Some Post-black belt thoughts

Since having achieved black belt in a martial art in what I would call a traditional martial art the responses I’ve gotten from people have been…interesting. Responses have included the following:

1. An outright comment that it was only achieved due to being anal retentive and “type A”
2. People wondering why I’m not going to continue in taekwondo for 2nd dan
3. The usual suggestions that I am now some sort of lethal weapon and a few comparisons to what folks see on television re: MMA

It’s funny how people latch onto opinions that are outright wrong. I care about my job and am driven. For some (especially a few who feel threatened) this translates into me being a “type A” control freak which is hardly the case. In fact, these people really need to research personality theory because “type A” etc. was later discredited as erroneous.

It is true that certain aspects of traditional martial arts lend themselves to a regimented command structure. However, this is partially due to the traditional arts’ link to the military. In fact, there are certain aspects of traditional taekwondo that lend itself to “letting go”. In particular, doing forms in a tournament, breaking, or sparring. So the person who made this comment is definitely misinformed.

Why not pursue 2nd dan? Complicated. My school is closing and the nearest school within our accrediting body is 30 minutes away. Given the time commitment, gas prices, etc., it becomes not feasible. Moreover, I could just locate another taekwondo school but they’d probably grandfather me in as a high belt and make me re-test for black belt. Well, after my two hour ordeal I have no plans of going through that hell again!

While I do have some room to grow in taekwondo I fear that I may have reached my physical limit for this art. 2nd dan and beyond expects mastery of some pretty advanced and often aerial kicks. At my age I just don’t see that happening.

There is a book I skimmed at Half Price Bookstore (the title escapes me) that talks about some martial artists who spend years in an art that is not suited for them. Well I think if I stayed in taekwondo beyond 1st dan I’d be making the same mistake. I feel that earning 1st dan was honest. 2nd dan and beyond would be charity and I don’t want to be “that guy” who sticks it out for another three to five years for a charity rank. I’m leaving taekwondo with a kicking game and will consider that mission accomplished.

Finally, at least for the immediate future I’m not going to stop practicing certain things I’ve learned in taekwondo (in fact I’m not leaving taekwondo until the end of summer). Forms, fundamentals, and bag work all lend themselves to an at-home practice so I’ve added these things to my weekly routine.

Bob as a lethal weapon? Yeah right. Again, John Q. Public seems to base their opinion on what they see in the movies and on television. If these people only knew how much time was spent learning control. Not only control for accuracy but control to arrest a technique short of striking your partner. Between controlled sparring and controlled self-defense–if anything!–we might be at a disadvantage.

Then there’s the moral aspect of most traditional arts including taekwondo: It’s pretty much drilled from day one that violence is the last option. This is illustrated in step-sparring and self-defense because all techniques are a response to an attack. Aside from point sparring, rarely do traditional martial artists initiate an attack.

As for the mixed martial arts (i.e. MMA) well, that is not a traditional art. Honestly, those people who spend 10+ years in any of the “traditional” arts are probably in it to learn something besides just beating people up.

From Weakness With a Twist:

I think that lesson (a lesson I guess I taught myself) has served me well all of these years of martial arts training. I’m happy practicing without any goal or meaning, without achievement, or knowing why.

Not only is that idea philosophical it is about as far from being a “control freak” as one can get. In fact, I’ve told people that the martial arts are like an itch I can’t scratch. I enjoy doing them and am not completely sure why!

~BCP