Becoming a Black Belt

The ingredients needed to become a Black Belt:

3C + (Quality of skills (F + D)) + a sprinkle of blood, sweat, bruise and broken stuff

• CHOICE x COMMITMENT x CHARACTER
• QUALITY OF SKILLS (FOCUS + DISCIPLINE)
• a sprinkle of blood, sweat, bruise and broken stuff

These words may hardly be new, but not many people understand their importance in order become a Black Belt. Getting a black belt isn't an easy task, more so becoming one. It is more than just a sash worn around the waist to show your knock out abilities. It is a culmination of all your hardwork and dedication, and the beginning of an even greater journey towards self-mastery.

The real challenge in Karate or any Martial Arts is the choice to continue training amidst all the hardships, pain and obstacles, and it was perhaps the best decision I have made when I chose to continue the path towards becoming a Black Belt in Karate (I was forced to join so it wasn't entirely an autonomous decision in the beginning 😊).

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It wasn't a painless journey but it was worth all the time and effort, and it still is. These are some of the things, if not most, which have helped me in my journey to become a Black Belt and the learnings that came with it.

3Cs [Choice x Commitment x Character]

CHOICE

Most things in life is about choices. Black belts don't just happen because of luck and happenstance. You have to choose to show up, to start, to fight, to move and to commit yourself to training. To get a black belt you have to choose the path to becoming one, but the heavy and painful decisions doesn't stop in the beginning. You have to repeatedly choose to show up, to become better everyday and to do your best every practice, and especially continue training when it becomes tough. The real challenge is when you are faced with the choice to quit or stand up after a hard, painful blow. Take a break but do not quit! Endure the pain from training, not from regret.

COMMITMENT

Committing to our choices is as demanding as the decision to begin. During the course of training, your movements will get sharper but the higher your rank becomes, the tougher the training will be. Commit to becoming better. Commit to progress and self-development, and never settle for anything less than an excellent performance. It is difficult if not impossible for you to follow-through the path of Karate without commitment. A black belt will be nothing more than just a sash if there is no commitment to becoming one.

CHARACTER

I would say that this is the most difficult requirement needed to become a Black Belt but it is also the most important learning you can get from training. In Karate, you don't get promoted to a Black Belt based solely on skills. More importantly, you need to be a person of good character. Aside from training for stronger kicks and faster punches, you must practice good habits, develop a positive attitude and effect good change. There is more to Karate than just throwing punches and kicks, it is a way of life - a life lived with respect, discipline and humility.

Good character like most things require practice.

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QUALITY OF SKILLS (FOCUS + DISCIPLINE)

On a more technical note, Karate requires focus and discipline to create movements of great quality and excellence. Keep in mind to train for progress and aim for excellence. Medals in competitions and promotions for rankings will follow as long as you keep your focus on self-development and you train to be the best you can be.

“Karate may be referred to as the conflict within yourself, or a life-long marathon which can be won only through self-discipline, hard training, and your own creative efforts.”
– Shoshin Nagamine (founder of Matsubayashi-ryu Karate)

Don't be in a hurry to get a black belt. In some Karate Dojo, you can get a black belt in 1-2 years. Different Dojos have different practices. Ideally, a practitioner must train for 3 years at the very least before taking an examination for a black belt depending on one's progress. This is for you to fully understand the art and yourself. We all have different paces in learning along with our distinct strengths and weaknesses. Focus on sharpening your strengths some more to make it a formidable weapon and on improving your weaknesses so you don't get incapacitated by it.

Aim for quality, not just quantity. You can spend years doing a thousand strikes incorrectly. Your muscles will memorize the incorrect movements and your body will get accustomed to incorrect positions. Evaluate your movements and have your techniques checked from time to time, even when you have become a Black Belt. Learning the art of Karate is a lifelong process.

Always go back to Kata and basics. Always do Kata and do not do shortcuts in your training. It is tempting and cool to do spinning kicks at an early stage of your training but the basics and Kata lay a strong foundation for more complex techniques. With a good understanding of the basic movements, it is easier to adapt and adjust to more complex movements while avoiding injuries in the process.

Be patient in learning Kata. Understand each Kata before you proceed to the next one. In Kata, you learn balance, focus, control and proper breathing. You develop both physical and mental tenacity.

FOCUS

At the core of your training, always put emphasis on proper breathing and maintain a high level of focus for every strike. Karate's one killing blow cannot be delivered through an average execution. It can only be achieved through a high level of focus, with proper timing and breathing.

Never forget to breathe. Inhale through your diaphragm and exhale when you strike, and do not tense.

DISCIPLINE

Excellence and mastery takes focus and discipline. Both go hand in hand to achieve progress and to deliver an excellent execution. Discipline entails regulation of your strikes and yourself. Have enough control in each strike and have the ability to monitor and manage oneself.

It is easy to lose control and throw your strikes wildly, same as it is easy to quit and choose an unchallenging way of life. So never lose sight of your goals and remember your commitment to the art. Focus and discipline isn't limited to your training in Karate, you must apply it in your life.

“No matter how you excel in the art of “Ti” (Okinawan precursor to Karate), and in your scholastic endeavors, nothing is more important than your behavior and humanity as observed in daily life.” – Junsoku Uekata (Confucian scholar), written in 1683!

What is the difference between a Karate practitioner and a indifferent fighter? Focus, Discipline and Character.

If and when the time comes that you have to use your knowledge and skills in Karate, make sure you have a good reason to fight. Merely having a black belt does not ensure victory over one's opponent, but BEING A BLACK BELT can help you win even without fighting.

A sprinkle of blood, sweat, bruise and broken stuff

Now, the fun stuff. Along the way to becoming a Black Belt, there will be bumps and bruises, buckets of sweat, a cup of blood, and a few broken stuff (or bones). But all your hardwork will be worth it. Not just for the belt, but for everything you have acquired along the way - the values, your skills & athleticism, belongingness and being part of something, friendship (and even family). These are just some of the few payoffs you get as an exchange for those bruises and hardwork. The journey is worth it. Have fun along the way!

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“Karate is a lifetime study.” – Kenwa Mabuni

If you're on your way to becoming a Black Belt, add these bits of ingredients to your training, and you'll soon get to wear that awesome black around your waist. But keep in mind the essence of being a Black Belt because you'll soon find out that the challenge isn't getting a black belt. It's becoming one.

If you already are a Black Belt, Kudos and much respect to you for going through that amazing journey. The Black Belt isn't the end of our journey. It's the beginning of an even greater one.

~~a student of Karate

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