Black Belt

As I progress in my kung fu and learn more from the experience of others, I find myself questioning the whole concept behind the rank of black belt.

On one hand the rank is a fantastic motivational paragon. Having a goal such as the black belt adds an element of completion to the journey. Yeah, everyone who has earned the black belt understands the journey never ends but I doubt anyone would deny its value as a tangible objective.

My concern with the black belt is how easily it can be reduced to a commodity whose acquisition can be negotiated for a price. How many students lose sight of what is important and assume that class attendance and service above and beyond excuse the need to master the art? Worse yet, how many instructors fail to uphold the standard of the rank by promoting students who really haven’t earned it? Time training is important but it is not a substitute for skill acquired and while the two are directly related, one does not guarantee the other.

In a perfect world, there would be no ranks, just like the old days. We’d all be training for the love of the art and the benefits of the lifestyle would be reward enough. The fact that the benefits are not enough says a lot about those of us who are ambassadors of the martial arts.

Methinks we need more organizations like the UBBT and The One Hundred that encourage us to make the martial arts so relevant that in the public’s eye they're indispensable. Better yet, we need to raise the bar and prove to our industry that enrollment in these organizations is right for the soul. We all need to realize that what is right for your soul and what is right for your business are not mutually exclusive.

“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.” - Bruce Lee (1940 -1973)