“What a black belt should know”

(Excerpt from an e-mail post on tkd.net from Matt Winters)

“There was a time that I had a very narrow view of what a black belt should know.  That all their forms should be second nature, that every one-step should be there for instant recall.  Then I studied Hapkido in Korea and at first was a bit put off when one of the black belts, even the sabunim (Instructor) couldn't remember a specific detail right off.  Then, in this case I realized that they knew so much that instant recall for everything wasn't realistic.  It wasn't like if you tried to punch them that nothing would happen, they had just learned so many ways to deal with an attack that pulling up a single specific response wasn't always possible.  I now realize that even further, different individuals have different interests and will attain their highest skill levels where they are most interested, not where I, you or we decide they should attain their highest skill level.  As an instructor, I believe that we do have an obligation to promote only those who live up to the best of their individual ability.  But that does not mean that a first Dan black belt should be the pinnacle of achievement.  Everyone is capable of reaching first Dan, perhaps not everyone is capable of reaching 4 or 5 Dan and above.”