Extended leave of absence-of sort

[lvmetro11]

Growing up I practiced Tae Kwon Do and loved every minute of it. When I got older I had to make a decision about devotion of my time, baseball or Tae Kwon Do. I was extremely talented at both but baseball was my first love, so baseball it was. Gradually, I drifted from TKD because of my baseball commitments and eventually stopped. I earned my first degree decided black belt approx. a year and a half before I began my descent away from TKD.
Presently, I am a police officer in Las Vegas and have been looking to get back into TKD. Has anyone had experience with leaving for so long, approx. 8 - 9 years I'd guess. If I was able to find a good place out here to start again, would it honor my black belt achievement? Sorry for the long post. Stay safe and train hard.
Larry

[Shirindo]

It should be no real issue about starting up your training again. If you were 'extremely talented' you should start to pick it up again in no time.

As to whether or not a new club will recognise your old black belt status; why does it matter? Are you wanting to go back to training for the black belt status or to learn? For me the colour of the belt I wear means very little to me (Sorry Drisdon, but you know what I mean). I am chuffed that other martial artists who I regard highly think I am good enough to wear a BB but I couldn't care if I was still a white belt so long as I was still learning stuff.

[virginia]

I took a extend LOA years ago due to having 2 children. This put me out for 2 years.Just as I was getting ready to begin training again I had a car accident that put me in the hospital for 3 weeks, surgery x's 2, and a wheelchair for a while.
The surgeon told me I would probably never be able to be a paramedic again let alone continue my twd training. A year and a half later I went back to work as a paramedic. About 4 years later I ran into my instructor and decided to star my kids into the martial arts.
After watching them for a couple of classes I decided to give it a try again, I haven't stopped yet.My first class everything just came back to me, except my forms I had to relearn.It was like riding a bike. I started out at the same belt level I left at.
I have certificates to back up my black belts, my instructor honors your black belt if you can back it up with paperwork.
I'm sure you can find a good school that will honor your belt. If you can't though I'm sure you can find a good school to train at, which is what you really want to do anyways.
It may be intimidating to begin training after an extended period of time but you will feel great after your first class.Sorry for such a long post but if you want it just go get it.

[WC_Lun]

While I've not had to stop training for as long as you, I have had to take enforced breaks from time to time. You'll pick it back up with no problem.

As far as your belt being recognized, I really wouldn't wory about that either way. Find a place with good solid training. That is far more important than the color of belt you wear when starting there. I actually would be more interested in starting at a school that didn't recognize past belts because it means they have certain standards they want to meet and recognize that not every black belt out there will meet those standards.

[ladyfighter]

Originally Posted by WC_Lun

I actually would be more interested in starting at a school that didn't recognize past belts because it means they have certain standards they want to meet and recognize that not every black belt out there will meet those standards.

I agree with the above post! Have you been 'actively' training on your own? Do you really think you're bb quality? I mean, if you haven't been sparring other bb and or other ppl and you haven't been training, then the thought that you would still be capable of retaining that bb status is a bit presumptuous, at best! Would you really like to train at a school recognizes a bb you earned almost 10yrs ago without making you 'evaluate' for a rank? I would recommend that you go to all the martial arts schools in your area and try a class or two and talk with the instructors, and if you think you can do it, request permission to evaluate for an intermediate rank! JMO!

[souldrum71]

After I left the Navy in 1993 and tried TKD for a very short time in 1994, I quit training at a school and trained on my own for nearly ten years. (Mainly because I just couldn't find a school I liked and that matched up to my dojo in Japan where I held the rank of high brown belt.) When I did start back in 2004 at my current dojang, I was evaluated by a panel of black belts, and, after seeing my kata, techniques, and stances, the instructors started me up at green belt. Even though I had done a lot of training on my own, I knew my skills had slipped from an advanced level, so I'm glad they didn't just give me a red senior belt. It was more fulfilling to work my way up from an intermediate rank again.

[Chapel]

You said "decided black belt". Assuming that means that you were 1st Dan registered with the Kukkiwon in Korea, most other schools who register their black belts will recognize your rank unless your skills have severely degraded (unlikely since you are a cop). In all other cases, however, they are most likely to have you do some forms and spar with you a bit to rank you appropriately.

One word of advice, however... TKD schools tend to be highly formal and traditional. Walking in with the attitude of, "I'm ready for your advanced class" will get you turned away or put in the beginners class. Instead you want to go in with the color-don't-matter attitude presented above with a focus on learning the art. This attitude will also help you stay away from bad schools that want to bribe you to train with higher ranks.

[lvmetro11]

I am sorry if you all thought I came off like "i am the best" it was not supposed to be like that. I was just wondering about honoring the black belt or not. I can easily admit I am probably nowhere near black belt material as I was when I achieved it. I have been keeping up on my own though, although I have moved away from the standard martial arts and moved move into self defense and take down; more condusive for work

[Chapel]

Oh I don't think you came off that way, but it is always hard to tell from just text. I just thought I would give advise just in case you did think you are the best ever.

[03youngd]

I dont think there will be any problem with starting up again, as an instructor myself i would personally make you start from white again just to make sure you get back up to speed, however of course if you have already done it before you may be allowed to be either fast tracked or just do double gradings

[Drisdon]

It's probably best to arrive early for class and have an upfront chat with the instuctor. Tell them what level you are but you are rusty and are looking to get back into training. It's probably best to not bring up the grading subject till you have been for a couple of weeks and decided you like the club, some clubs will start you from white-belt (means more money for gradings) most should offer double-grading through the junior grades, some will offer an assesment and grade you accordingly and a few will let you wear a BB, also it can deppend on how well you get on with the instructor.