Am I going too slow, too fast or just right?

**fatprince101** · Posted On: 8/08/2010 7:56am

Hello people,

I am new so do pardon me if my writing seems a bit sluggish or I type something wrong :lol:

Anyways, lets get to the point, should we? Well, I am relatively new to WTF styled taekwondo, having only done it for fifteen months. I am currently a yellow belt with a green stripe (three ranks up from a white belt and seven ranks till reaching black belt).

My friend also does WTF styled taekwondo but goes to another dojang. She, in fifteen months, has become a blue belt (five ranks up from white belt and four ranks till reaching black belt). That is ALOT faster than I am going.

She also told me that she could reach black belt in two years and three months. My instructor said it would take at least five years in his dojang!

Am I working at too slow a pace? My bestie reckons I am going to a ripoff gym who wants to milk me for what its worth.......

Thanks :icon_rend

**thorthe power** · Posted On: 8/08/2010 8:36am

It's hard to say, but but it sounds like your instructor takes pride in having a longer (maybe harder curriculum?)

It's better to take 5 years to become a black belt and probably be able to fight like one....than to get a black belt in two years and bearly have a clue. If you like the training, stay where your at and don't get caught up in belt colors.

**kanegs** · Posted On: 8/08/2010 8:55am

Originally Posted by fatprince101

Hello people,

I am new so do pardon me if my writing seems a bit sluggish or I type something wrong :lol:

Anyways, lets get to the point, should we? Well, I am relatively new to WTF styled taekwondo, having only done it for fifteen months. I am currently a yellow belt with a green stripe (three ranks up from a white belt and seven ranks till reaching black belt).

My friend also does WTF styled taekwondo but goes to another dojang. She, in fifteen months, has become a blue belt (five ranks up from white belt and four ranks till reaching black belt). That is ALOT faster than I am going.

She also told me that she could reach black belt in two years and three months. My instructor said it would take at least five years in his dojang!

Am I working at too slow a pace? My bestie reckons I am going to a ripoff gym who wants to milk me for what its worth.......

Thanks :icon_rend

I've been studying TKD for 20 months and I'm the same rank as you.

If you think about it, there's very little incentive to hold someone back, but lots a reasons to pass them through more quickly.

Unless you've stated that you intend to quit once you get a black belt, there's nothing to "milk you for". OTOH, many schools have testing fees, so they can make more money by promoting students quickly.

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 8/08/2010 9:43am

You have to look at the structure of your classes vs. your friends classes. We can't judge just on your word alone.

Quick progression alone can mean less time and skill. If the instructor is pushing students through and has a high turnover rate it could be a bad thing. On the surface two years sounds worse than five.

Five years can also mean the instructor is pushing out techniques extremely slow to keep you paying for 2-3 years of dues and keep a steady income. Yes, this can be just as McDojo as to quick.

If you have learned half your lower belt curriculum and the two schools are taught the same and the quality is the same 5 years may be to long. Length isn't any better than shortness when we have nothing to judge. I've seen both sides of the equation and it just depends on the quality of student they are churning out.

Then there are other variables

My school before it went full on McDojo averaged 3-5 years to BB. 18 months in Brown belt alone minnimum on average. It took me less than 2 years with 12 months in Brown Belt. Then again, my school was open 6 days a week the first year. Here is another variable we don't know How much you practice vs. Your friend.

I practiced 6 days a week 12 hours minimum. There was a point for about 15 months were it was in the mid 20's. Then a group of us would get together and practice in an out of the way park. Yes, in some weeks I was pushing close to 30 hours.

Basically, don't get caught up in the belt race. If you enjoy what you do who cares when you get your BB? The length of time, without any variables, does seem better. Really, the only way to know what is hapeening is to watch/participate in your friends school.

**Rene "Zendokan" Gysenbergs** · Posted On: 8/08/2010 9:45am

Originally Posted by fatprince101

Hello people,

I am new so do pardon me if my writing seems a bit sluggish or I type something wrong :lol:

Anyways, lets get to the point, should we? Well, I am relatively new to WTF styled taekwondo, having only done it for fifteen months. I am currently a yellow belt with a green stripe (three ranks up from a white belt and seven ranks till reaching black belt).

