On Sunday 27th January at the South Woodham Ferrers dojo, students from across all Seitou Ryu Karate dojos were put through their paces at the bi-annual National Squad Selections.
Students had to demonstrate a variety of skills and abilities in speed, strength, co-ordination and agility, getting ranked on their individual kata and kumite performances, as well as going through a gruelling fitness and agility test to prove that they were capable of competing at the different levels of tournaments that they would be entering throughout the Spring 2013 season.
15 students were selected, 1 for the elite ‘A’ Squad and 14 for the ‘B’ Squad, with 3 of those being given an opportunity to be promoted to the ‘A’ Squad depending on how well they perform over the next 2 months.
The new line up is as follows:
‘A’ Squad
Martin Lawrence
,
‘B’ Squad
Samuel Parker
Connor Frost
Jaiye Akinosho
Jade Green
Tatum Mandy
Zoe Nolan
Katie Nicholls
Alvin Shaw
James Burberry
Adam Baglin
Tommy Ludkins
Emma Ludkins
Claire Gillman
Megan Homer
Congratulations to all of the squad, we look forward to seeing great things from all of you throughout the season!
Karate or any Martial Art is a journey which has a beginning, middle but no end. Most beginners see black belt level as their “ultimate goal”; however this is most certainly not the case. This is only the beginning of a much bigger journey.
When starting your own personal karate journey you are naïve and open to new experiences; however as time goes on you reach a stage in your training where you feel you have nowhere left to go. Whether this is conscious or subconscious, you need that drive to get you to class, seminar or even sometimes a grading.
After the first 2 years of training, you should have graded at least to your third maybe fourth level. This is known as your intermediate stage of training, where you learn the techniques, meanings of kata etc. You are generally at the stage where you can share your experience and knowledge with new students aiding with their personal progression. Throughout your karate journey, you strive to be better; and after your first 2, maybe 3 grade level progressions, people tend to fall into one of two categories. Those who want to continue and see nothing more but further progression; and those who feel they have achieved their goal of achieving a belt in martial arts and therefore quit.
Once past this intermediate level and on to your next training level, i.e. 3rd kyu to 1st Dan, you again hit your next “wall”. At Dan grade level you are now a “beginner” again; but not in the sense of white belt beginner, in the sense of mental beginner level as well as physical, as now you really get to understand more both about your martial art and yourself. You realise that karate is as much mental as physical.
Hitting the wall can be a big challenge to overcome
Our next major “slump” or wall in our training journey is seen at brown belt level; where we become complacent in our training and feel we can “sit back for a while”. While this is not always a bad thing, for some people it can deteriorate into a slump in which you may lose your focus and determination to achieve the next level in your training; by less motivation, attend class less and slack off in practice. This “wall” or “obstacle” in your journey is probably the most difficult to conquer and overcome. If you “take it easy” at this point and “take time out”, it is more likely you will never return to training.
At this level you may fall into a “false sense of security” in your training and you may end up quitting. You need to recognise the signs of this slump and “wait it out”. The best thing is to continue training in small doses, forcing yourself to go through the basic until the slump has passed. Once this stage has passed, a remarkable and unexpected ability to make an effort suddenly becomes apparent and there is finally “light at the end of the tunnel”.
The next stage in our “slump” is at 1st Dan (1st level ) black belt, where it is the end of one part of your training journey and the beginning of a new, higher understanding and greater learning experience. Unfortunately, some students reach their 1st Dan and decide they have mastered their art and achieved their goal; they end up quitting altogether. Quitting at this stage is like finally receiving something you have always wanted, but not taking care of it or putting it to proper use. To train successfully, regardless of grade or level, you need to practice regularly in order to maintain your skills. The attributes of reflexes, flexibility and power do not magically exist when black belt level in reached/earned. The way to overcome this sense of “disillusionment”, following attaining this level (Black Belt), we need the guidance from dedicated higher ranking students to show that this stage is merely the beginning of an exciting path that does not need to end. We need to remember that this is a process, not a destination, and if we can keep getting over those hurdles and slumps, our skills will remain with us.
We need to decide for ourselves whether we continue our training or we quit. Some people are just not ready to learn a martial art; however those who are ready to learn and develop their skills, will find they get a well deserved reward and there is no holding them back!
Personally I have had many “slumps” or walls so far during my karate journey and continue to endure these periods in my training. When you really feel like there is no more to learn, or you just can’t do it anymore, or feel like you are at maximum capacity and near overload, you need that inner strength (“inner peace” as Master Shifu says) to get you to that class or seminar. Once you are there it ends up being extremely worthwhile!
When you feel a “down” period in your training, just take the time to think it through and with the help of your instructors and fellow students you will come to a decision which is right for you!
Whether it be taking your driving test, a school exam or in this case, attempting your black belt, taking any kind of test can often be a nerve-racking experience.
Remember the phrase “The 6 Ps?” Proper Persistent Practice Prevents Poor Performance. Never has a truer word been said when it comes to getting ready for your black belt.
Preparation is the key.
And that first P is so important; it must be proper practice for it to have any worthwhile effect. Just turning up to the dojo and running through the motions of the class isn’t enough. One must be actively seeking to improve the skills we have learned in training, not just practising what we already know.
The second P has a lot to do with mindset.
The mindset that a student has makes a great amount of difference to how they apply themselves at this time too. Not taking their training seriously enough means that the student doesn’t prepare themselves properly and therefore never becomes truly ready to take the test. This is something we see a lot of when students reach brown belt.
At this point it’s very easy for students to become complacent and comfortable where they are, and to take that extra step to break through that glass ceiling can be too daunting for some. I believe that this may be why so many 2nd and 1st kyus quit before they get to black belt, they don’t have the mental toughness to push themselves to that level.
Last year, up to 45% of university and other higher education students dropped out before completing their degrees. There are close similarities in numbers between this and the dropout rate of brown belts. In the last 15 years, I’ve seen countless numbers of students with all the potential to reach black belt quit. In the vast majority of these cases, it boils down to whether or not that student is strong enough to do what it takes. Throughout the brown belt levels, a student gets tested mentally and emotionally, going through many highs and lows. It’s the ability to persevere, to push through the low times, especially when they reach the point of wanting to quit, that makes the student mentally stronger when they get to the other side.
The third P, Practice, is essential.
Without putting the time in on the dojo floor, one can never hope to be ready. The amount and regularity of training make a huge difference to both a student’s progress and their motivation in the lead-up too. On average, in our club, it takes about 100 hours/classes and a year of training as a 1st kyu to reach the technical standard required for a black belt. In order to fit this into the time frame, a student should be training 2 – 3 times a week. Repetition is the mother of skill, but it’s not just the hours you put in, but what you put into the hours that count too. 10 hours/classes of running through the motions are only worth about 1 or 2 hours/classes of intense, focused and diligent training, and that’s being generous. Yes, it’s easier to take breaks and plod along comfortably, but nothing worthwhile is ever meant to be easy is it?
So by training properly, regularly and often, a student should be improving at a steady pace, therefore keeping motivated along their journey. I rarely see a brown belt quit who is training like this, although there are rare exceptions, the vast majority who drop out are only training once a week and I’ve yet to see one of them reach black belt level.
In any good quality club or association, achieving a black belt should be a challenge. One that takes the student out of their comfort zone and makes them a better karateka, therefore giving value to the black belt. I don’t agree with black belts being awarded just because someone has done their time or because the examiners don’t want to upset the student. At the end of the day if you’re not up to standard you shouldn’t be given one.
So if you’re serious about wanting to be a black belt, do the right training, develop the right attitude and apply yourself, you’ll get there, provided you have what it takes.
