You are right about my use of the word "mastery". I apologize. Really, what we consider a black belt to mean is that you are ready to start finally learning.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Intercepting fist  If you want my opinion, any one who takes more than 2 and a half years to reach their first black belt clearly is not able to learn at very much a speed and is going to find it very hard to get to second thrid and fourth mon and above. |
You have a very interesting opinion there.
I'll be sure to share it with Smith Sensei (9th degree, took five years to get black belt), Kupfer Sensei (7th degree, took at least four years), Dombeck Sensei (unsure of his degree, as I don't take karate from him, but I know it took him many years to earn his black belt), Sempai Allen, Sempai Larry, Sempai Dave, and all of the other black belts that I know who took four or more years to get their black belts, yet are happily on their way to achieving something near mastery. (Many Shorin Ryu dojos have belt tests limited by time, meaning that black belt cannot be attained in under three years or so)
I'll say it again. Quality karate is not learned quickly. If all you want to learn are the basics of the punches and kicks, you're looking for a yellow or blue belt. By black belt, you have learned and displayed growing excellence in something like 20 different katas, several weapons, have developed extensive skill with punches, sword-hands, spear-hands, back-fists, front snap kicks, rear snap kicks, roundhouse kicks, hook kicks, elbow strikes, rising blocks, vertical blocks, low blocks, sweeping blocks, outside (soft) blocks, dropping blocks, a dozen or more "drill" goshin-jitsu, begun to learn at least a couple dozen other responses to random, unplanned attacks, breakfalls to the back, side, and front, a tuck-and-roll response to being thrown, several throws, several counter-throws, the ability to free-fight a skilled opponent, displaying proper striking/blocking form, and I'm sure many more things that I don't know about because I've never taken the test.
This list is, of course, based on the dojos that I attend. Others will have other lists. Some, particularly American karate, which focuses on sparring for tournaments, have extremely abridged versions of this list. Others, such as many Shotokan dojos, focus on striking.
Other styles of karate have even larger lists of things. One style is extremely close to Shorin Ryu, but adds regulated breathing and control of one's
ki to every single skill mentioned above. Some teach weapons more thoroughly, adding even more time.
Aside from my personal feelings about dabbling in martial arts, there's nothing wrong with wanting to learn the basics. I think, in the end, the real issue here is a misunderstanding. As I said above, a yellow or blue belt will have built the basics of the art in most karate dojos. I know that there are some Japanese arts that have a somewhat different system of grading, where the black belt is the first real belt you get (Toyama Ryu Iaido is one of these). Perhaps you are from one of these arts, originally. I don't know.
To answer what I consider to be the most important question last:
Why not try to learn the basics in the quickest time possible? Rushing things only breeds flaws in training. Flaws in training become weaknesses on the mat, in the street, in the mind, and/or in the soul. These weaknesses can create openings for your opponent to slip inside your guard, whether your opponent is a sparring partner, a mugger, or your own ego.