitness not a requirement for most martial arts? I know in my old kenpo dojo it was to an extent, I mean you were not required to be Mr universe or something but you had to be on good shape to spar for awhile without getting too winded to continue.

What are your thoughts on this? I am very interested to learn.

Turn off the TV and go to some schools!! For the most part martial arts or fighters are not Hollywood textbook image. Yes Big, muscular, strong and tough looking guy.

In real world you get skinny people, mid range, overweight, really overweight so on.

It is Hollywood that shows that strong tough guy.

As for fitness and endurance it will determine the type of person and type of martial arts with real wrestling and MMA more people into the fitness and endurance than say karate.

But there are some karate schools that are really big on fitness and endurance in class.

Also you did not say where live. In state of Texas will have more overweight people than people from Beverly Hills, Hollywood,Venice, and Santa Monica.

Also just because you are skinny does not mean your fitness and endurance is any where close to MMA level. If you never train or hardly train to work on fitness and endurance.

I have seen some overweight people having better shape than skinny people but they work on cardio ( not to level like say MMA or athletes) but they do cardio everyday it just they are overweight.

 

[Headhunter]

A black belt shouldn't look like anything it's what their skills are. I've seen a wide range of overweight black belts and skinny black belts or muscular black belts It all comes down to their preference. Some will prefer to spend their elder years working on technical knowledge rather than working out or going running some would rather hit the gym. Me personally I'm an older guy now and I'm not a black belt in anything I got a brown in kenpo before I had enough of it's bs in my area but personally now I train simply to stay in shape so my training sessions are more fitness based rather than technical because at the end of the day I'm an old man now and having a fit strong body is more important to me living a longer better life than if I've got good stances or not. So maybe my techique isn't as good as it was because I simply don't care I still know how to throw with power and defend and I'm fairly sure I can put down some punk who wants my wallet and that's all that matters. I'm never getting in the ring again and I'm never going to be a head instructor so techique isn't as big a factor anymore. But that's my opinion another guy will be different to me there's no right or wrong answer to these things

 

[frank raud]

Turn off the TV and go to some schools!! For the most part martial arts or fighters are not Hollywood textbook image. Yes Big, muscular, strong and tough looking guy.

In real world you get skinny people, mid range, overweight, really overweight so on.

It is Hollywood that shows that strong tough guy.

As for fitness and endurance it will determine the type of person and type of martial arts with real wrestling and MMA more people into the fitness and endurance than say karate.

But there are some karate schools that are really big on fitness and endurance in class.

Also you did not say where live. In state of Texas will have more overweight people than people from Beverly Hills, Hollywood,Venice, and Santa Monica.

Also just because you are skinny does not mean your fitness and endurance is any where close to MMA level. If you never train or hardly train to work on fitness and endurance.

I have seen some overweight people having better shape than skinny people but they work on cardio ( not to level like say MMA or athletes) but they do cardio everyday it just they are overweight.

Refresh my memory. What, exactly do you train in?

 

[moonhill99]

Refresh my memory. What, exactly do you train in?

Tez3 aka frank raud I checked my post history and seems you want to stir up argument with me. No other members here at martialtalk are doing it but you Tez3.

I think you get more pleasure going on message board arguing than training in martial arts if you ever are training in martial arts.

For past number of threads and posts you seem to want to also hijack it the posts and threads arguing about some thing else.

Next it be some other world news and I will reply why, how or what happen and you say I'm criticizing the person or putting blame on the person.

Next it be some posts or thread fighting almost nude on ground and I will say some people feel uncomfortable and not saying to me see doctor about it or there may be some small number people feel like it or homophobics people that I have seen first hand in work places. You say wired thread or post by OP.

You like arguing!! Or it does not sound like you get out house much or go on many message boards and know what the real world is like. Or even first hand experience talking about tragedy with people where you think spectating is really strange odd and bizarre.

If you kid or teen I can understand you don't have the world experience and understanding of discussion yet. As some one age 20 and up it simple you don't get out much or go to many message boards to get that experience and understanding that in tragedy people talk about the who,what,why and how.

Unless you get pleasure by arguing.

Also using a sockpuppet account is silly.

 

[frank raud]

Tez3 aka frank raud I checked my post history and seems you want to stir up argument with me. No other members here at martialtalk are doing it but you Tez3.

I think you get more pleasure going on message board arguing than training in martial arts if you ever are training in martial arts.

