Wow! A 3rd degree black belt and he's only 18!

[Kungfoolss]

Plenty of fight left in him

Chad Florin makes his final youth division competition his best with five of Ingram's 14 golds.

By STEVE LEE, Times Staff Writer

published July 18, 2003
http://www.sptimes.com/2003/07/18/photos/pasco-kick.jpg

NEW PORT RICHEY - The Amateur Athletic Union Nationals turned out to be one of Chad Florin's final, and grandest, hurrahs at the youth level.

Florin led a contingent of 18 Ingram's Karate Center students who combined for 14 gold, nine silver and six bronze medals.

In all, 32 Ingram's students competed in the July 1-5 competition at Winston-Salem, N.C.

Florin, a third-degree black belt, earned five golds, the most he has won in a meet since he took up the sport 11 years ago. "He finished up with a bang," coach Cindy Ingram said. Added Florin, "It's always something I wanted to happen, but it usually doesn't happen that way."

http://www.sptimes.com/2003/07/18/photos/pasco-movements.jpg
Florin, left, who has a third-degree black belt, does kusanku kata, which is a sequence of offensive and defensive movements against imaginary opponents, during a class at Ingram's Pro Karate

Florin, 18, garnered three golds last year in the AAU Nationals and the Junior Olympics. He said he would like to at least match that in the Junior Olympics set for Aug. 9-Sept. 1 in Detroit.

http://www.sptimes.com/2003/07/18/Pasco/Plenty_of_fight_left_.shtml

[Punisher]

3rd Degree in 11 years, it could happen.

I started in 1986, got my first in 1991 and my second in 1994 and I wasn't exactly a super student on the fast track.

My instructor's son is 13 and just entereing high school, and easily holds his own against adults. Technichally he is a junior balck belt, but you can get up to 2nd before joining the adult ranks.

Once again, just like the karate instructor who died, I don't see the problem here. I assume by posting this Kungfools has some problem with this.

<marquee>Dragon , Snake , Tiger , Leopard , Crane. R.M.F.A.F.T.A.T.! </marquee>

[Balloonknot]

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[Balloonknot]

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[The Mad Hatter]

I can tell from the patch on the guy's gi that he is an Isshinryu Karateka. I also am an Isshinryu Karateka, and obtaining a 3rd degree black belt within 11 years is doable. The founder, Grandmaster Shimabuku never identified anything about age requirements for belts/ranks, and it is entirely up to each individual instructor/sensei on how they want to award rank.

I have been in many Isshinryu dojos, some that have young black belts, and some that don't teach anyone under the age of 16. It is a matter of who is running the dojo, it is their business after all.