When you start in Martial Arts, the goal is to become a black belt one day. Some times you stop for a while and continue in another Martial art. I earned my brown belt in Goju Karate and switched to Kenpo. Received my Black Belt in a Tracy lineage Kenpo style that focus more on self defence than sport. In Kenpo you do on average 40 combination self defence techniques and some forms.

When you walk into a dojo and you wear a white belt the first thing you want to do is grade for your first belt. When you reach yellow or red you want to reach Brown Belt. In most styles you will be a Brown belt for two years before grading for Black Belt. Usually there is 10 gradings to get to Black Belt. After Black Belt 10 gradings to 10th dan. So Black Belt is only half way. My Instructor Mark Vellucci once told me that in Japan they see a Shodan as someone that only master the basics.

Being a Black Belt is only the beginning. When new students start out they always ask me how long it will take to become a Black Belt. My question is always…… Do you want to study for a few years or study for life? I have being practicing Martial Arts on and of for about 30 years. I still learn new things every time I train because I did not just stick to one Martial Art. Martial Arts training is a lifetime study. The value of your black belt is more about the active years you trained.

Being a Black Belt also allow me to teach. The best part of my day.