Proudly tied around your waist is that ultimate of martial arts goals — the black belt.
Your family and friends slap you on the back as they offer you congratulations. Your instructors bow in respect and give words of well-deserved praise. Capture the moment. You will remember it for the rest of your life.
But then you stop and consider — “Now what? Is this it? What does having this black belt mean for me?”
A Word from the Black Belts at Golden Dragon
“Since in many styles a black belt takes approximately three to six years of training to achieve, a good intuitive analogy would be a bachelor’s degree: the student has a good understanding of concepts and ability to use them but has not yet perfected their skills. In this analogy, a master’s degree and a doctorate would represent advancement past the first degree.”
In simple words, a black belt means you have mastered the fundamentals of Tae Kwon Do. You should be very proud of your accomplishment. Only a few ever manage to reach the level of black belt, and even fewer go on to become a “master” of Tae Kwon Do as an art.
Children can achieve black belt status.This is because a black belt does NOT mean that the student can beat everyone in a fight. Even though kids are taught to spar, there is a point where size takes over. Having a black belt DOES mean they have acquired the mental and physical skills needed to teach others, and to take Tae Kwon Do from a “sport” to an “art”.
“I believe that there are three main points to what it means to be a black belt. The one I think is the most important is for a black belt to live by the 5 tenets of taekwondo: courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, and indomitable spirit. Being a black belt also means that you value your experience as a martial artist and demand respect for your efforts, especially those in your journey going from white to black belt. Last but not least, a black belt has pride in his/her self as martial artist.”
