should have clarified--meant teaching at a high level.
I think there is more to belts then symbolizing skill.
Belts seem to have many functions but most of these functions seem to be practical and logical. For example belts serve as markers for progress. It is good for the individual student to know they have moved or progressed from one skill level to another. When a person is promoted he or she is naturally proud of there progress. So belts are a tangible symbol for not only progress but also the time, energy and effort put into that progress.
Belts also serve as an incentive and motivation. It is easier to keep pressing on when you know there is a reward for all your trouble. People are like to continue through to the end when there is a reward at the end. How many people would continue doing Bjj for the amount of years they did it before reaching a particular belt if there wasn't a belt to obtain? In other words would any of us keep pressing on to the next level if there wasn't a next to press on to?
Belts, obviously, represent a level of experience, knowledge and skill. BUT one has to also keep in mind experience, knowledge, skill is RELATIVE. We "think" it should work in a neat and tidy way BUT reality says different. For example we all assume that a black belt should beat a brown belt who should beat a purple belt who should be a blue belt. That sounds good in theory BUT in reality it doesn't work that way because there are other variables involved. Obviously there are physical factors but there are mental factors as well. As one of my friends told me we think that because fighter "A" can beat fighter "B" who can beat fighter "C" that fighter "A" can beat fighter "C" by logical default. But sometimes fighter "C" has the mental edge of fighter "A" and thus can beat him even though fighter "C" loses, consistently, to the same fighter (fighter B) that fighter "A" beats consistently.
Also keep in my that some instructors use belts a motivational incentive. That is, there are some people who don't even come close to their potential, and often won't train as hard as they could or train as consistently as they should. Some people are good but can be alot better if they only committed themselves more to training and practice. Some instructors will use belt promotions to inspire such a student to train harder and give a greater committment. This why for every belt level from blue to black there is a RANGE of skill. Some people don't have the same potential as other and some people don't work as hard as other and some people work alot harder than others.
"Many times the best atheletes are horible teachers, e.g. magic johnson. he was a horrible coach."
The reason why sometimes the best athletes are the worst teachers is because they simply don't put any time into teaching others. Sometimes the best athletes are selfish and only think of and care about there own progress which is way they won't give any time to developing their teaching skills.
Also Magic Johnson actually was a good coach. He did pretty well during his stint as a NBA coach. The thing about being a coach at the pro-level is the coach has to get their players to buy into their coaching philosophy. If the players don't care about the coach they won't listen to him no matter how good he may be. It is unfortuate that some pro-level players think they know it all and won't listen to those have both the experience and knowledge.
the point is moot. the bottom line is that they are not good coaches rather than as to why they are not good coaches.
i disagree with you on magic, but this is not NBA talk.
the black belt should be awarded largely on skill set. Skill is what makes one good at bjj, not the ability to communicate ideas
[quote]andre - Great post, Truemanc![/quote]
I second that!