Loosing your Belt through inactivity? Yay or Nay?

Bo Malicious

I trained in Kempo for many years (roughly 3) and absolutely loved it. In that time I progressed to a mid level belt. Looking back life had other things in store for me and regrettably I steadily had less and less time for my chosen art.

Now a few years later I have more time on my hands and am considering getting back into it again.

Would it be feasible to start again but keep my belt or would I have to start over or regrade.

Ideally Id like to go over the forms and continue from where I left off? If I had to start all over again I might be more inclined to study a different aspect of M.A like BJJ. The reason being I think it would be really monotonous to spend a few years going over some of basic technique that is engrained in me.

Thoughts and opinions please?

Baggio...

Hmm... it really depends on the school I guess. Certain kenpo schools may let you wear your previous belt in class - but will probably want you to grade in their school again from scratch (if you want it to count).

If your school was under a certain organization's "umbrella", they may let you keep your belt, but they may want to see that you still have the skills to go along with it.

My gut feeling is that you will really have to start from scratch (although they may move you a tad quicker). I can't be sure though, as I no longer train in Kenpo these days.

Cheers,

R.

Black Swan

Our TKD school tests and evaluates transfers, or people who restart after a prolonged absence. You may keep your grade if you approximate the skill level of that grade, or you may be offered a lower belt more appropriate to your current skill level. If given a lower belt, and you remember and renew your skills at a quicker rate than others at the lower belt grade, you may test sooner, and perhaps grade faster than during your original (first) progression; i.e., you originally were in your MA for 3 years, but it may only take months to a year to recapture your previous skill level and belt grade.

joepenguin

I know alot of places just let you go back and train. You train away until you are at the level of your belt. green for example and then when you are ready you go for your next grade.

Have a look around at what club / art you want to do most of all and go with that regardless.

Pride Fighter

Most Kenpo schools will allow you to keep your grade. They will insist on making sure you relearn your stuff before moving on and that can take 2-3 months. Then it will be another 4-6 months after that for your next grade. If you enjoy training it should not matter though. Belt only good for holding pants up- Mr. Miyagi:pac:

challengemaster

I'd be of the opinion that you keep it, you'd just have to re-learn things before you can move on.

In my TKD school, one person came back after 8 years to a black tag, relearned everything, and has recently graded for his black belt. It took a while to do, but thats expected! But I really don't think you can(or should) really 'lose' your belt through inactivity.

mark.leonard

Make a poll out of this, my vote? Yay.
Although something like a renewal test to regain the belt as opposed to starting over.

moxiah

I suppose it comes down to what a belt means, really;

If a belt is knowledge of techniques, than a martial artist would never really "lose" it, just need a quick refresher and he'd be back in the saddle.
If a belt is knowledge of techniques and ability to do them, then I'd personally lean more towards re-grading to an appropriate level (i.e. one that reflects their present level of ability).

Personally, I noticed that people drop one to two belts in standard per year band I'm blessed with students who want to be worth the colour they're wearing so I've never been in the tough position of having to demote a student for not being up to standard. If they don't feel that they're worth their belt, they simply don't wear it.

Mox

yhwh

On a related topic I have been training in TKD for over a year now but am moving to england for 7 months through work. It's my intention to continue training over there but I'm wondering will I be able to keep my belt while I'm there and when I get back or will I have to start from scratch with the same club? Also if I do any gradings over there, will they count when I get back?

Martin25

My opinion is forget the belt thing it's a waste of energy just train hard and enjoy yourself. Don't get hung up on this stuff its not important at all.
I know some white belts who could kick a black belts ass!
all the best
Martin

Furious-Dave

yhwh wrote: »

On a related topic I have been training in TKD for over a year now but am moving to england for 7 months through work. It's my intention to continue training over there but I'm wondering will I be able to keep my belt while I'm there and when I get back or will I have to start from scratch with the same club? Also if I do any gradings over there, will they count when I get back?

Why not have a talk with your instructor to find out what the situation is. Perhaps they could even recommend a club where you are going.

Martin25 wrote: »

My opinion is forget the belt thing it's a waste of energy just train hard and enjoy yourself. Don't get hung up on this stuff its not important at all.
I know some white belts who could kick a black belts ass!
all the best
Martin

While I agree that belts don't really mean much a lot of people need reassurance and perhaps something tangible to feel that they are progressing and a belt system can provide this. On the other hand there are styles in which belts actually do mean something. I think Kyokushin, BJJ and Judo are good examples of such styles.

