Martial Arts World News Magazine - Volume 22 | Issue 1

MASTER THE BASICS
Developing Your Students’
Devotion to Becoming Black Belts
by Master Tina Bane
A diamond is one of the most precious and sought-after gems on Earth. They’re strong
enough to cut glass while being beautiful and elegant symbols of love and devotion.
But how long does it take for a diamond to form?
Scientists don’t agree on how long it takes because there are
many factors that contribute to a diamond’s progress from rock
to diamond, and because the elements that make up diamonds
aren’t useful in determining their age. However, estimates range
anywhere from a couple days to millions of years.
Your school is full of young students who are diamonds in the
rough. Going from novice to black belt is a similar process to
diamond formation. There’s no way to know exactly
how long it’s going to take, but everybody knows
a diamond when they see one. It’s important
that along this long and uncertain journey your
students maintain their devotion to their quest
of becoming black belts and, more importantly,
maintaining their commitment to mastering
their art. This kind of devotion needs to be
nurtured, just like their front kicks and
reverse punches.
Here are some ways you can
help your students stick to their
martial arts goals during the
often difficult but rewarding
journey:
Set benchmarks.
Becoming a black belt
will take a minimum of
a few years. Depending
on the age of your
students and the regulations
surrounding your ranking
system, some of your students
may not be able to become black
belts until they reach a certain age,
regardless of their
current skillset. To
reduce some of the
impatience students
feel when their goals
seem so far away,
break the journey
down into shorter
timeframe benchmarks.
How far apart
the benchmarks
are depends on the patience of each individual student. You may
need to keep some students focused on their next belt test. Other
students may need really short benchmarks, like increasing their
number of kicks a little bit each day. Focus your students on the
farthest goal they can handle and they’ll rise to the challenge.
Be a broken record. Don’t assume that once the goal has been
set your students will stay focused. Once your students state their
goals, remind them every day. Instilling a sense of purpose takes
time, but if you repeat yourself like a broken record, your students
will internalize their goals and hear that voice inside their head
driving them on every time they think about quitting.
Take mental breaks. Just like diamonds, getting your students
to black belt means keeping the pressure on them to keep going.
However, too much pressure can cause your students to feel anxious
and have the opposite effect of what you’re looking for. Take
time to have fun by running exciting promotions, exhibitions, and
taking short breaks in intense training.
There’s a reason why diamonds are so rare: they’re difficult
to make, and they take time and the right amount of pressure to
come out just right. By keeping these tips in mind, you can help
develop the devotion your students’ need to shine brightly in
your program!
MASTER TINA BANE is a 6th degree master instructor and owner of a Top Ten martial arts school
with successful after school and summer camp programs.
90 MARTIAL ARTS WORLD NEWS VOLUME 22 | ISSUE 1
Photograph by robertcicchetti