WHY IT ISN'T JUST A SPORT...
WHY ARE WE MARTIAL ARTISTS?
How often do you reflect on WHY you train in martial arts? How many times have you heard people refer to it as just a sport - like gymnastics or soccer or hockey? Well, those who train in martial arts for any amount of time know that it's different, but do we consider how?
The nice thing about martial arts, unlike a team activity, is that you're not trying to keep up with anybody else. You move through each level at your own pace. Martial arts provides a tremendous amount of success, skill and ability to each student on an incremental basis. Every student is an individual and has distinct needs and talents.
But most importantly, we all need to appreciate that our dojo is a school, rather than a recreational activity. It's an important distinction. Just as if you enrolled in Harvard, you're not going to be deciding from semester to semester, whether you're going to follow-through and actually graduate. In a martial arts school, graduation is black belt and beyond.
(Master Shintani & Sensei Greg Reid)
A black belt is more than competency at a set of skills. It’s a metaphor for the results of your training. The end result is confidence, respect, discipline and ultimate focus. The outcome is a high level of physical athletic skill, a high level of physical fitness, as well as having the ability to defend yourself against attackers should the need ever arise. The outcome is also a successful, goal-oriented person with authority who will "never give up" at anything they do. Black belts are respected as leaders in the community, at school, at home and in the workplace.