Midterming as Black Belt
It’s black belt testing week! In the past, we’ve talked a lot about the journey to becoming a black belt. But once you achieve that goal, your journey isn’t done. In fact, it’s just beginning. Becoming a second, third, fourth, fifth degree and even becoming a Master takes a lot of hard work and dedication. Maybe even more so than getting a black belt.
After becoming a black belt, your next step is to advance to a higher degree of black belt. While in this process, you test for something called a midterm. A midterm is a step along the way to your next degree that keeps you progressing. For each degree of black belt, there are a certain number of midterms that are needed to keep moving forward.
At your first midterm testing, you show your form, break boards, and spar. From then on, you learn a different weapon form and present that at your midterm testing. In general, for a first degree to become a second degree it takes at least a year, from second to third it takes two years, and so on and so forth. In the process, black belts also have to remember and be able to present color belt forms at their rank testing.
It’s a lot of work to become a higher degree black belt and requires far more discipline and dedication than a color belt. It takes a great deal of patience to practice the same form for years, and feel like you’re progressing slowly compared to being a color belt.
The goal of this process is to become the best martial artist you can be. It’s not longer about moving through ranks, it’s about focusing on the tiny details that make you excellent. Because you can stay on one form for so long, you make it an amazing form that is impressive to show to others.
You are a black belt, which is a very big accomplishment and something that stays with you forever. But to go beyond that and become a higher degree of black belt is something that not many people do. That is a true sign of commitment which will set you apart from other people who quit after getting their first degree black belt.
Getting a black belt is hard, but staying committed after that can be even harder. A new journey lies ahead, but remember all that got you here for it would be useful in the years ahead. We are so excited to see our red/black belts test for their black belts, our black belts get their midterms, and our rank testers to get their next degree of black belt!
Black belt testing is this Saturday, March 8th, at Venture Martial Arts in Central Park. Come root on your fellow students from Mueller’s Martial Arts.