"HOW many months before I could be promoted to the next rank?" this was once asked by a student, he was talking of his promotion to the next higher belt rank.

This would be common to clubs and schools of martial arts, which use the belt ranking system.

For updates from around the country, follow Sun.Star on Twitter

Every now and then there would be someone curious of advancing to the next rank even if he has not started with his training yet or even enrolled in the particular martial arts club.

In the past, it is taboo to ask these sorts of questions from your teacher. Rank was given by choice; the instructor bases his decision from his own criteria, which would assess one student in his education in the martial arts discipline. Sad to say students today don't see it that way they would expect to be promoted after a few months of training - like they are just finishing a subject - and advance to the next level.

Mediocrity in martial arts understanding is really taking its toll to the art. It is becoming commercialized nowadays that everything seems to have a price.

Whose fault is this?

Although we have our thoughts to share that would somehow bring us to the answer to this question, there should be a self-reflection to really identify not on what went wrong.

But what can be done?

What is a BLACK BELT then?

I don't remember the exact words of Master Miyagi from the movie "Karate Kid" but he said something like: "Belts are made to hold your pants up." This was interpreted by my friend a SeaGames medalist in judo (Rex Ramirez), he said the thing about the belt holding the pants up is just like holding your persona intact so it won't fall down. Black belts before were hard earned that insulting the belt is like insulting holder's character and spirit.

The term black belt is actually the literal belt worn on the waist of a martial artist. But in essence dan or degree marks the frontier of a martial artist it is not necessary the color that determines the milestone of a martial artist but the steps taken to his journey to perfection of character, although perfection may seem unachievable, seeking to attain this goal would mold a martial artist.

I would like to quote my Shihan Manuel de Leon again when he said "Only when you become a black belt that you start to become a white belt."

I always explain this to my own students this way: We can only start to learn if we start to understand. Black belt is really the stage where a martial artist sees things in perspective; maybe it is the justification that experience is a vital part of learning, it boosts the ability to understand.

For thoughts: Black Belt is the balance of the traditional White Gi most martial artist wear. Martial arts is always symbolized by the Yin and Yang which bares the white and black colors.

This shows balance just like the black and white the Gi and the Belt represent: the black belter persona must project balance.