| It's often said in Martial Arts that the meaning doesn't lie | | | | 10 years since my last official test. |
| in how good you are or what belt you have, rather the | | | | In July, I went to Nashville to train with my highly |
| meaning lies in the journey. Before I get into "What | | | | recognized and beloved instructor Sensei Wayne |
| Black Belt Means To Me", I would like to talk about my | | | | Tyler. I consider him as a father figure in my martial |
| journey of these past few months. | | | | arts career because of his vast knowledge of |
| The Journey | | | | Wado-Ryu and unconditional love for his students and |
| Last week I had flown to Nashville to test for my long | | | | the art. Imagine being a scientist and your teacher was |
| awaited San Dan (3rd degree Black Belt – This | | | | Albert Einstein - that is what it feels like to be under |
| is kind of like becoming an official "Teacher"). Prior to | | | | the wing of Sensei Tyler (or Mr. Tyler, as I call him). I |
| the test I had been training consistently since April of | | | | was in Nashville training with Sensei 2 - 3 hours per |
| this year at a friends dojo and my local gym. | | | | day for 5 days. I caught up on my curriculum and took |
| It had been about 5 years since I've last practiced my | | | | the extra knowledge that was passed down by him |
| discipline, Wado-Ryu Karate-Do, so my recollection of | | | | and applied it to my training back in Denver. |
| the system was very vague. After watching | | | | Again, since I didn't know what to expect, I conditioned |
| numerous tapes of myself as a young martial artist, I | | | | myself to be ready for almost anything. Not only was I |
| had re-learned my under belt curriculum, however I | | | | practicing my basics and katas (Japanese forms), but I |
| was struggling to remember my black belt curriculum. If | | | | was also running 2 miles, three days per week, 15 - 20 |
| you know anything about martial arts, one's under belt | | | | minutes on the rowing machine and about 6 - 7 miles |
| knowledge is essential because it is considered as the | | | | on the stationary bike. I don't think I could have been |
| foundation of one's training. On the other hand, a lot of | | | | more prepared for this test. |
| people believe that your training truly begins when you | | | | I successfully passed my test and was promoted to |
| achieve your first black belt. I couldn't agree more. | | | | San Dan on October 17th 2006. I must say, this was |
| When I was promoted to Sho Dan (1st Degree Black | | | | one of my greatest accomplishments in my martial |
| Belt) my interpretation about Wado-Ryu and the | | | | arts career and a dream come true. It has taken me |
| martial arts had grown dramatically and I began to | | | | several years to reach this goal, but it has reinforced |
| really learn. | | | | my interpretation of being a black belt, or in my case - |
| Either way, I needed to know everything that could | | | | San Dan. |
| have possibly been thrown at me because it had been | | | | |