IÂ’ve seen a few threads and a lot of posts on this topic and I wanted to look at this from maybe another angle. I hope this doesnÂ’t open a can but itÂ’s something I have been thinking about as of late.
On the topic of young black belts I noticed a lot of people have very strong opinions some for and some against. IÂ’m not saying I agree with an 8 year old black belt running around and leading classes. That I think would be a slap in the face to the older students. But what about a student that was say 16 years old, went through the ranks did their time and tested for black on the exact same material that the adults test on.
What if this person had great skill in all areas techs, forms, sets, and could hold their own against the adult students in sparring. Is it fair to make them start all over again at white belt and go through the adult curriculum? You are in a sense stripping their black belt away from them.
This is just my opinion but I would have a serious problem with an instructor that would force this on a “younger/junior student” why penalize this student because of age?
I have sparred more than one of our teen students they are now at the rank of 2nd red and it was all I could do to win. Now granted IÂ’m no 2nd Dan but I seem to hold my own against any other student in our school. These teens were harder fights then most of the adults in our school, they are faster, and have more energy them most of their older counterparts. They also have impressive skill in doing their techniques and forms. I love watching them on the mat, itÂ’s inspiring as they are the next generation of Kenpoist.
With that said I would have a hard time not allowing them to become “real Black belts” why give them some half title if they in fact earned the belt they wear.
How do you feel about this?
On the topic of young black belts I noticed a lot of people have very strong opinions some for and some against. IÂ’m not saying I agree with an 8 year old black belt running around and leading classes. That I think would be a slap in the face to the older students. But what about a student that was say 16 years old, went through the ranks did their time and tested for black on the exact same material that the adults test on.
What if this person had great skill in all areas techs, forms, sets, and could hold their own against the adult students in sparring. Is it fair to make them start all over again at white belt and go through the adult curriculum? You are in a sense stripping their black belt away from them.
This is just my opinion but I would have a serious problem with an instructor that would force this on a “younger/junior student” why penalize this student because of age?
I have sparred more than one of our teen students they are now at the rank of 2nd red and it was all I could do to win. Now granted IÂ’m no 2nd Dan but I seem to hold my own against any other student in our school. These teens were harder fights then most of the adults in our school, they are faster, and have more energy them most of their older counterparts. They also have impressive skill in doing their techniques and forms. I love watching them on the mat, itÂ’s inspiring as they are the next generation of Kenpoist.
With that said I would have a hard time not allowing them to become “real Black belts” why give them some half title if they in fact earned the belt they wear.
How do you feel about this?