A Black Belt in Tai Chi? A Green Belt in Qigong? Seriously?
Don’t worry, folks. I haven’t gone nuts. Traditionally, there are no belts in these arts, and I have no plans to mess with that tradition. However, I think that the following question may be useful for Tai Chi and Qigong practitioners:
Question: What belt would I be?
Year ago, I earned black belts in 2 different styles of Karate, so I know that there are advantages and disadvantages to the belt system. One disadvantage is that belts are often given out for money rather than merit. One advantage, however, is that students have a good idea where they stand in the curriculum.
Let’s imagine that you’ve been practicing Tai Chi or Qigong consistently for about 2 years. Where do you stand in the curriculum? If there were belts, what belt would you be?
For fun, I’ve created the following checklist. It’s not perfect, and please don’t come asking me for your Green Belt, but I think that it may be useful for some of you. If you can check off 90% of a given list, then you can promote yourself to the next belt. If you find this checklist useful, then please post your thoughts and experiences below.
(Note: the checklist below is specific to my school, but I’m sure that those of you from other schools can still benefit from this thought experiment.)
You are a White Belt if…
- You are sincere about getting results with these arts.
- You are reading Grandmaster Wong’s books.
- You are reading Sifu Anthony’s free eBooks.
- You have decided to do the 2-Minute Drill every day for 30 days.
- You are planning to learn face-to-face from a good instructor.
You are a Yellow Belt if…
- You have learned face-to-face from a good instructor.
- You have been practicing regularly for at least 6 months.
- You know Lifting the Sky.
- You can do Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow on your own.
- You know the 15-Minute Routine.
- You practice at least 5 times a week (not including classes).
- You have kept a progress chart for 3 months.
- You have seen progress in at least 2 areas of health and vitality.
- Tai Chi only – You know the Three Circle Stance.
- Tai Chi only – You know the Bow-Arrow Stance.
- Tai Chi only – You know Waist Rotation.
- Tai Chi only – You know at least 1 variation of Cloud Hands.
You are a Green Belt if…
- You have received at least 24 hours of face-to-face instruction from a good instructor.
- You have been practicing regularly for roughly 2 years.
- You have read at least one of Grandmaster Wong’s books.
- You practice at least 25 days per month.
- You have seen progress in 4 areas of health and vitality.
- You know the 3 Qigong Treasures.
- You know the Five Animal Play.
- You know at least 3 of the Sinew Metamorphosis exercises.
- You are able to cleanse at the Skin and Muscle Levels.
- You are at least 90% pain free.
- Tai Chi only – You can do 10 repetitions of Three Levels to Ground.
- Tai Chi only – You cultivate Internal Force at least 3 days a week.
- Tai Chi only – You can easily do Three Circles for 10 minutes.
- Tai Chi only – You can escape from any wrist grab using Cloud Hands.
- Tai Chi only – You know at least 1 Tai Chi Set.
- Tai Chi only – You know the 7 Warrior Postures.
You are a Brown Belt if…
- You have received at least 48 hours of instruction from a good instructor.
- You have been practicing regularly for at least 3 years.
- You practice almost every day.
- You have resolved at least 1 health issue.
- You know the 9 Qigong Jewels.
- You know most of the 18 Luohan Hands
- You know most of the Sinew Metamorphosis exercises.
- You can induce a Cosmic Shower.
- You can cleanse at the Meridian and Organ Levels.
- You are at least 95% pain free.
- Tai Chi only – You can touch your toes without bending your knees.
- Tai Chi only – You know most of The Art of Flexibility.
- Tai Chi only – You cultivate Internal Force at least 5 days a week.
- Tai Chi only – You can easily do Three Circles for 15 minutes.
- Tai Chi only – You can defend against basic pushes.
You are a Black Belt if…
- You have received at least 72 hours of instruction from a good instructor.
- You have been practicing regularly for at least 4 years.
- You know all 18 Luohan Hands.