ColinJennings

Furious-Dave wrote: »

While I agree that belts don't really mean much a lot of people need reassurance and perhaps something tangible to feel that they are progressing and a belt system can provide this. On the other hand there are styles in which belts actually do mean something. I think Kyokushin, BJJ and Judo are good examples of such styles.

How come, in your opinion, a BJJ black belt is so much better than a TKD black belt? Is it just that there are much more TKD black belts, therefore they are worth less? Surely a belt is simply a statement that you have reached a certain level.

pyro940

This is a sightly loaded question. If your grade is internationally regestered through a HQ, then your grade should stand. No matter where you go to train around the world.

However if you have been away from training for awhile I would suggest you wear a white belt until such time as you show the ability of your grade.

If you change organisation or style you should expect to start from the beginning.

But does it really matter? If you train in an art that is ability based (BJJ, Kick boxing etc) should the colour of your belt matter? and if you train in a traditional art, why do you care, because what you have chosen is a life time pursuit, and the colour of your belt has very little to relevances in relation to what you are trying to achive.

But hey, that is just my opinion.

regards,

Philip Stanley

Pride Fighter

What about older practitioners. Using the logic that one loses a belt through inactivity one could say a 60 year old who has not fought, entered a tournament and has lost enough of his strength and speed he is easily enough beaten by some beginners and mid level competitiors. This black belt would be nowhere near as good as some blue belts but this man is second to none when it comes to coaching and man managing fighters or practitioners. By some peoples logic he should lose his belt. IMO these people are the life blood of all MA's .People like Funakoshi and Helio Gracie would lose their belt and that is wrong IMO.

Furious-Dave

ColinJennings wrote: »

How come, in your opinion, a BJJ black belt is so much better than a TKD black belt? Is it just that there are much more TKD black belts, therefore they are worth less? Surely a belt is simply a statement that you have reached a certain level.

Sorry, I didn't mean to leave TKD, or other styles out. The three I mentioned were just the first to come to mind. I don't think a BJJ Black Belt can really be accurately compared to a TKD Black Belt. The two styles are so different. You could compare how good each is at their art, but that's about it.

Bo Malicious

Thanks for the feedback lads and ladies. Really appreciate the insightful comments. Its reassuring and encouraging by the most part.

To clarify those who introduced the question of "well, what does a belt mean if anything?".

I think it means jack squat at the end of the day. Paradoxically I think it means a hell of a lot :-).

I think the belt system is a good way of encouraging respect - something which I find should be at the core of martial arts. Having a black belt shouldnt neccesarily mean you can kick everyones ass - but it should encourage people to respect you for the years of dedication it took to achieve this grade, if nothing else. In not recognising this simple fact we cheapen what we/they achieve.

For me the first few belts meant being thought reasonably basic technique. But the next few introduced more advanced technique beyond the obvious. And so the dilemma is not really about having the bragging rights of being able to wear a black belt. Its about knowledge and being worthy of being thought stuff that one would consider beyond a junior belt. Having personally put 3+ years of energy and money into this investment it would seem somewhat unfair to have to start over-particularly if some, if not all of these basic junior techniques have already been drilled into me.

Martin25

Interesting points lads. I was awarded my black belt 28 years ago. Then some years later started JKD which has no belts and I continue to train in JKD to this day. I attended a Royce Gracie seminar a few months ago and wore a white belt.

Charlie3dan

The belt system is just a system. I think it's a good system because it gives tangible goals and targets. However, the main thing here is that the belt does not make the man, the man makes the belt.

It's the same with any achievement in martial arts, just because you achieve a few things doesn't mean you are bad ass. Placing too much value in anything is foolish, as it outrightly disrespecting it.

To the OP, if it were me I would train wearing a white belt for the first few weeks/months until I had regained some ability and then start wearing the black belt and trying to get to where I was and further.

I don't think a grade should ever be taken away (maybe make them harder to achieve in the first place) but if I left training for whatever reason, I wouldn't really consider myself a black belt as I wouldn't be upholding what the belt stands for. Again, the belt doesn't make me, I have to make the belt.

thefizz

It's simple, when you get back to the standard required for that particular grade, then you get to wear your belt again.