JOURNEY TO A BLACK BELT: PART TWO – BEGINNER PHASE (WHITE, YELLOW, AND ORANGE BELTS)
“Today we are not in pursuit of perfection but progress.”
This is the beginning phase of a Premier Martial Arts student’s path to Black Belt. During this time our instructor’s goal is to build the student up within. During these nine months, we develop a bond with the student. It is a bond that is built on the foundation of mutual respect and trust. To earn a Black Belt a student must first and foremost believe that they can achieve and that they are worthy of such a large goal.
It is that reason alone that our philosophy in teaching our students in these ranks is geared towards encouragement and praise to build the confidence needed to pursue and achieve any goal in life. Technical mastery is not even a thought at this point. Every new movement that a student has success, every stripe earned, and every belt test passed helps to build within them a “yes I can” attitude that it takes once they move into the intermediate ranks. To be promoted in these levels, attendance, attitude, and a willingness to try even when things get tough are the predominant factors in leading to a successful belt exam.
In order to pass out of the beginning belt ranks and into the intermediate ranks, students MUST be able to meet the following requirements.
Mental Requirements
- Dedication by attending class twice per week and practice 15 minutes at home two other days per week.
- Confidence by showing a positive
- Self-attitude and belief in oneself.
- Showing respect for others and themselves.
- Display discipline by being able to take direction and commands.
Physical Requirements
- Understand the physical application of the required curriculum in the beginning phase of training.
- Begin to show signs of increased strength and flexibility.
- They must be able to properly execute the basic techniques of their training with Power, Speed, Focus, Accuracy, Intensity, and Excellence.
- They must understand and execute the four elements of power in their basic technique.
- Body Alignment – ie. Lining up their vision, shoulders, hip, and heel of their foot when executing their sidekick.
- Rotation – ie. Pivoting their shoulders, hips, and supporting foot when executing a rear leg kick or rear arm attack.
- Back up mass –ie. Putting their whole body into their technique.
- Speed – ie. Moving with urgency and timing.
If you are interested in Premier Martial Arts training for you or your family, check out our convenient nationwide locations.
