Learning karate is one of the most challenging and demanding tasks in the lives of many trainees. That said, the more pain and effort you invest into something, the more benefits you’ll eventually receive.
But, time is the most valuable asset in a person’s life. So, how long will it take to master karate?
On average, to master karate, hence attain a black belt, you’ll need to invest 10 years. However, the number of years ranges anywhere from 3-15 years. If, for example, you completely dedicate your life to the art of karate, you’ll attain the black belt in 3-6 years.
Nonetheless, if it’s just another hobby for you, it’ll take longer to achieve.
As you can see, the numbers are somewhat high. That’s because you’ll need to invest plenty of effort just to start climbing the ladder. Then, once you have momentum and stay consistent with training, you’ll start to notice your results compounding.
For some, mastering karate—is impossible. A lifetime of dedicated training may be insufficient for some people. Indeed, it’s a matter of perspective.
However, some trainees will feel satisfied and feel as if they mastered karate when they attain the black belt. But again, you’ll never truly master the art of karate in a single lifetime, as the stream of knowledge is endless.
How long does it take to learn the basics of karate?
Learning the basics of karate won’t take as long as mastering it; obviously. Consequently, you may set your goal as learning the basics of the fighting style. So now, let’s discuss what’s the realistic time stamps you can set to conquer.
On average, it takes a single year to learn the basics of karate. However, some trainees may conquer that task in under three months—and others will reach the finish line in two years. The more effort and time you invest into training, the faster the learning process will be.
Some trainees just don’t invest the minimal requirement to progress. Therefore, they’ll notice no results whatsoever.
Others who stay consistent with their karate training, however, will find themselves progressing naturally into their goals. Ultimately, it’s not about the goal, it’s the path you take.
When trainees dismiss the path ahead and rather focus on the goal, they’ll miss the whole point. One of the primary purposes of karate is self-development in all areas of life.
So, if you set out to conquer the basics of karate, ensure you also focus on the person you become. If you don’t, you’ll progress much slower toward your goal.
How long does it take to master karate?
Mastering karate—is an impossible task. However, most people refer to mastering it as learning and familiarizing yourself with everything there’s to learn in a specific karate style. That said, some trainees deny the possibility of ever conquering such a daunting goal.
Mastering karate can take anywhere from 20 years to an entire lifetime. As a result, most karate trainees will never find themselves having learned everything there’s to learn. In fact, even 10 Dan masters admit to being eager and wanting to learn more.
In my opinion, mastering a karate style is simply impossible, as there’s always more moves to practice; There are always people who can defeat you. Because of that, it’s a never-ending journey.
Karate trainees who claim to have conquered every single aspect of the art—aren’t as reliable. In fact, if someone declares he has done that, he’s most likely a fraud, since bragging isn’t endorsed.
So the next time you hear someone declare themselves as having finished karate training, take them with a grain of salt.
Is karate difficult to learn?
Martial arts, and karate in particular, require your attention. Like a plant, you’ll need to plant your seeds and constantly water them before even considering noticing any results. So, is karate difficult to learn?
Karate is difficult to learn because it requires you to stay consistent for an extended period. Moreover, it’s an intense physical exercise. As a result, many people who begin their fighting journey—end up quitting, since it becomes too difficult.
In everything worthwhile in life, there’s that initial, ghost town phase. I like to call it that because it seems as if you’re investing all of that effort, and you’re not gaining anything, clear to the eye.
Well, that happens to everything considered to be delayed gratification. So, why am I telling you this? Because you’ll eventually feel as if you’re investing plenty of effort and not benefiting from it. Naturally, you’ll want to quit.
Nonetheless, results compound. Thus, if you keep up with training, you’ll find yourself reaping the seeds you planted a long time ago. When you reach this point, motivation won’t be a problem, as you would have already experienced many results.
However, until that point, karate is extremely difficult to maintain and learn.
If you want to know how to progress faster in karate, follow the link to another article of mine.
How long does it take to reach the black belt in karate?
Reaching the black belt is an incredibly demanding achievement. In fact, most people who start their martial arts journey—never reach such a place. So, how long does it take to reach the black belt in karate?
Attaining the black belt in karate takes, on average, ten years. However, the number of years may range anywhere from three to 15. Investing that amount of time of consecutive training sessions and hard times—is extremely challenging. Thus, few are the people who attain it.
Imagine the next ten years of your life filled with weekly martial arts classes. I mean, that would be insane. Well, that’s exactly what it’ll take to attain the black belt.
However, let’s switch perspectives and see why focusing on attaining the black belt—is flawed.
There’s an old story that explains why thinking of the end goal too often, won’t help you progress faster.
A karate trainee asked his sensei: How long will it take to get the black belt? The sensei said five years. Well, the trainee asked again: What if I double my workouts, now how long would it take? The sensei said ten years. At last, the trainee asked: What if I invest triple the effort? Then, the sensei said: 15 years; and you didn’t even notice the most enjoyable part, the journey.
This story allows us to see a unique perspective on goal setting. If you focus too much on the end goal and not on the close path ahead, you miss the entire point.
Karate is a suitable platform for self-development. Consequently, if you allow yourself to enjoy the path and not focus on the end goal too often, you’ll progress much faster.
Final words
Reaching the black belt in any martial art, and in karate, will require you to invest plenty of time and effort.
Of course, most trainees will never reach such a state. However, those who do, are the ones who have kept up with training—even they didn’t feel like it.
If you want to master karate, I encourage you to start training as soon as possible. Eventually, this is the most crucial step—most people never take. Yet, you can start, and you can do it now.
If you enjoyed reading this article, I also encourage you to read about Karate’s belt order. If you want to start training in it, such information is vital to know.