One of the most common questions I get from students and prospects that come to my school is: “how long does it take to earn a Black Belt?”

My response, “about 3 years… that is if you come to class consistently for 3 years”.

Some think that is a long time, others think it’s not long enough.

Here’s my reasoning behind a 3 year minimum to earn a Black Belt.

How long does it take to earn a college bachelors degree from an accredited university or state college?  About 4 years rights.  Now keep in mind students have summer vacation, spring break, and Christmas break.  You can get a degree in 3 years by going year-round.

If you want to continue your education to achieve a Masters degree, than it can be an additional 2-4 years (depending on the major).  And, if you are overly ambitious, than getting a Ph.D will take an additional 2-4 years.

Now, in Karate, why should it be any different…?  I’ve heard of schools that make their students train 5-7 years to earn a Black Belt.  As a Martial Artist, I understand there are certain techniques one needs to learn, but I feel the one thing many instructors are missing is this…

Your Training Begins At Black Belt.

As a Martial Arts Instructor, your goal is to teach them the fundamentals of your style, whether it be Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Kung Fu, etc.  By teaching them this foundation, you are able to mold, shape, and create the type of student you envision for your school.

I expect my Black Belts to look better than all of my students in our school and to demonstrate progress in their training.  More importantly, I look at their inner strength, such as attitude and will power.

A Black Belt should demonstrate the Will Power to continue and never give up, and have an “I Can” attitude.  Obviously, there is more that just those two characteristics though.

By detaining your students longer than 3-4 years to achieve a Black Belt, you are simply creating a barrier to success.  The same goes with college.  If you require a basic bachelors degree to take 5-6 years, more students are likely to quite and drop out of college than continue their education.

But, if you make the goals attainable, however demand higher performance, than you will begin to get better students who believe in themselves.

A student with confidence in their skills is more likely to be successful than a student who has no confidence.  As instructors we are not just teaching, but building confidence.

So, the fact that The Dojo of Karate requires a minimum of 3 years training to obtain a 1st Degree Black Belt is a good thing.  It’s an attainable goal.  But, it’s not easy.