Youth Black Belts

Cho, Yeonsoo

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I just got started on this forum and I am just a parent. Albeit one who has invested a lot of time and $ in (WTF) TKD. I think that most would agree that a Black Belt should not be granted before 10 years old. Has anyone on this board ever seen a Black Belt under the age of 10 that deserved their Black Belt. I can think of few.

This is the Criteria.

1. They have to pass the adult test not a dumbed down test.
2. The have to have the professional demeanor of a Black Belt.
3. They must be able to train with adults.
4. They must be able to assist in class.
5. They must understand the responsibilities of a Black Belt.

I can count 3 kids that I know that met this standard and 1 was 7 1/2 years old.

I saw all three of them get promoted by KKW 9th degree. He did not compromise his standards. All 3 are currently still doing TKD and have been promoted to second degree.
I'm 14 years of age, started when I was 6, I like to think I deserve my 1st Dan, I went, and failed one grading, which actually tells you that you need to be of a good standard, I train with adults, I am able to assist the young ones more so in the kicks rather than patterns, :boing2:I passed grading graded by master Sung Soo Lee so yes, I think I deserve mine :D
 

Archtkd

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I'm 14 years of age, started when I was 6, I like to think I deserve my 1st Dan, I went, and failed one grading, which actually tells you that you need to be of a good standard, I train with adults, I am able to assist the young ones more so in the kicks rather than patterns, :boing2:I passed grading graded by master Sung Soo Lee so yes, I think I deserve mine :D

I thought you had to be 18 to have an MT account and post on the boards. What style of taekwondo do you practice?
 

Dirty Dog

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I'm 14 years of age, started when I was 6, I like to think I deserve my 1st Dan, I went, and failed one grading, which actually tells you that you need to be of a good standard, I train with adults, I am able to assist the young ones more so in the kicks rather than patterns, :boing2:I passed grading graded by master Sung Soo Lee so yes, I think I deserve mine :D

By the standards of your school, you apparently do. By the standards of others, you absolutely would not.
 
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Gorilla

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I'm 14 years of age, started when I was 6, I like to think I deserve my 1st Dan, I went, and failed one grading, which actually tells you that you need to be of a good standard, I train with adults, I am able to assist the young ones more so in the kicks rather than patterns, :boing2:I passed grading graded by master Sung Soo Lee so yes, I think I deserve mine :D


i am sure that you do...good luck on your journey...I hope it is a life long one....
 

Cho, Yeonsoo

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I thought you had to be 18 to have an MT account and post on the boards. What style of taekwondo do you practice?
well, I didn't know either... I put my real age and an admin put me through. :idunno: but on the TKD subject, I do traditional, with parts of Hapkido in our curriculum, he absolutely loves Hapkido and thus wants us to learn that too. He urges me to learn the Patterns and all traditional aspects (he is VERY strict) but he also wants me to delve deeper into competition and sports type as I enjoy it, because of school and other sports, I cannot afford to attend more classes :( especially since the competition Dojang is very far away... I started Taekwondo because my parents urged me, they said that I need to learn a traditional art from my culture and I'll be honest, I didn't enjoy it at first, my instructor is strict on form and I had to train with adults... But now, I try to delve into both competitive and traditional...
 

Cho, Yeonsoo

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By the standards of your school, you apparently do. By the standards of others, you absolutely would not.
I imagine so, my club isn't the best, largest club around, but it isn't corrupt like other commercial schools, it is small and not well known. However, I tried for 3 long years for this belt, training every day at home and making sure to go to classes atleast twice a week (this was hard as school and other sports were also in schedule) and would stay longer with my instructor, I'm sure that by some club standards, I would be below average, but I tried very hard and our club standards are quite high (no way near some I know) yet maybe lower than yours, I respect your comment sir, but please, not all clubs are like the big commercialized ones these days...
 

Archtkd

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well, I didn't know either... I put my real age and an admin put me through. :idunno: but on the TKD subject, I do traditional, with parts of Hapkido in our curriculum, he absolutely loves Hapkido and thus wants us to learn that too. He urges me to learn the Patterns and all traditional aspects (he is VERY strict) but he also wants me to delve deeper into competition and sports type as I enjoy it, because of school and other sports, I cannot afford to attend more classes...

