If you do karate, one of the first things you are asked by those who have just discovered it is: "Are you black belt?". The black belt is the international symbol that distinguishes martial arts experts, and it is a very exciting stage to reach on your journey within the world of karate.
Steps
Step 1. Join a karate club
Make sure you find one with instructors who are to your liking and who you think will inspire you. Choose the times and days based on your other commitments.
Step 2. Make sure your sensei has the necessary skills to take you to the finish line
To make you a black belt, your sensei has to know what he is doing. The sensei himself should be at least a black belt, as well as having managed to bring other students to that level in the past years.
Step 3. Train at least twice a week
It is almost impossible to reach the black belt by training only once a week. Muscle memory does not last 7 days, so those who only train once a week will have to relearn a lot with each workout. Two workouts a week should be the minimum for those who want to reach the black belt, three would be ideal.
Step 4. Don't overdo it
Three workouts a week is ideal. If you train regularly 4-7 times a week, you will in most cases exhaust yourself before you hit the black belt. Plus, working out too often can hinder proper body development, since you won't give your muscles time to recover.
Step 5. Practice at home too
Train your Kata, do some stretching, do some training aimed at increasing physical strength and review the moves learned in the last workout. Work on the techniques in which the sensei had to correct you that day.
Step 6. Listen to everything your instructor tells you
Some people get angry when they are corrected, but the ones who make it to the black belt are the ones who accept criticism and try to improve their weaknesses. Remember: every time your instructor corrects you, he is taking you one step closer to the black belt.
Step 7. Listen to any corrections your instructor makes to your classmates and consider if they apply to you as well
Step 8. Compete in tournaments
Each tournament is a chance to grow and improve your karate. Students who participate in competitions tend to improve faster.
Step 9. Take it one step at a time
It takes many years to reach the black belt, so focusing on it as your only goal could be disheartening, as this is a very long way off. Focus on one step at a time, and set short-term goals, such as getting to the top grade.
Step 10. Be patient
It takes 4-5 years, on average, to reach the black belt in karate. Sometimes it takes more time depending on your age, your natural talent, your physique, your coordination level, how fit you are, what sport you have practiced in your life, how much you train, how important you value to the advice of your instructor and so on.
Step 11. Attend any special events and seminars you learn about
If you find out there is some event, attend.
Step 12. Take care of your body
Your body is your only tool in karate, if it's in great shape, your karate will benefit too. Don't smoke or take drugs, rather eat healthy foods and drink lots of water.
Step 13. If you get injured, be seen immediately
The biggest problem with injuries in the world of sports is that those who get injured judge that it's nothing important and then keep training until things get worse, and by then it's too late. If injuries are treated immediately, they can be resolved in almost all cases.
Step 14. Understand that there will be low points
All martial arts practitioners go through ups and downs in their training. There will be times when it will feel like you are making no progress, or even getting worse. Even if this is what you feel, keep working with your head down and you will be able to move forward.
Step 15. Nurture friendships in the dojo
The key to becoming a black belt is to stay in the world of karate for a long time. If you have good friends in the dojo, it will be easier for you to continue. Why not do some barbecues with all your dojo mates?
Step 16. Train on multiple fronts
Don't let karate be your only business. It would be a good idea to combine it with another sport such as swimming, football, basketball, gymnastics, dance, athletics, the gym and so on. Train your muscles in different ways.
Step 17. Never give up
Advice
- Many styles feature belts with stripes or different textures to indicate grades. They are usually used for encouragement grades, especially for children or lower grades.
- In karate there are two types of degrees called "kyu" and "dan". "Kyu" means "student" and refers to students who are not yet black belts, and therefore have a colored belt. The number of kyu indicates how many degrees are missing from the black belt. For example, "sixth kyu" means that you are 6 degrees to reach the black belt. Many styles have 10 kyu degrees, but others can have more or less.
- Each style has its own belt system. Usually, the only thing they have in common is that white is used to indicate the first belt. At that point they will all have different colors, and in different orders. They might have, for example, white, yellow, orange, red, green, blue, purple, and brown. In some styles, the red one is a very high grade belt, just below the black one, while for others it indicates an unimportant grade, and comes immediately after the white one.
- Dan indicates a rank above the black belt. It works the opposite of kyu degrees. For example, a sixth dan indicates that you are 6 degrees above the black belt.
- You can initially rank up very frequently, maybe once every few months, but as you rank up it will take you 6 to 12 months for each level. As a black belt, it will take you years to advance further in rank.
- It is very important to respect the instructions given to you.
- Many styles have 10 dan ranks, but only up to the fifth is based on personal abilities. It usually takes more than twenty years to reach the fifth dan. The higher grades, on the other hand, are awarded as a reward for services rendered to sport.
Warnings
- Once they reach the black belt, many people face new kinds of problems. A lot of people lose focus and interest in training as they have achieved what has been a big goal for them for years. It is important to have other goals in karate than just achieving a black belt.
- The black belt is not the end of your path in the world of karate, in fact, it is only the beginning. It is when you have reached the black belt that you can start learning for real.
- Many karate clubs have a minimum age limit for obtaining a black belt. Other clubs, on the other hand, will give kids the rank of junior black belt and then subject them to a test capable of making them deserve the real black belt, once they have reached the appropriate age.
