Michael Younessi is a successful entrepreneur whose former projects include several companies in the textile industry. For more than a decade, Michael Younessi has focused his energy on real estate development. When he was younger, he enjoyed practicing his karate skills and sparring with other students. When it comes to the martial arts, a great deal of misconception exists, including misunderstandings about the meaning of a black belt.
Often, people think of the black belt as the master level for martial artists. In reality, a black belt only signals mastery of the basics of a given martial art. In fact, 10 levels of advancement exist past the black-belt stage.
Before getting to the black belt, individuals complete 10 ranks of training. Thus, the black belt sits in the middle of the process. An individual with a first-degree black belt earns the title “sempai,” which means assistant teacher. The 10 levels after black belt are called “dans.” People often work for several decades to make it to the fifth level of dan. The next four levels of dan go beyond physical practice to include demonstration of humility, charity, spirit, and other tenets of the marital art. Getting to the ninth level often takes 40 years or more.
People reach dan level 10 by nomination from other practitioners. This level is the highest attainable rank.
