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Old 10-29-2011, 08:46 AM   #3
Richard Stevens
Location: Indianapolis
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 165
United_States
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Re: Get Over It Already!

Quote:
Nafis Zahir wrote: View Post
Today we see so many people obsessed with getting their black belt. Something about the black belt makes many people over-train and then once they get it they think that it is something special and that now they are 'bad asses' or someone who has special powers. It has really gotten crazy. For the ones who are serious about training, they quickly realize that they have just reached the first plateau. So I have an idea for when I open a dojo. What do you think about this - A new students joins the dojo and he/she gets a gi and then I give them a black belt to wear. And when they give me that curious look I say to them "Take it, Wear it, Get over it already!" I want then to wear it so that the novelty of having a black belt will wear off very early in their training. I would like to hear what Aikidoka here think about this idea. Remember, it's just a belt and it doesn't mean you are a yudansha.
That might result in a dojo that isn't open long or flounders. People like having a goal to strive for and in most martial arts it's the black belt. Without that goal available to them students are going to be training simply for the sake of training (non-pejorative). While that is a noble idea, only the minority of potential students are going to be interested in training on that level. For most it's a hobby. One that requires goals for them to achieve and be proud of or they will simply lose interest.

For those that get big-headed after they achieve Shodan. Maybe they just need a good bounce off the mat?
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