Black Belt is the Beginning
In martial arts, our very first goal is often to become a black belt!
To many, this can feel like a big challenge; a very long way off and difficult to obtain.
How do we help with this goal? Simple, we break down the requirements of the black belt into separate skill-based training levels.
This is then broken down further into beginner, intermediate and advanced. Each new skill learned through the coloured belt level system, and obtained is a step closer to black belt testing.
For some, the level of commitment to training is just not there. So they quit at a coloured belt stage.
The reasons can be many, sometimes it’s simply that the person never wanted it in the first place, or it can be a fear of failing to a change in circumstances. I’m sure we’ve all had friends that say they’d like to become, or do something and yet they never take any steps towards it.
Sometimes the reason for stopping before achieving the black belt can even be the martial art system you’re studying, maybe demanding too much of you at a far too early stage.
The fact is, Black Belt is your “Basics”, so maybe changing your understanding of what a black belt is will help make it more achievable.
Earning your black belt just means you know all your basics, it’s not mastery level.
That comes from the next level. Like passing your driving test, you place a “P” sign on your car to show others you’ve just passed, you’ve learned the basics. Now you drive to gain experience for a full year, then the P comes off and you’re a fully fledged driver!
Whatever the style, or system you train in, you should have a clear understanding of how it works and be able to make the basics work for you!
A clear understanding of; Balance, Footwork, Offensive & Defensive
Striking
The Next stage after a Black belt is complex training skills.
Learning how to take all your basic knowledge of your system and flow from technique to technique, to recognize when a strategy is not working and move on, adapt!
New principles of training can be introduced because you have a greater understanding of movement. Ideas an concepts can be shared with you, where as before this would have gone over your head.
Setting New goals is important to personal growth.
Think of your education, the first long-term goal is to obtain your GCSE’s which preparation starts way back in infants school.
Then you move on to higher education through “A” levels, then onto University where you finally pick a topic to study in depth. That could be, for example, English literature. Notice how your GCSE’s are only your “Basics”
This is long-term goal setting which we accomplish through short-term goals, step by step.
Imagine if we could all instil the life skills of goal setting, realising that our BIG goal is nothing more than daily small action steps.
