I Wanna Be a Black Belt! How Do I Get There?

First off, it’s admirable that you want that.

Secondly, they say the first step is always the hardest. That’s not true in taekwondo. At least, it wasn’t for me. I started in taekwondo because I wanted to learn. What was challenging for me was all the subsequent challenges that followed. I have here listed some of the challenges one will face.

Doubt

Surprised? You thought I was going to pick a particular technique or endurance test. No, the first and most challenging step is confronting self-doubt. It’s especially challenging because it’s not a one time event. It will repeat itself many times. Over and over again. The important thing that always helped me was remembering that others surpassed this challenge before me, so I can do it too.

Hubris

Again, surprised? This one is one that everyone struggles with. It’s a proud moment when a student breaks their first board! Or wins their first sparring match. Or passes their first black belt test. There are many proud moments in taekwondo training. It’s hard for it not to get to your head. I don’t know a single black belt who didn’t have at least a little bit of hubris after their first black belt test. But it sure was a rough realization when they realized they didn’t know everything!

Frustration

Okay, now you get the idea. This post is not about technique, it’s about self reflection. Frustration, particularly if you start young, is a challenge every martial arts student faces. Some are sourced from outside factors, some from the stress of training. It is a normal human emotion to feel frustration sometimes. When becoming a blabber though, you learn to deal with a lot of frustration because of all the challenges you have to deal with. Becoming a black belt is about getting past that frustration. The truth is that if you decide to keep going in taekwondo, you will face a lot of frustration. That’s simply the nature of doing something that becomes gradually more and more challenging. The trick is to look beyond the frustration and remember that this challenge is one step closer to completing your goal!

Belt tests

Whoa, wait, what? This isn’t a particularly metaphysical topic. This is, in fact, quite physical. That’s why it made the list. It is a difficulty that you will inevitably face. A very physically challenging event. I always reminded myself that I wouldn’t have been asked to test if my instructor hadn’t decided I was eligible to test. I always had a lot of anxiety about testing (in fact, I still do). I was always nervous, even though I knew how hard I had worked to get there. Each testing was one step closer to getting my black belt. Every single one was an opportunity to demonstrate my knowledge and my progress.

Friendship

Ah yes, now we’re getting back to the metaphysical. Yes, friendship is part of what helps you become a black belt. It is extremely hard to accomplish black belt testing without the support of others. Particularly the support of your friends and colleagues. There is nothing quite as good as seeing the friendship and support expressed by the people in your audience. Community, a healthy taekwondo community, can really help advance someone in their training.

So there you go! These are a handful of the things that people (in my opinion) need to experience to truly become a black belt. Being a black belt is not being able to do a really great tornado kick (though that’s cool too!) Being a black belt is really about building beyond the struggles you face in your training. In other words, the best way to become a black belt is to step forward and keep learning.