My friend also does WTF styled taekwondo but goes to another dojang. She, in fifteen months, has become a blue belt (five ranks up from white belt and four ranks till reaching black belt). That is ALOT faster than I am going.

She also told me that she could reach black belt in two years and three months. My instructor said it would take at least five years in his dojang!

Am I working at too slow a pace? My bestie reckons I am going to a ripoff gym who wants to milk me for what its worth.......

Thanks :icon_rend

It took me 6 years to get from 10th gup (White Belt) to Chodan (1st Dan Black Belt) and in that period I crosstrained at a Kyokushin Dojo (only sparring) to make my Taekwondo better*.

In the end a belt is just a piece of cloth to keep your gi-jacket closed, hell with a dobok you don't even need a belt, since the top is a shirt.
Remember that the black belt represents your fighting ability...but it does not give its wearer any 'extra' fighting skills.

* in retrospective I should have trained Kyokushin fulltime and crosstrained in Taekwondo...but you live and learn.

**fatprince101** · Posted On: 8/10/2010 3:59am

Originally Posted by kanegs

I've been studying TKD for 20 months and I'm the same rank as you.

If you think about it, there's very little incentive to hold someone back, but lots a reasons to pass them through more quickly.

Unless you've stated that you intend to quit once you get a black belt, there's nothing to "milk you for". OTOH, many schools have testing fees, so they can make more money by promoting students quickly.

why? promoting someone slower means they get the same amount of testing fees in total as well as more cash as they pay for the classes?

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 8/10/2010 8:00am

Originally Posted by fatprince101

why? promoting someone slower means they get the same amount of testing fees in total as well as more cash as they pay for the classes?

Yes, that's why I didn't understand his post either.

That's one of the keys to a McDojo. Adding more ranks or adding more time between ranks.

Not saying this is what is happening at your school.

That's why you have to go see your buddies class. You may be getting more in depth training or you are getting milked.

**kanegs** · Posted On: 8/10/2010 7:37pm

Originally Posted by fatprince101

why? promoting someone slower means they get the same amount of testing fees in total as well as more cash as they pay for the classes?

Only if plan on quitting once you obtain a certain rank.if you and your friend take classes for about the same length of time (not sure how old you are, but if you're teenagers you might stop when you leave for college--if you're older may you'll quite when you get married, or have kids--doesn't really matter). If during that time your friend has more tests, he will be charged more money even though you spent the same amount for lessons.

If you intend to quit (or change schools/styles) once you get your black belt, then yes it would be in your teacher's financial interest to slow down your progress and get more lessons out of you.

**kevniooo** · Posted On: 8/18/2010 8:03pm

It took me almost 6 years to get to 1st Dan, and I am still perfecting the basics. The thing is .. yes .. someone can tell you that you are a black belt, but unless you can look in the mirror and say, I am a black belt, then you are not. I don't believe that anyone can do that in 2 1/3 years. Not honestly.

In life as in everything, there is knowledge and maturity. Your friend may (doubtfully) have the knowledge, but he won't have the maturity.
It takes both knowledge and maturity to show others the way.

So ask yourself, If you had your black belt tomorrow, what would it mean. Would you stop training? If the answer is yes, then change schools now.

If the answer is no, then relish each step that you take, and realize that the journey is the goal, not the end, and when you reach that black belt, you'll realize that you are just beginning, as I did.

**duralmaru** · Posted On: 8/30/2010 1:30pm

This all depends on the school, traditional korean schools usually take anywhere from two to three to reach first dan. How many times a year do you test? I go to a hapkido school I am a 2nd degree brown and I have been going there for almost two years. So again it really depends on the school and the instructor. I doubt he is trying to rip you off, these traditional schools are shutting down cause of all the MMA schools opening. If anything your friend's school might be rushing them faster through it cause the more black belts you have the better your school looks to future students visiting.