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If you want to create some other ranking system for people who cannot physically, mentally, or emotionally meet the requirements to be a black belt, then it is an option; just do not call them black belts or equate them with black belts. You might even create a separate fighting system for them that uses techniques they are capable of performing; just do not water down your martial art’s black belt requirements to help a specific group of people and then consider them real black belts. The Special Olympics are for people who, due to circumstances beyond their control, are not able to compete in the Olympics; however, their medals, while they hold high prestige within the Special Olympic community, are not Olympics medals and do not hold the same prestige as Olympic medals.

Aged

Why is it that senior citizens are given a break when they test for black belt? You either can do what is required for a black belt, or you cannot.

Everyone reaches an age or a condition in life when they cannot perform tasks they may have been able to perform at a younger age. A person should not be awarded a black belts based upon what the person did, or may have been able to do, in the past; a black belt should be awarded based upon what the person is able to do now.

A black belt tester must meet the requirements; the requirement should not be lowered to meet the tester. Not everyone is able to walk, kick, remember a sequence of movements (such as a pattern), or perform at the level of a black belt. That is life!

If you want to recognize the efforts of lesser able persons, then create some special belt system for them or create some other type of self-defense program for them, such as in done in the Senior Olympics. Just do not award them black belts if they cannot perform at the level of a black belt.

Once you start making exceptions to the standards, it never stops; everyone wants a special exception. This is not like archery where you get points for coming close to the bull’s-eye; it is more like basketball where you only get points when you make the basket.

Over the hill black belts

Once you are awarded an Olympic medal for the 5000 meters, you will also be an Olympic 5000 meters medal winner, even if you are now too old to run at all. Once you are a black belt, you will always be a black belt, even if you are too old to kick a bucket. However, this does not mean that people should be awarded black belts based on the age or previous abilities.

The martial arts community, and the general public, has an opinion as to what a black belt is and expectation as to what a black belt should be able to do. Although these expectations may be lower for an older black belt, the expectations are still high. An older black belt may not be expected to perform as a younger black belt, but they are expected to perform much better than non black belt people of the same age. Age does not make black belts unfit or fat. Barring any legitimate medical reasons, they become unfit and fat because they do not care or because they do not want to do what it takes to be fit or trim.

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