Testing is Your Choice Not Sensei's
In the past, many students have shown a great concern in regard to testing for their next level. As an instructor, I have no greater joy than to see students advance. However, I want to take this opportunity to explain the depth of what testing is, and is not.
What Testing Is?
- an opportunity to demonstrate improvement in form,
- an opportunity to evaluate where you stand among your peers, and most importantly,
- an opportunity to challenge yourself against yourself.
There are many practitioners of various martial arts who believe that testing, using the colored belt system as a form of rank designation or reward is not a good thing. I must confess that, to some degree, I agree. We live in an age where we are taught to perform for rewards and public recognition as a means to advancement and monetary gain. Whereas there is a measure of truth to all this, it has been my experience, as a martial artist and as a businessman, that rewards and public recognition are only part of the needs we have for enduring life long fulfillment.
I have heard many seasoned instructors say that it is not unusual for many naturally skilled students to drop out long before reaching the peak of their ability. It seems that those that are training solely for the momentary reward (such as promotion to the next belt level, a 1st place trophy, or even perhaps the ever coveted black belt) never receive the real reward of all their sweat and labor. This reward, an enrichment of your character molded by the pursuit of excellence, is truly the reward that will serve you all your life.
Testing yourself against yourself will always have the greater value in the overall picture. What does it matter that you're as good as the next guy if you're not in pursuit of being as good as you can be. Ultimately, you must be true to yourself. Standards imposed by an instructor, organization, or even peers, should be viewed as markers for peer competition, not as markers in the pursuit of excellence.
Clearly, when it comes to testing, there is a need to make a distinction between physical performance (form), peer comparison (competition), and self-evaluation (the personal pursuit of excellence).
You also need to understand that testing is your choice not mine. For you will decide how hard you try, how much you practice, how focused you are in class and how prepared you will be. Bassed on these choices that YOU make will determine when you are ready to test. In other words if you want to test, if you want to improve, if you want to grow in your life - make the right choices on a consistent basis!!
Happy training and continue to flourish in the dojo and life!
Sensei Abraham
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Filed under Blog, Character, Child Development, Psychology of Success, Training by MelHA