For past number of threads and posts you seem to want to also hijack it the posts and threads arguing about some thing else.

Next it be some other world news and I will reply why, how or what happen and you say I'm criticizing the person or putting blame on the person.

Next it be some posts or thread fighting almost nude on ground and I will say some people feel uncomfortable and not saying to me see doctor about it or there may be some small number people feel like it or homophobics people that I have seen first hand in work places. You say wired thread or post by OP.

You like arguing!! Or it does not sound like you get out house much or go on many message boards and know what the real world is like. Or even first hand experience talking about tragedy with people where you think spectating is really strange odd and bizarre.

If you kid or teen I can understand you don't have the world experience and understanding of discussion yet. As some one age 20 and up it simple you don't get out much or go to many message boards to get that experience and understanding that in tragedy people talk about the who,what,why and how.

Unless you get pleasure by arguing.

Also using a sockpuppet account is silly.

Wow. After ten years on this board, I've been found out as a sock puppet. All this time, my expertise has been Wado-ryu karate and this British MMA scene, yet somehow I have managed to have an extensive jiu jitsu /judo background in Canada. It couldn't be possible that you would piss off more than one person. That would never happen. The obvious answer is that two senior posters on this board, with completely different styles of posting, are actually the same person, posting from two different continents. I do find it interesting that you can suddenly form a cohesive sentence. Are you someone else posting as Moonbeam?

 

[Hyoho]

Ironbear24. Some forms of M.A. use the Dan-i system but do not wear a belt. Try fighting with an aged old Hachidan (8th) every day. The distance between 7 and eight can be as distant as 1 and 7. You might need to bring along some pampers if he gets annoyed with you.

 

[frank raud]

Ironbear24. Some forms of M.A. use the Dan-i system but do not wear a belt. Try fighting with an aged old Hachidan (8th) every day. The distance between 7 and eight can be as distant as 1 and 7. You might need to bring along some pampers if he gets annoyed with you.

I'm not Ironbear, but according to Moonchild, I could be What forms of MA use the Dan system but don't have belts?

 

[Tony Dismukes]

I'm not Ironbear, but according to Moonchild, I could be What forms of MA use the Dan system but don't have belts?

Kendo?

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Tez3 aka frank raud I checked my post history and seems you want to stir up argument with me. No other members here at martialtalk are doing it but you Tez3.

I think you get more pleasure going on message board arguing than training in martial arts if you ever are training in martial arts.

For past number of threads and posts you seem to want to also hijack it the posts and threads arguing about some thing else.

Next it be some other world news and I will reply why, how or what happen and you say I'm criticizing the person or putting blame on the person.

Next it be some posts or thread fighting almost nude on ground and I will say some people feel uncomfortable and not saying to me see doctor about it or there may be some small number people feel like it or homophobics people that I have seen first hand in work places. You say wired thread or post by OP.

You like arguing!! Or it does not sound like you get out house much or go on many message boards and know what the real world is like. Or even first hand experience talking about tragedy with people where you think spectating is really strange odd and bizarre.

If you kid or teen I can understand you don't have the world experience and understanding of discussion yet. As some one age 20 and up it simple you don't get out much or go to many message boards to get that experience and understanding that in tragedy people talk about the who,what,why and how.

Unless you get pleasure by arguing.

Also using a sockpuppet account is silly.

Or, perhaps, you simply read too much into a question.

-Tez3 no, that's not the right one
-FrankRaud not the right sig, either.
-Gerry ah, that's the one I want!

 

[Tony Dismukes]

Tez3 aka frank raud

I can assure you that Tez and Frank are not the same person.

But wait, that's just what I would say if I was another sock puppet!

No wait, there are people on the board who have met me in person and can testify that I am real.

But what if they are sock puppets too?!!

Okay, you've found me out. MartialTalk is just a performance art piece I created a while back. All the different members are me posting using different fictional identities.

You're the only person here who isn't one of my sock puppets.

...or are you? Search your mind. Can you actually remember details of a time before you started posting on MartialTalk? Are you certain? If the memories seem unclear, then you will realize the truth. You're just another creation of my imagination. Sorry to break the news to you.

I checked my post history and seems you want to stir up argument with me. No other members here at martialtalk are doing it but you Tez3.

I believe that has more to do with the fact that most of the rest of us have accepted the fact that you're not likely to ever start training martial arts or get a grasp of the topic well enough to say much meaningful in a martial arts forum and have thus decided to not engage with you until such time as you do decide to begin training.