- You know all 12 Sinew Metamorphosis.
- You can cleanse at the Bone Level.
- You can do Abdominal Breathing.
- You can feel dantian clearly.
- You have clearly felt pulsations at mingmen and baihui.
- You are 99% pain free.
- You are healthy.
- You are full of energy.
- Tai Chi only – You know at least 2 Tai Chi sets.
- Tai Chi only – You cultivate Internal Force almost every day.
- Tai Chi only – You can use Tai Chi to defend against basic punches.
- Tai Chi only – You can use Tai Chi to defend against basic kicks.
- Tai Chi only – You can use Tai Chi to defend against basic throws.
- Tai Chi only – You can use Tai Chi to defend against basic grips and locks.
Zenfully yours,
Sifu Anthony
Sifu Anthony Korahais used Qigong to overcome clinical depression, aching low-back pain, chronic bronchitis, and a heart murmur. He is the founder and director of the Flowing Zen Center in Gainesville, Florida, and an internationally recognized teacher in the world of energy arts. To contact Sifu Anthony directly, click here.
This is interesting, surprising, and motivating. I assumed I would have a green belt, but I’m only half-green.
Looking forward to gaining more skills (and to pictures). Thank you for this clarity.
I’m glad that you found it motivating, Mary.
I Found it super motivating!!!!! for sure yellow belt! going on to green belt!
I like it! thankyou!
Thank you for the checklist. I found it gave me a sense of accomplishment or at least it will give me a sense of accomplishment. I am only a white belt at the moment but am happy to have skills to work towards.
I am very excited about my new journey and even though I have found this path late in life (60) I have already felt benefits both in my mind and body.
Thank you Sifu Anthony.
A very useful analogy Sifu Anthony.
It gives a very meaningful perspective to an otherwise esoteric collection of disciplines.
it has given me more clarity on the big picture.
i am looking forward to you filling in even more detail on each of these skills.
Thank you for your dedication to detail and thoroughness in teaching.
.
Interesting concept you have going there.. I have determined I am a Brown Belt in Chi Kung, so to speak.. At least I can determine where I stand. And by the way some Traditional Kung Fu school’s use “Sashes” for the awareness of how much one has attained or progressed…
David, colored sashes are not traditional. They are a modern invention adopted in order to compete with the Karate and Judo belt systems. Traditional Kung Fu sashes had nothing to do with rank or attainment.
Yes I am fully aware that the Modern Sashes are more of an incentive to join with a Kung Fu school, claiming Tradtional Style or no.. Just pointing out another idea that is all…Though we are more accustomed to Karate Belts. Still I like where you are going with a way to determine progress..
To be completely honest, this post was rather startling to me! I’ve becoming something of a big time traditionalist, so I was a little taken aback by the idea of belts being issued to practitioners of T’ai Chi Ch’uan. I am not at all trying to say that my cup is full, of course. I was just saying that I was really shocked at first at the thoughts of giving out ranks for this particular art. I’ve heard of schools that do that, and it seems really strange to me. As a motivational tool, though, this makes a lot of sense and I wasn’t trying to be critical one bit!
Since I’m trained according to a different progression, things are a bit different for me. Nevertheless, it’s still pretty inspirational and proves that there’s no end to the amount of things left to learn in the traditional arts. I wish I would have discovered this earlier, and been more open to it. In the past, I eschewed the martial arts and thought that many of these concepts were ridiculous. I accept, today, that I was seriously misguided but I also realize that no amount of wishing is going to bring back tomorrow. I can only work to move forward with that much greater fervor to make up for lost time.
JR, just to be clear, we don’t actually have belts in my school. It’s just an analogy.
Oh, I totally realize that now! I was just saying I was startled at first, but now I can how great a motivational tool this can really be. I also wanted to say that it makes me realize just how far I still have to go in my training, which is naturally never complete.
Thank you.
Motivating students is super important. That’s one of the main reasons why I wrote this article.