Can I get a black belt in 3 years in Taekwondo?

[Amy]

Hello.

Can I get a black belt in taekwondo in 3 years? I am a white belt as of now.

The reason I wont ask this question to teacher is because I don't want him to think I am what you call a belt motivated person.

I am just interested to know because I have read that it can be done in 3 years.

[Ken Hewson]

Yes of course you can get a black belt in 3 years, but so what? What does a black belt mean? I'll tell you what it means, that you are no longer a beginner, and at that point you start real training.

If your not that good when you get black belt, then you better be embarressed, so in that case, take your time about it!

[Escuela Fraternidad de Taekwondo]

As Ken told previously... absolutely yes. You can get a black belt at a shop right now, but it is very different "to earn" a black belt.
To be belt motivated is important. It is real, outside of Korea. But time flies, and three or five years to earn a black belt it isn't a lot of time (only 12 to 20 hours by month).
When you earn the black belt, you'll discover that you are in the middle of the river. And your motivation would change to knowledge.

[Medway Tai Chi Society]

If you put in real effort, train at every oppotunity and really eat bitter - then sure, you could earn a black belt in 3 years.

Or, you can go to a really poor school, give them enough money and they'll give you whatever belt you want, no matter how much or little effort you put in.

The belt is nothing. YOU know if you deserve it. 1 year, 3 years, 10 years - doesn't matter if you don't feel it.

[Amy]

Everyone your responses are thanked.

Well after training for a bit longer now i really understand the whole process of 'feeling' a blackbelt.

I don't want to get to the level of black belt too quickly because i need to make sure i FEEL i am good enough to be a black belt.

Outsiders to martial arts see black belts as someone with excellent flexibility, been training for years and years and most of all... not got the black belt just because they went to classes and paid their way for a few years, thats the easy way and deserves no respect.

[Medway Tai Chi Society]

Good job, Amy

Train hard, work something into every day, and your skill will improve.
One hour's training equals one hours progress.

Keep on working hard, and deserve each grade you get. Soon you'll reach your goal.

[nickthat]

All the posts were absolutely right - the belts should not be a focus. However, I have seen students take this too far and not grade enough. The reality then is that the instructor will not teach techniques suitable for the skill and experience.

My preference is for students to actively seek their black belt, as it is an important step, and let the students work out for themselves that the martial art only really begins at this grade. All the basic techniques are out of the way and the student can take their chosen martial art to the next level.

[Jreg]

Outsiders to martial arts see black belts as someone with excellent flexibility,

Yeah thats true actually.

Definitly take your time getting your black belt IMO. I took 8 years to get mine, no breaks taken and no grading failed, I just graded when i felt i was good enough, and confident enough to do so.

Different strokes for different folks

[cris donovan]

My boys asked me the same question, as they have seen me grade 3 times to their once since we started. My answer was, "we will all get it when we are ready...and then we might feel we weren't quite ready."
To my 4 year old i said with hard regular training that he may have his by the time he is 11, to my 7 year old i said you may have yours by the time you are 12 (with hard regular training), and that neither should worry too much because i'll be about 45 before i get mine, even though i'm grading more frequently than they are.
it is a great focal point, but shouldn't be the reason we train.

[mcombatmethod]

I remember it took me between 4 and 5 years to get my black belt in taekwondo, and that was skipping one belt because my teacher decided to promote me to green belt after I examined to yellow.

He was the kind of guy that never gave you the belt after the test, and he never told you if you passed or not, still after the test you had to keep sweating a couple of more months to earn it.

I spent almost a year wearing my white belt and i used to go training every day.