Reaching the Black Belt
In the Martial Art Fitness Centers we hold to the original Korean standard that no one receives
a certified black belt under the age of 16. The obvious purpose is to insure a reasonable
level of maturity in the holder of the black belt.
It takes the average adult 4-6 years to reach the black belt level.
When a person below the age of 16 has passed the last phase of the red belt levels, they may enter into the "Poom Dan," meaning youth black belt. When a student below age 16 reaches the Poom Dan level they wear a combination red and black belt. There are 3 levels of the Poom Dan prior to earning the certified 1st degree black belt at age 16.
Just because a student has the years of training and meets the age requirements does not mean they automatically receive the black belt. There is a rigorous adult-level promotion test they must pass in order to qualify.
Typically at the MAFCI adults earn one stripe on each colored belt and on average take 3 1/2 to 4 years minimum to reach the 1st degree black belt.
The Meaning of the Black Belt
Reaching the black belt does not mean you have completed the program.
It means you qualify to begin advanced learning; much like graduating from
high school qualifies one for college.
When our students reach the black belt level they may not be super-human beings, but you can be assured they have the years of experience, level of maturity, and depth of knowledge to support the rank they hold.
Kids and the Martial Arts
Because it takes the average child until age 7 to begin comprehending depth, distance, and angles,
children find the practice of forms and similar activities to be quite challenging.
Because it takes longer for youth to progress, we did what many martial art schools do.
We adjusted the training methods to be more age-specific.
We added more stripes and belts for youth to be honored with for their hard work without being advanced too quickly.
Do kids get bored waiting for their black belt test? Yes, sometimes. However, while waiting for children to mature, we use a variety of training methods to provide a healthy balance between fun, character development, and physical fitness. For the seriously interested student there is virtually no limit to the depth of knowledge and training that is available through the Martial Art Fitness Centers, Inc.
The performance of the student is a greater factor in a child's promotion in rank than
their age or when their birthday is. However, older children have more developed motor skills,