The Journey To Black Belt: Tips And Strategies For Achieving Your Goals
Posted: April 14, 2023
The journey to black belt is not just one of developed skills but of personal growth too. The black belt is arguably the most powerful symbol in martial arts, a title that signifies both achievements as well as offering a great sense of pride. Becoming a black belt is a tough journey - in this blog, we aim to offer our top tips and strategies for achieving your goals of becoming a black belt.
There is often a misconception when it comes to the black belt - a black belt isn’t something you get but rather, something you become. Focusing on the getting in martial arts often leads to a loss of focus and a shift in mindset, focusing on how many classes you have until your destination, as opposed to focusing on the journey.
Becoming a black belt requires a certain mindset, shifting the focus from classes and exams to instead channelling energy into personal growth and how to absorb the journey. Remaining in control is essential on the journey to black belt. Let’s explore our tips and strategies.
Tips And Strategies For Becoming A Black Belt
Before we jump straight into tips and strategies it’s important to note that If you want the best, you need to forget about the belt. With martial arts being so heavily rooted in self focus and personal development, we encourage our students to train to be the best, the belt will then come to them.
This links back to our earlier point about forgetting the destination, and instead focusing on the journey.
Focus On You
The first, and arguably the most important strategy when it comes to becoming a black belt. Working towards any belt in martial arts is a personal journey and so we encourage our students to look inward as opposed to looking out at others. It’s important to ask yourself when working towards achieving your goals - “what do I want from this?” “Why do I want to achieve this?”
The more inward you look, the further in your journey you will go.
Discipline
Although we encourage you to focus inward on your journey to a black belt, to be the best, you need to learn from the best. Looking up to those already in the position you are aiming to be in is a brilliant way of remaining focused as well as instilling discipline and routine into your journey.
Attending regular classes and learning new skills from those who have already achieved a black belt is a top tip when working towards becoming a black belt yourself.
This discipline applies out of the dojo too - practising at home where possible and working on the mindset daily are all ways in which you can achieve your goals.
Time
Understanding that achieving black belt takes time - usually four years of regular training! Setting yourself a realistic period in which to be on the journey to black belt allows you to keep focused and work towards the end goal.
Although we shouldn’t be putting all our focus on the end, it is always helpful to hold ourselves accountable in terms of progress.
Gracie’s Tips
Royce Gracie and the rest of the Gracie family understand what it means and what it takes to embark on the journey to black belt.
Maximising attributes such as both mental and physical strength and endurance, understanding technical knowledge within a specific practice and becoming complete are always in which the Gracie family acknowledge the journey of becoming a black belt.
The Journey To Black Belt With Ellis Academy
Whether the student is an adult or a child, at Ellis Academy of Self Defence, we aim to encourage people to reach their maximum physical and mental potential as they embark on their own personal journeys to becoming a black belt in jiu-jitsu.
There are many martial arts practices that you can embark on a journey to black belt in, all of which encourage resilience, strength, focus and personal growth.
If you or someone you know would like to learn more tips and strategies for achieving goals and becoming a black belt, please don’t hesitate to speak to a member of our team.
You can call us today on 01737761999.