Across both Ipswich and Harrisville Dojos we now have several students approaching black belt. This is a good time to think about what it takes to achieve black belt, not the specific requirements but the individual attitude to training.
Improving any skill such as drawing, learning a language, playing an instrument, any sport or Karate takes a commitment to practice. This is a choice. No one can make you do this (well maybe parents can force kids to practice but this doesn’t always get the intended result). You have to decide that you want to improve and take the required steps. You have to want to improve enough that you will put the effort in to building a habit or routine of practice in order to reach your goal. Maybe you’re not quite in a place where you want it badly enough and that’s ok. There are many things we do just for fun. Karate can be one of them. Even then, getting better at something generally makes it more fun. There does come a point in Karate where you may have to decide if you want to train for your black belt. This absolutely requires choosing to improve. There are requirements to achieve black belt that cannot be met without dedicated practice and intentional effort. It’s not an automatic hand-out. It must be earned. Basic techniques, kata knowledge and application, general strength and fitness, strategy and awareness all need to be addressed to achieve black belt and these things take time to improve. If you genuinely want to earn your black belt, make the choice to improve now. I can remember back when I had been training for a few years and decided that yes, I would earn my black belt. From that point on I practiced every single day, sometimes just a few minutes, until I achieved black belt. I made the choice. I built a habit of practice. It worked. I really do recommend daily practice of some sort. Short, frequent practice can be more effective than infrequent, long practice. Once you get into a routine of practice, it’s easy to work on the things you’re good at. The real challenge is working on the things you find hard. Maybe it’s strength training or cardio. Maybe you have to put more effort into kata practice. We have to balance our skills and attributes to be a well rounded Karateka. There will always be things you specialize in but don’t neglect the other areas.
In short, if you want to be a black belt, practice. A lot.
Here’s a general guide to things you can do to practice at home. If you would like something more specific let me know.
Enso Karate 