Are you a black belt?
The first question you get asked when someone finds out you're practicing a martial art tends to be about the mythical Black Belt. Normally to try and avoid this one I just tell new people I meet that I do fitness training, rather than mentioning Taekwondo at all, but that's not always enough. People tend to find these things out and once the cat's out of the bag the question of belt colour isn't far off.
No is the reply and then comes a look of shock when I tell them how long I've been at it (it's getting close to a decade I think now). The important thing is that, to me at least IT DOESN'T MATTER all that much. If I was in it simply for a certain colour of belt I wouldn't go through all the effort, pain, sweat and tears. I'd just go out and buy the Black Belt (any sports shop will happily sell you one) and job done! Now, there may come a day, and what a day it will be, when I do reach First Dan or even beyond it. But it's not the reason I train. It shouldn't be anyones' reason to train (at least, not the ONLY reason).
I don't honestly think anyone can truly understand what it means to wear a Black Belt until they have really earned it.
No is the reply and then comes a look of shock when I tell them how long I've been at it (it's getting close to a decade I think now). The important thing is that, to me at least IT DOESN'T MATTER all that much. If I was in it simply for a certain colour of belt I wouldn't go through all the effort, pain, sweat and tears. I'd just go out and buy the Black Belt (any sports shop will happily sell you one) and job done! Now, there may come a day, and what a day it will be, when I do reach First Dan or even beyond it. But it's not the reason I train. It shouldn't be anyones' reason to train (at least, not the ONLY reason).
I don't honestly think anyone can truly understand what it means to wear a Black Belt until they have really earned it.
posted by Tomcat's Taekwondo at
18:31
3 Comments:
You know, I get asked that eveery single time. I've been in Tang Soo Do for 28 years now; the one thing I've learned is patience. Not only to earn my ranking, but to deal with the constant " I want to spar with you" and "could you teach me how to kill someone with one punch" comments. Sometimes I just want to laugh in their faces, but that would not reflect well on my discipline. Nice to see the maturity you've earned with your ranking. Nicely done sir.
Teague - Teague's Tang Soo Do
The most important thing is not the belt, but the person. If you train for the glory, you will be forgotten in time. If you train to better yourself, you will become more then any belt.
Having trained since 2002 myself, and after grappling with a number of injuries including a torn cruciate ligament; I still haven't made it to 1st Dan. I am finally going for the dan grading in less than a fortnight, but it actually feels sad (to be potentially) leaving the excitement of coloured belt ranks. There won't be any more fun, but there will be responsibility - I started tkd for pleasure, and now unfortunately, I will be moving on to another art, to experience these same feelings again.
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home