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if you had to take a guess or know from experience how long does it take to reach first dan black belt TKD.

i've only trained at an MMA gym and i would like to actually get belts and find a deeper meaning to fighting than just beating the hell out of someone.

I've been at it for almost 5 years now. I am working for my black-belt atm, so 5 years is about the right time for a proper grading system (one that doesn't promise you black belt within x-years).

ninja ninja no one really knows it depends on the one that does tkd to tell you the truth. i have seen student defeat higher belts and they then can take a higher leveled test or sometimes they have such high understanding for martial arts and have all the skills that is needed to become a black belt because they are gifted or because they train really hard. it is not 5 years maybe it could happen like that if you only train your 3 times a week but i have seen ppl that train with the national teams that are not black belts and get higher ranks faster also... im going to put my answer so hard but simple its all up to you how long it take for you to be a black belt good luck ninja ninja

I personally would like to caution you against taking a martial art just for belts. On the one hand, there are "McDojo's" that will just give out belts without really teaching you anything at all. Then at the other extreme, you have very traditional schools that will promote you at that head instructor's discretion. One way you will feel unsatisfied with you belt or get impatient wanting to just get a "black belt". I took Tae Kwon Do daily for two years, I gave up a lot of time to get that belt in just two years; my Grandmaster was demanding. Bottom line: don't take a martial art just for a belt, and behind all the pretentious tenets and ideals martial arts is a physical expression that can very well end up in having someone beaten to a pulp.