I understand and appreciate the purpose of the belts system, especially in martial arts styles that are very rooted in tradition and history where belts are part of the culture of the martial art. However, I think it’s up to each school to maintain the integrity of belt levels. That part can be very subjective and I think that's the difficult part. For instance, at the shaolin school that I used to go to there were some black belts who really weren't very good at basics at all, yet they had put in the time and learned the movements of the form requirements and passed the tests.

For something like wushu, I think it's not as important. The belt system at my wushu school is only for kids and I think it's helpful for them to be motivated that way. The guidelines for improvement are clearer. Adults don't have the belt system there but learn the same material (for adult bodies) but we just go and learn. I guess what I see is that a beginner doing a basic form vs an advanced student performing the same form looks completely different. I kind of think of it like sculpture - having a rough form and chipping and going over layer over layer, fine tuning over the course of time to make a polished piece. So the marker of having a belt in that process isn't so relevant. In the wushu forms (compared to the kung forms), you can't even physically fake the advanced forms without being conditioned (strength, endurance, flexibility) to do them, and the beginning forms help students work up to that level.

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I don't think close to 4 years to a black belt is all that "short" though, and there is a lot more scruitiny at our black belt tests vs colored belts (the black belt test is multi part over multiple months, involves binders and written work, etc). But the colored belt tests are pretty simple: Show up, do your best, get belt. If you get part of the curriculum wrong they will just make you do it over and over again in front of everyone until you get it right.

It's more the kids that end up in the belt mill. Adults don't really matter because they will get out what they put in. For kids 6-12 a big part of the focus is on behavior at home and doing well in school. It's part of what I enjoy about Tae Kwon Do and martial arts, many forms of it train your mind as much as your body.

In the kids cases they can't promote unless their parents have signed off on (I think it's 30) acts of responsibility/good behavior at home, and the kiddos get patches, trophies, and gift certificates for bringing in good report cards.

If one of the parents says their child isn't behaving, they will get called out in front of the audience for a brief shaming. It's pretty hysterical. They basically have to apologize and promise to do better in front of a room of 100+ parents.


To put things in perspective, our school is only 1/3 of the Dojang network and at any single color belt test there is upwards of 150+ children 3-12 and usually in the vicinity of just 30ish adults. So everything is designed to cater to the kiddos. As far as I'm concerned, it's a good thing.

The behavior and maturity level of the kids who taekwondo is leaps and bounds higher than I'd ever expect. I really wish someone pushed me through TKD as a kid. The behavior modification you learn sets you on the right path to be a proper human being. Even though I'm old now, I still benefit from it.

Since I'm a yellow I'm not sure. From my perspective I didn't think I was ready but I think that was just my lack of confidence talking because I did end up doing just fine. I do like that we are told what will be expected of us in order to advance.

To advance from white to yellow we needed 1-5 one-step sparring moves, Sajukongbang and Ki-Bon and be able to recite their meanings.

Now, in order for me to advance to orange I repeat the yellow belt test and add 6-10 one-step sparring moves and Chon-Ji and its meaning. Each test also includes a set of drills and breaking a board however we're instructed to (punch, kick, etc).