For quite some time I have been wanting to learn karate and been
collecting information about the various schools and the styles. One
of
the Okinawa Goju Ryu Karate schools informed me about a year long
course
and said that they will be training me for a black belt within a year.
I
have no prior karate experience and am little skeptical about the
possibility to get a black belt in a year because from whatever I
learnt
from the various websites is that it will take 2-3 years for a black
belt. Please let me have your thoughts.
--
Vijairaj
Belts hold your gi closed. You average bjj bluebelt will murder your average 1
year karate black belt.
Fraser
Bah, for the right price, I'll promote you to Black Belt in 2 months,
certificate ready for framing included. Don't let any of my imitators
get to you, I will NOT be undersold.
In any event, in the off chance you're serious, in any art worth it's
salt, even 2-3 years is way too short to earn a black belt. You'd do
well to peruse this group's FAQ as well as the beginner FAQ. It gets
posted here pretty regularly and can be found via Google. They're
both very good despite the authors and maintainers. ;)
--
Dan Winsor
Soy un poco loco en el coco.
There is no set amount of time that it takes to get a black belt - some
people even buy them. As already noted, mainstream karate has a poor track
record in terms of belts reflecting fighting capability. What you should be
more concerned with is the quality of the instruction. That being said, if
you don't know what to look for, it can be hard to tell.
Maybe you could ask them how come their training works so much quicker than
most others, as listen to if the answer makes sense. Ask them if they've
used their skills in real life. A real interesting question you could ask
them is what they would do if faced with a BJJer - their nemesis. If they
turn a green color, squirm, or try to change the subject, it might be an
idea to move along. If their answers satisfy you, be sure to watch an open
session and talk to the black belts, asking them how long it took them to
get where they're at, if you like what you see. Then it's to the question
of contractual obligations. Get everything clear.
--
Wayne Dobson
AKA "Dobbie The House Elf"
If they can compress 5 years of training into 1 year and you survive the
year without injury...why not.
Your probably looking at training full time though
Good post. Damn Wayne, next you'll be posting you've started an MMA class.
Fraser
Thanks Dan Winsor,
I am indeed serious. I had this doubt that's the reason I had to ask
here.
Thanks Wayne,
That's indeed an insightful post.
> If they can compress 5 years of training into 1 year and you survive the
> year without injury...why not.
>
> Your probably looking at training full time though
It's 1 hour per day and 3 days per week.
Even 30-40 hours per week isn't enough to warrant a BB in 1 year*.
Run, don't walk, away from them. YMMV. Again, check the FAQ** for
"belt factories" and "McDojos."
--
Dan Winsor
Soy un poco loco en el coco.
*Unless they gots one of them cool cybernetic interfaces like in the
Matrix. I gots to get me one of them.
**We have a FAQ?
Depends on what a black belt signifies...in my experiences in Japan it
is a serious beginner. Someone who has studied the whole syllabus but
not mastered it, nor become a full instructor.
Outside of Japan, it is often seen as a mastery of system and a full
teaching qualification.
Either way, it is just something that holds your dogi closed....has very
little to do with how hard you train and how much
fun/satisfaction/reward you get out of something.
Agreed to both, but you can't acomplish either in 1 year.
> Either way, it is just something that holds your dogi closed....has very
> little to do with how hard you train and how much
> fun/satisfaction/reward you get out of something.
Also agreed. However, if a place is hawking a 1 year BB plan, I doubt
there's going to be much reward for any work there.
Neil
Tell you what... I'll promote you right now over usenet. *poof* You
are now a black belt, with a rank that is just about as valid as the
one you'd be getting from the year-long Goju program.
> I have no prior karate experience and am little skeptical about the
> possibility to get a black belt in a year because from whatever I
> learnt from the various websites is that it will take 2-3 years for a black
> belt. Please let me have your thoughts.
Imagine you're paying someone for a tour... you pick the place; think
of the coolest, most interesting place you've ever heard of, some
place you've always wanted to see. You have a choice between two
guides; the first offers to take as long as you like, to answer
whatever questions you might have, and to make sure you take all the
time you need to see everything. The second says he'll get you
through as quickly as possible; he's got it all planned out down to
the last second.
Which guide would you rather have?
Basically, the school you are describing is like the second guide.
They're going to run you through a set course, and at the end of that
course they're going to hand you a black piece of cloth to tie around
your waist. Did you learn anything along the way? Maybe, maybe not.
But golly-gee you spent the time required so you can say you've taken
the tour, right?
People have turned the rank into some sort of goal, and that is simply
ass-backwards. They think the training is just a means of getting to
that goal. The point of the training should be _the_training_;
constantly improving yourself. The rank is just a marker along the
way.
Go find a school that will challenge you to constantly improve.
Ideally, they won't even have a schedule for promotions; they'll
promote you when you're ready. They'll promote you when you've
reached some level that warrants promotion, be it based on what forms
you know, what level of skill you show, or who you're able to roll
with on the floor. Not based on how many months you've been showing
up.
I fully agree.
