Black Belt Eyes
Years ago, as a newer instructor, I was teaching a group of students. We were going through a form, in which stances, punches and kicks are performed in a pattern. Because the students were performing like beginners, which they were, I had them repeat the sequence over and over.
After class a senior instructor came to me and said, “You have black belt eyes.” I was puzzled.
He asked about the different belts in our system.
Do we have a white belt in our system? Yes, I replied.
What about blue belt? Again, I replied, yes.
And, brown belt? Yes.
You see, these belts exist in our system because it is acceptable for a white belt to perform like a white belt.
As instructors that have practiced for years, we can too quickly judge a technique as “wrong” if it isn’t performed like a black belt.
Just like parents want their child to progress from first grade through twelfth grade, parents also know that after first grade is second grade, not twelfth.
Give others time to improve. Give yourself time to improve.
