Korean Job Discussion Forums

[poet13]

I am familiar with the belt system in Canada. I studied Tae Kwan Do (full contact) for seven years, and reached a blue belt. Long time ago.

Fast forward to the present in Korea. My son is three and a half years old (western). He has now had about 15 Wu Shu classes. He also now has a yellow belt. I knew two foreigners here, and have heard about others, who got their "balck belt" in less than a year. I call it the tourist black belt. I really don't want my son receiving belts he didn't properly earn. Attendance doesn't count. Thee are a few blue belts, a green belt, and a black belt or two at his school also. I don't think anyone is more than ten years old.

Should I just send him back to school with his white belt and hope the instructor understands?

Is there a different level system in play? I mean, Does he have a yellow for kids, and then maybe ten years from now, start the belts over again with higher requirements? I'm confused. If my son ever wears a black belt, I want to make sure he can be proud of it.

[Pooty]

In Korea there is deep cultural problem with competition. Most important thing is no leave behind anyone. If Korean feel he is leave behind other peer in group, then he depression very much.

That, and money is buy everything. All belt everyone black has OK.

Key to understand is this: Keep practice every day, even though you don't really deserve black belt, one day you will.

Thank you for understand Korean culture, have nice day.

[chevro1et]

Usually there is a different set of requirements for a 'children's' belt as opposed to an 'adult' belt. Once your son is old enough, he will basically start all over but have a head start from his previous training. That aside, I think that every federation of every different martial art has a slightly different color sequence to their belts. All I know is that to attain a hapkido black belt in the federation that I train with, you have to go before a panel of 3 grand masters and do your thing... no guarantees on passing, thats for sure.

[aboxofchocolates]

[poet13]

"Can your son do his forms, kicks, and punches? Does he try to show them off to you when he is studying for a test? "

That's the thing. His forms, kicks, and punches are rudimentary. He had no level test that I know of. He's 3. Yes, he loves to show off, but h'es all over the place. More energy and enthusiasm than anything.

I worry a little that he will tell someone back home or in the Philippines that he's got a black belt and then either get his butt handed to him, or be emabrassed when he's shown how worthless it really is.

[shifter2009]

[640x480]

Martial arts is too general a term. As for tae kwon do, there are only
supposed to be 5 or 6 colors.

White, yellow, blue, red (red & black) and black. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Practitioners used to stay with their color unless they really improved enough to move up to the next one. Now, there are so many colors with stripes and badges and all this crap. Makes more money for the dojos...
I don't even consider TKD a martial art anymore. The only thing it is good for is scoring points on clean shots...like fencing with your feet. In my mind, it is officially a sport.

[poet13]

Yeah, when I wsas a kid, TKD was all about punching and kicking the crap out of each other. We were ultra violent little buggers, but we followed TKD forms. My parents refused to let me continue when I was about 14 after the Instructors assistant (senior blue belt) kicked me in the throat (we were doing full contact sparring and I was driving him back) and I started breathing into my neck. Looked like a bullfrog.

The crap I see in the Olympics might as well be renamed, "The Dance of the Inaffective...however it's spelled.

[640x480]

Isn't there a rumor that TKD may lose it's spot in the Summer games? I heard attendance was low and it was boring.

It was crazy boring for me as well. Something needs to be done about the point system because it really limits the art. It it was up to me, the winner would be decided round by round like boxing. I know it won't happen because Olympics require very strict guidelines.

[blackjack]

Another thing to realise is back home you only go once or twice a week. Here to get a black belt in a year you go 5 times a week. If you go five times a week one and a half hour lessons for a year thats a lot of lessons, esp if you put in the effort

In Hapkido to go up each stage you have to know particular throws, holds, submissions, kicks, blocks, forms, sword forms, numchuck forms, staff forms and even fan forms depending on the level. Sure there are kids that do it half arsed but they still had to know the techniques.

[ReeseDog]

[poet13]

When you quote someone, especially when you suggest that they're claiming to be a tough guy, or at least some kind of skilled at something, I would suggest including the FULL quote and use it in context.

"I studied Tae Kwan Do (full contact) for seven years, and reached a blue belt. Long time ago."

This, "Long time ago.", being the operative sentence as part of the question as to whether the belt system over the 29 years since I last put on a TKD uniform had changed.

[ReeseDog]

[poet13]

After I typed my post, I wondered if that was the case...



And just for the record, I can definitely beat your grandmothers ass.....if she's really 85 as you say....with arthritis.

(not the drunk part. I think that works against me.)

[Temporary]

Black Belt 1st Leve =Mastering the basics;

I have a black belt in Kyuk Too Ki, Been doing it for 2.5 years. I didn't bother with tests until I was ready. I have the choice of taking it. It costs 15k. Next test I do will be my 2nd level in 4 months time. In my ggym to advance to 2nd level ITS way harder. You have to have at least 2 amatuer fights, and at leaast 1 years training and you have to demonstrate high profficency. There is no forms or pre-set anything.

Black belt in Tae Kwon do doesn't mean much here. Practically every one has one.