> Go find a school that will challenge you to constantly improve.
> Ideally, they won't even have a schedule for promotions; they'll
> promote you when you're ready. They'll promote you when you've
> reached some level that warrants promotion, be it based on what forms
> you know, what level of skill you show, or who you're able to roll
> with on the floor. Not based on how many months you've been showing
> up.
Thanks. I am already on my way searching for this kind of school.
Thanks to everyone who took time to answer.
--
Vijairaj
http://vijairaj.blogspot.com/
> Thanks Wayne,
> That's indeed an insightful post.
This is a dream, just a dream... soon to reality
I shall re-awaken...
Sam
> Imagine you're paying someone for a tour... you pick the place; think
> of the coolest, most interesting place you've ever heard of, some
> place you've always wanted to see. You have a choice between two
> guides; the first offers to take as long as you like, to answer
> whatever questions you might have, and to make sure you take all the
> time you need to see everything. The second says he'll get you
> through as quickly as possible; he's got it all planned out down to
> the last second.
>
> Which guide would you rather have?
The one with the great breasts.
--
GDS
"Let's roll!"
Oh shit! You said 'he'!
Ummm....the one with the sister with the great breasts!
Dunno, Pete, I may have to start siding with Trav if you keep that
up...
But...but...it was *Trav's* closet...really!
I threw out my crotchless leather hakama years ago.
I may have said too much....
GDS
"Let's roll!"
Speaking of hakama I found mine while moving house last week. No idea what to
do with it but don't have the heart to throw it out. Unfortunately it was
neither crotchless or leather.
Fraser
Donate it to your local kendo club.
Neil
Yes, just keep taking the drugs.
Does it ever occur to you that your continual disagreement and flaming
of virtually everyone here says so very much about you and so very
little about them?
I'm hard pressed to think of ANYONE you don't accuse of being simple-
minded, drunk or on drugs merely because they choose to disagree with
your nonsense.
For fuck's sake man, get a grip.
GDS
"Let's roll!"
No. The most charitable I can be is to say that a lot of the behaviour is
due to certain posters being in a drugged stupor, and that this is not their
true nature. It clearly doesn't occur to you that attaching yourself to a
mob, regardless of the behaviour of said mob, is not a sign of character.
It's an interesting anthropological study to observe people who cannot
operate without lying and observing how far they will go, thrashing their
own sense of self-worth, in the process. It's a sad indictment of a person
to be more concerned with what others think of them, than what they think of
themselves. Such people live their lives either as ass-kissers or energy
vampires, typically both. Nah, I don't think the behaviour of a mob says
anything about me.
> I'm hard pressed to think of ANYONE you don't accuse of being simple-
> minded, drunk or on drugs merely because they choose to disagree with
> your nonsense.
It would be fine if they merely disagreed with the something I said, in the
rare instances of my being wrong on some small point, but people who
disagree with the soundest of statements are clearly taking drugs.
> For fuck's sake man, get a grip.
I find the idea of a man saying to me, "Here, grab this," far from an
appealing proposition.
Then you should simply leave.
I look at the backgrounds of those with whom you exchange your glib banter and I
don't see a mob at all.
There's people here from many countries with a wide variety of martial arts
backgrounds, and we share an uncommon bond of kinship, in many cases developed
over a decade or more.
Do we disagree? You bet. We argue with each other, cavort with each other's
mothers and generally act the way men do. But at the bottom of it, for the very
most part, is a deep and abiding respect.
You however stand in stark isolation, a pissant, an anonymous nobody, casting
your infantile bile at anyone you feel is unable to grasp your mastery...of what?
Of the written word? Hardly. Of martial arts? Most definitely not.
So do yourself and us a favour and just walk away.
You don't belong here.
> No. The most charitable I can be is to say that a lot of the behaviour is
> due to certain posters being in a drugged stupor, and that this is not their
> true nature. It clearly doesn't occur to you that attaching yourself to a
> mob, regardless of the behaviour of said mob, is not a sign of character.
> It's an interesting anthropological study to observe people who cannot
> operate without lying and observing how far they will go, thrashing their
> own sense of self-worth, in the process. It's a sad indictment of a person
> to be more concerned with what others think of them, than what they think of
> themselves. Such people live their lives either as ass-kissers or energy
> vampires, typically both. Nah, I don't think the behaviour of a mob says
> anything about me.
You pathetic deluded fuck. You see yourself as a noble individualist
swimming against the current when you're actually a mentally ill bum
lying in your piss and shit on the sidewalk, spitting hatefully at the
passers-by regardless of whether they treat you with kindness or
contempt. *No one* is more concerned with what others think of
themselves than you. Brave, enlightened, special...and hated and
vilified for it by your jealous inferiors. Constantly provoking the
responses that feed into your fantasy. You doubt? Just look at the
paragraph you just wrote. The words of a grandiose mental cripple.
Why should I?
> I look at the backgrounds of those with whom you exchange your glib banter
> and I don't see a mob at all.
And that says what? You could be neck deep in shit and claim to smell only
roses.
