What Black Belt means to me By Grace Duffy

Earning my black belt rank means a lot of things to me. But the most important reasons are that it shows that I am qualified, and can protect myself if necessary. It shows that I have worked hard and can work hard on anything. Above all, I can stand up to someone bigger and stronger than me, because I have been taught well to block all attacks that come towards me.

My black belt will show that I am qualified, and can protect myself from predators. Earning my black belt rank will be hard; defending yourself is hard. Working for my black belt will be almost the same as defending myself in the real world. When earning any other belt it is just sparring, and testing. But, earning your black belt, there are multiple steps of testing. Each one harder than the other. You have to push your body to the limit, and beyond. Earning, and working hard will show my qualifications, such as strength, determination, commitment, and focus. Black belt prepares you for the world.

For black belt rank, I hear that it is not just work a little, receive your belt, because training is much more intense than that. Everyone has to work their hardest to improve. I want to improve, so I will work my hardest for my black belt. Earning my black belt means a lot to me because it also shows that I can persevere through the rough times in life as well as at my tests. I love the feeling after a race when I finish, just like I would love the feeling of working hard and succeeding at my tests, for black belt. When I complete a tournament and win first place, I know that I worked hard and tried my best. Hardly trying and succeeding at something is not a formula for success.

If someone bigger and stronger then me comes up to me, I can defend myself. And if I get hurt while defending myself, I can take the pain because I would have already felt some kind of pain like that, when I took the tests. Having gotten a black belt, it means that you can protect yourself from almost anyone who comes towards you. It means getting through the rough times. They don’t just hand belts out. You have to try your best. I heard when you are testing they will sometimes test you on yuki’s. You have to know how to defend yourself, and you have to do it quickly. I am still kind of learning that. In testing we also have to hold plank. Plank is hard for most people, your abs get tired, and you get tired.

To sum it all up, earning and taking tests for black belt means a bunch of things to me. But the most important ones are showing that I can protect myself from mostly anybody. I can try my hardest, and above all if someone tries to hurt me, I can protect myself with the skills I have learned over the past few years. In life everybody has to work really hard to exceed their goals. Just like everybody in karate has to try their best to get to their next belt. Testing for my black belt and succeeding shows that I am qualified. I have multiple tests to earn black belt. They are tough on us. That is why I need to put all my efforts forth. And that’s just what I will do to earn my black belt.