10 Things To Do To Become A Better Black Belt
Advice from Ultimate Black Belt Test Coach Tom Callos:
1: Get and stay in great shape (of course); this comes from doing a variety of things, including consistent and sensible exercise/practice, proper nutrition, and maintaining a positive mental attitude.
2: Practice your martial art, whatever it is made up of, in a way that is congruent with your body, capabilities, and goals; hone your skills to the nearest point of perfection that you can muster.
3: Become familiar with the top 10 killers of adult males, females, teens, and children --and include these issues in your understanding, practice, and/or teaching of self-defense. If you are a particularly serious practitioner, then include the top 10 to 20 issues sited to cause people the most unhealthy stress and/or fear.
4: Study (learn more about) Eastern/Western history and philosophy, as without an understanding of the beliefs, attitudes, and circumstances of the people who originated the practices, methodology, and philosophies of the martial arts, you might never truly understand the full mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual components of your practice.
5:Practice meditation.
6: Learn as much about peace education and practices as you know about punching, kicking, and grappling. To have any kind of balance as a martial artist you will want to know as much about peace as you know about that which is not peace.
7: Take your practice of the martial arts “out of the dojo and into the world.” If you should (and you have the right to, of course) decide that your brand of martial arts only requires you to be a “martial artist” on the mat and/or in the ring, then how you take your practice into the world may not matter to you. But if your practice transcends the purely physical aspects of training and if you define your martial arts as being about “life,” then learning to take what you practice on the mat and apply it to other things is, well, a more complete and holistic approach.
8: Define what it is, for you, to be a “martial artist.” Note that your definition will (should) change as you mature. Your definition will affect how you use what you learn how you use (or don’t use) the skills (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual) that you practice.
9: Use “events” or “projects” to create date-based goals. When you have to be ready for something, whether a competition, test, demonstration, or project, you have a reason to prepare and “get ready.” Preparing for an event, sort of your own personal “Olympics,” can be the catalyst for a lot of growth, change, and improvement.
10: Blog (write about) and make films of your journey. Trust me, down the road somewhere you’re going to look back at your writing and filmed experiences and appreciate the path you’ve taken. A solid record of your experiences as you train and grow will put your practice --and progress --into perspective.
Tom's Advice is all GOLD.
Check out thenewwaynetwork.ning.com to see more.
1: Get and stay in great shape (of course); this comes from doing a variety of things, including consistent and sensible exercise/practice, proper nutrition, and maintaining a positive mental attitude.
2: Practice your martial art, whatever it is made up of, in a way that is congruent with your body, capabilities, and goals; hone your skills to the nearest point of perfection that you can muster.
3: Become familiar with the top 10 killers of adult males, females, teens, and children --and include these issues in your understanding, practice, and/or teaching of self-defense. If you are a particularly serious practitioner, then include the top 10 to 20 issues sited to cause people the most unhealthy stress and/or fear.
4: Study (learn more about) Eastern/Western history and philosophy, as without an understanding of the beliefs, attitudes, and circumstances of the people who originated the practices, methodology, and philosophies of the martial arts, you might never truly understand the full mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual components of your practice.
5:Practice meditation.
6: Learn as much about peace education and practices as you know about punching, kicking, and grappling. To have any kind of balance as a martial artist you will want to know as much about peace as you know about that which is not peace.
7: Take your practice of the martial arts “out of the dojo and into the world.” If you should (and you have the right to, of course) decide that your brand of martial arts only requires you to be a “martial artist” on the mat and/or in the ring, then how you take your practice into the world may not matter to you. But if your practice transcends the purely physical aspects of training and if you define your martial arts as being about “life,” then learning to take what you practice on the mat and apply it to other things is, well, a more complete and holistic approach.
8: Define what it is, for you, to be a “martial artist.” Note that your definition will (should) change as you mature. Your definition will affect how you use what you learn how you use (or don’t use) the skills (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual) that you practice.
9: Use “events” or “projects” to create date-based goals. When you have to be ready for something, whether a competition, test, demonstration, or project, you have a reason to prepare and “get ready.” Preparing for an event, sort of your own personal “Olympics,” can be the catalyst for a lot of growth, change, and improvement.
10: Blog (write about) and make films of your journey. Trust me, down the road somewhere you’re going to look back at your writing and filmed experiences and appreciate the path you’ve taken. A solid record of your experiences as you train and grow will put your practice --and progress --into perspective.
Tom's Advice is all GOLD.
Check out thenewwaynetwork.ning.com to see more.
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