> There's people here from many countries with a wide variety of martial
> arts backgrounds, and we share an uncommon bond of kinship, in many cases
> developed over a decade or more.
>
> Do we disagree? You bet. We argue with each other, cavort with each
> other's mothers and generally act the way men do. But at the bottom of it,
> for the very most part, is a deep and abiding respect.
>
> You however stand in stark isolation, a pissant, an anonymous nobody,
> casting your infantile bile at anyone you feel is unable to grasp your
> mastery...of what?
The bile only became infantile once you discovered that someone could spew
it better than you. You are in an arkward position: you can either continue
to pursue the vendetta and make an even bigger hypocrite of yourself, or
allow differing opinions to coexist, which threatens to expose a lack of
depth to opinions formed in a climate of cronyism.
> Of the written word? Hardly. Of martial arts? Most definitely not.
That sounds strange, coming from someone who won't allow peace, yet doesn't
have the stomache for a fight.
> So do yourself and us a favour and just walk away.
Do myself a favour? It seems to be you who can't take the heat.
> You don't belong here.
You will learn that you don't own this place.
Have I upset you? Shame.
> You see yourself as a noble individualist
> swimming against the current when you're actually a mentally ill bum
> lying in your piss and shit on the sidewalk, spitting hatefully at the
> passers-by regardless of whether they treat you with kindness or
> contempt.
What's to hate? This is cyberspace. This is not like you stepping into my
home with your shit, so I might have to kill you.
> *No one* is more concerned with what others think of
> themselves than you. Brave, enlightened, special...and hated and
> vilified for it by your jealous inferiors.
However you choose to think of yourself is your own prerogative.
> Constantly provoking the responses that feed into your fantasy.
There's that thing again, about your not being able to operate without
lying. I see many like you in real life. Your whole persona is a
fabrication and your excuses, a subtefuge. The truth is that you want the
freedom to piss on people without payback. That's one of the few things
that doesn't change. Retaliation is viewed as unprovoked, because you view
yourself as having carte blanche.
> You doubt? Just look at the
> paragraph you just wrote. The words of a grandiose mental cripple.
Makes you feel inferior, doesn't it?
And at the same time the BJJ bluebelt (at one year experience?) might
have a very difficult time with an MMA guy that focuses on thai boxing
and sprawling.
The meaning of belts depends on the art. In BJJ a BB means you have
mastered BJJ. In many Japanese martial arts it just means you know the
basics.
In a striking art, where you have a smaller range of techniques than
in grappling, it is very possible to be proficient at the basics in 6
months to 1 year. After that it's just perfecting these techniques,
working on strategy and improving strength/speed/stamina.
Read ahead, dumbass.
> > I look at the backgrounds of those with whom you exchange your glib banter
> > and I don't see a mob at all.
>
> And that says what? You could be neck deep in shit and claim to smell only
> roses.
>
> > There's people here from many countries with a wide variety of martial
> > arts backgrounds, and we share an uncommon bond of kinship, in many cases
> > developed over a decade or more.
>
> > Do we disagree? You bet. We argue with each other, cavort with each
> > other's mothers and generally act the way men do. But at the bottom of it,
> > for the very most part, is a deep and abiding respect.
>
> > You however stand in stark isolation, a pissant, an anonymous nobody,
> > casting your infantile bile at anyone you feel is unable to grasp your
> > mastery...of what?
>
> The bile only became infantile once you discovered that someone could spew
> it better than you. You are in an arkward position: you can either continue
> to pursue the vendetta and make an even bigger hypocrite of yourself, or
> allow differing opinions to coexist, which threatens to expose a lack of
> depth to opinions formed in a climate of cronyism.
>
> > Of the written word? Hardly. Of martial arts? Most definitely not.
>
> That sounds strange, coming from someone who won't allow peace, yet doesn't
> have the stomache for a fight.
It's shame you're on the other side of the world. I'll like you to say
that to my face.
But we both know you wouldn't have the balls to do it.
GDS
"Let's roll!"
>> > You however stand in stark isolation, a pissant, an anonymous nobody,
>> > casting your infantile bile at anyone you feel is unable to grasp your
>> > mastery...of what?
>>
>> The bile only became infantile once you discovered that someone could
>> spew
>> it better than you. You are in an arkward position: you can either
>> continue
>> to pursue the vendetta and make an even bigger hypocrite of yourself, or
>> allow differing opinions to coexist, which threatens to expose a lack of
>> depth to opinions formed in a climate of cronyism.
>>
>> > Of the written word? Hardly. Of martial arts? Most definitely not.
>>
>> That sounds strange, coming from someone who won't allow peace, yet
>> doesn't
>> have the stomache for a fight.
>
> It's shame you're on the other side of the world. I'll like you to say
> that to my face.
Ah, the BJJ fallback for when argument has fallen apart.
> But we both know you wouldn't have the balls to do it.
Ah, straight out of the BJJ handbook of mantras to chant at the enemy.
Ah, my bitch again.
GDS
"Let's roll!"
A year is way too long.