Terrific. Becoming a black belt is a fantastic goal! There are a few things to know about becoming a black belt though.

Anyone can do this

It isn’t easy, though it is possible for anyone to become a black belt. At our studio there are adults and children and everyone in between; there are people who are thin and people who are not and everyone in between. Girls can become black belts as well as boys; women and men. There are people with disabilities at our studio. So, anyone can do this, they just have to want to.

It takes a dash of courage

At Integrity Martial Arts, students get into the sparring ring at Orange Belt.  Not everyone is comfortable sparring; if you are someone who is uncomfortable with the thought of sparring know that it is part of the curriculum. Also know that you are not alone and it is one of the things that making becoming a black belt so exciting. You can say, “I did that!” To keep coming back week after week and get into gear and face an opponent takes courage. We are not trying to hurt each other but occasionally a well thought out move accidentally turns into a misplaced nose bonk.

Perseverance

This is closely tied to time. It takes time and desire to become a black belt. Many people who start Tae Kwon Do think that they can complete the training quickly. Even quickly completing the training still takes a few years of time. The first belts, the beginner belts, often are completed quickly. But as the students progress, time between belts often slows down. There is a lot to learn and a lot to perfect. If you want it, you have to keep at your training. There will be days when you don’t want to come but you have to keep working if you want that final belt.

Drop your ego at the door

There is no place for an inflated ego. During your training you will have people asking you to do things that make you uncomfortable–like push-ups or demonstrating a form to the entire class. Sometimes a student feels they are ready for testing and the instructors don’t. For adults, younger black belt students will be teaching them moves. You have to be willing and open to constructive criticism. So I say you have to be willing to let others show you how it is done. You wont get to black belt by going through the motions. You have to come to class ready to learn. In every class you can learn something if you are open to it.

You can do this!

I have touched on a few things that you should be aware of when thinking about joining a Tae Kwon Do studio. It won’t be easy but it will be fun and exciting and very rewarding to work your way to a black belt in Tae Kwon Do.