If you watch black belts do Tae Kwon-Do and think to yourself: “I can’t do this,” you’re right.
You can’t. Yet. And, neither could they when they first started training.
I get frustrated when people think they are so different from everyone else that no one could possibly fathom how difficult things are for them. So, I will often stop class to ask my students which of them is having trouble with a particular technique. Inevitably, everyone’s hands go up. Then, I ask about another technique, and another. And like clockwork, all hands go up every time.
By doing this, students slowly begin to realize that everybody else is in the same boat, struggling with the same things that they are.
Other times, I tell my students that they simply need to trust me when I tell them that black belts may look awesome now, but they were once in their shoes, struggling with the same techniques they are. And that, at this school, we aim to match your training to your level of proficiency.
So, for instance, if you’re a yellow belt that has only been training for six months, your low block is not going to look like a black belt’s, who has been training for several years. Yours is only six months old, and it’s going to look that way. We should expect this.
Now, do some yellow belts perform a low block better than others? Of course. But, we often find that where there is something that a student struggles with, there is also something they excel at.
To progress through your training is to accumulate new techniques. No matter what level you have achieved, though, those new techniques are going to look their age. So, while a black belt’s low block might look perfect to you when you’re a yellow belt, rest assured that same black belt is in the process of learning new techniques that look just as immature.
In life, like in martial arts, you are where you are, period. Don’t worry that you aren’t living your future yet. You will soon enough.
So, live today. Learn today’s lessons. Do today’s work. Sure, admire those that have come before you. But don’t let their achievements discourage you. Instead, allow them to give you confidence because they were once where you are now. You’ll get there too if you keep at it. This is discipline, something we have in abundance at my dojang for those willing to accept it.
Master Gorino’s Tae Kwon-Do offers a trial program for individuals and families in Buffalo, NY and the surrounding areas that allows you to get a feel for the different classes, meet our instructors, and experience our dojang. It’s a great way to see if Tae Kwon-Do is right for you. To learn more or to sign up, register online or call (716) 836-KICK (5425) and a member of our team will follow up with you on next steps. We look forward to helping you achieve your goals. Pil-Sung!
