Becoming a Black Belt

There are a lot of books and articles on how to become a black belt. You can learn about different styles with just as many opinions on which one is the best. You are seduced by the thrill of becoming dangerous, skilled in violence or disciplined in mind and body. You can read about each technique and how to build strength. About competitions and how to win. You can read about how much being admired by others of your own kind is the greatest feeling in the world.

But there are very few materials on the emotional and physical rewards of rising through the rank to become a black belt. There are steps to the rewards and sometimes there is tragedy too, but so much of your emotions are involved in the journey that never ends. After a while the journey turns from seeking light to leading and finally to peace of mind. In reality a martial artist never stops learning in a physical way or in an emotional sense.

The beginning of your journey is to find an art right for you. There is no one art better than another. It will all depend on what you are looking for. Do you want exercise and gentle touch or do you want aggressive and damaging techniques? You also have to consider the teacher or instructor leading the class. If a teacher will not take into consideration any and all previous injuries and work around them then find another class. The journey is not to work through the damaging pain, but to learn from the pain you endure and not damage your body further.

Once you begin class you fill excitement, but by the end you realize how little you really know about protecting yourself and become apprehensive. You worry more about being caught in a situation alone fighting for survival. But if you stay the course and continue to learn you will relax. Everything seems unnatural at first, but time and practice will begin to give you confidence in your ability. With each new technique you will become more skilled and understand more about how martial arts will work for you.

In the beginning you will be sore from using muscles that haven't been worked in a while. You'll want to quit. Continue to work the muscles and soon they'll strengthen and the soreness will go away. At this point you will notice better breathing, stronger arms and legs and a renewed vitality. It will feel good to walk distances without hardship and exercise for longer periods of time. You will feel like you are seeing life clearer with a much more positive outlook.

With your first test comes challenge. You must complete and compete for your ranking. When your name is called and you are given your first belt of color it will seem overwhelming. It is a feeling of pride and happiness you didn't think possible before taking the class. Your confidence grows and so does your desire to learn more. You feel aggressive and sure of yourself in a way you've never experienced. You want to take on the world and everyone in it.

As you rise in rank you will be taught much more difficult techniques. More will be expected from you and that's when you truly know there is a lot for you to learn yet. Your anger at yourself in not being able to learn quickly can turn against you if your aren't careful. It makes you feel like a loser once again to a greater extent than before. That is only because you are now being challenged beyond anything you've previously faced in life. You'll stay in the class because you refuse to give up even though you hate it and yourself.

Suddenly, your feel stronger than before and your techniques are becoming efficient. You realize what you have learned was very difficult and many people did not stay, but gave up. You passed another hurdle and finally forgive yourself. Now you have learned acceptance of self and maybe of others that have gone before you. Now you want to continue the journey, no longer seeing your skills as better than someone else, but as a way to protect from within as well as the physical outside.

No longer do your seek only to fulfill an exercise program or a need to be able to kill. Now it is for knowledge of techniques, peace of mind in the face of danger and the ability to face others that may be better than you, but do not know what your personal strengths are. You no longer feel a need to justify your actions in any situation or be the center of attention. You do not feel left out within a crowd because you know in your heart you can care for each of them or protect yourself or any of them from each other.

Through this journey you have learned how little you knew about physical being, about your personal knowledge of martial arts and most of all how good you can feel without anyone else's help. But the lessons also teach that the journey renews each day and you begin to love yourself for what you are and not for what you were or were not. Martial arts are an emotional rise as well as a physical one and everyone benefits through it's teaching.