Traditional is often a misused term. What is traditional? Every taekwondo style is traditional (i.e it follows one type of tradition or other). Maybe these might be easier. What forms (poomsae, tul, hyung, etc.) do you practice? Taeguk, Palgwe, Chang Hon, Songham, Pinan, ..? How do you spar? Point, continous full contact, etc. What type of gear do you wear for sparring and what rules do you apply. What organization is your dojang (dojang style) aligned with. ITF, ATA, Kukkiwon, Rhee, ITA, etc.
 

Cho, Yeonsoo

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Traditional is often a misused term. What is traditional? Every taekwondo style is traditional (i.e it follows one type of tradition or other). Maybe these might be easier. What forms (poomsae, tul, hyung, etc.) do you practice? Taeguk, Palgwe, Chang Hon, Songham, Pinan, ..? How do you spar? Point, continous full contact, etc. What type of gear do you wear for sparring and what rules do you apply. What organization is your dojang (dojang style) aligned with. ITF, ATA, Kukkiwon, Rhee, ITA, etc.
Ah! that's what was meant! to spar, we wear no gear and contact is allowed, every once in a while, our instructor brings in all the competition gear, having a mini tournament lesson (usually atleast once a term), we revise all taeguk patterns and all the patterns relating to belt level, Kumgang, Koryo etc. when we equip gear, all under the age of 16 are not allowed intentional head kicks as it is against the rules of our club.
 

jks9199

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I thought you had to be 18 to have an MT account and post on the boards. What style of taekwondo do you practice?

We recently removed the age requirement. The new owners felt that anyone who contributed positively should be welcome.
 

Archtkd

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Ah! that's what was meant! to spar, we wear no gear and contact is allowed, every once in a while, our instructor brings in all the competition gear, having a mini tournament lesson (usually atleast once a term), we revise all taeguk patterns and all the patterns relating to belt level, Kumgang, Koryo etc. when we equip gear, all under the age of 16 are not allowed intentional head kicks as it is against the rules of our club.
Sounds to me like you are doing Kukkiwon style taekwondo and if that's the case you are not a a 1st dan, but a 1st poom blackbelt.
 

Cho, Yeonsoo

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Sounds to me like you are doing Kukkiwon style taekwondo and if that's the case you are not a a 1st dan, but a 1st poom blackbelt.
Thankyou for the correction, however, I am a 1st dan, I was a poom but have recently moved to first dan (after failing to grade once) my belt and my certificate is yet to arrive however...

My school seems to be a part of the Jidokwan as our chong Kowanjangnim is grand master Sung Soo Lee, also stated in my Dan Bo certificate..
 

stkdh

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It's been a while since I have posted and I am sorry that this is more of a rant but rather than start a new thread it seemed relevant here.
I have just found out that a club nearby me has not only promoted a 6 year old to black belt but has plastered it all over the newspapers as if it is a good thing!!!! I am all for junior black belts but at 6 years, are you kidding me!!!!!!! and the club website lists the curriculum from 10th kup to 1st kup having a new pattern every time and only 8 weeks between grades. This guy has no idea what he is doing!!!!
 

WaterGal

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Thankyou for the correction, however, I am a 1st dan, I was a poom but have recently moved to first dan (after failing to grade once) my belt and my certificate is yet to arrive however...

My school seems to be a part of the Jidokwan as our chong Kowanjangnim is grand master Sung Soo Lee, also stated in my Dan Bo certificate..

Not sure what Jidokwan is, but with Kukkiwon, you can't get a dan ranking until you're 15. That's the rule - a black belt under 15 is a poom, a black belt 15+ is a dan.
 

Dirty Dog

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Not sure what Jidokwan is, but with Kukkiwon, you can't get a dan ranking until you're 15. That's the rule - a black belt under 15 is a poom, a black belt 15+ is a dan.

The Jidokwan is one of the nine kwans (schools) that started the unification process that led to the formation of the Kukkiwon.
There are still many, many schools affiliated with specific kwans, even if they are also associated with other orgs. Our school, for example, is a Moo Duk Kwan school, but we also offer KKW certification to adults who desire it.
 
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Cho, Yeonsoo

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It's been a while since I have posted and I am sorry that this is more of a rant but rather than start a new thread it seemed relevant here.
I have just found out that a club nearby me has not only promoted a 6 year old to black belt but has plastered it all over the newspapers as if it is a good thing!!!! I am all for junior black belts but at 6 years, are you kidding me!!!!!!! and the club website lists the curriculum from 10th kup to 1st kup having a new pattern every time and only 8 weeks between grades. This guy has no idea what he is doing!!!!
6 years old?? heck, our club doesn't allow you to go to grading at that age!
 

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