The Journey to Black Belt
Begin the Journey to Transform Your Life
Begin the Journey to Transform Your Life
Foreword
People become interested in martial arts for a variety of reasons. Some people find the traditions and mysteries of the martial arts intriguing
and are interested in the martial arts strictly as an art form. Other people are interested in the sports aspect of the martial arts – competition
in tournament sparring, forms or breaking. Many are looking for a way to instill positive character traits and self-esteem in their children.
Others are only interested in pure self-defense and are not concerned with the art form, history, traditions, or competitions.
All of these are valid reasons to explore the world of martial arts, but becoming interested in the martial arts is only the first step. Deciding
that you want to pursue your goals through the study of martial arts is the easy part; it is much harder to find the right dojo to train in and a
qualified teacher. It is easy to be taken advantage of when you are entering into unfamiliar territory, especially if you have not taken the time
to do your homework. This is where The Journey to Black Belt: A Beginner and Parent's Guide to Finding the Right School and Succeeding
in Martial Arts comes into play.
Kevin Brett has put together a wonderful book that guides the novice through the sometimes confusing and foreign world of martial arts. The
martial arts are no different than any other subject when it comes to doing your homework; you need to understand something about the
subject before you jump in with both feet or, in the case of the martial arts, before you sign a contract.
Most people would not buy a new car without doing some research on the different types and models of cars that they are considering
buying. They would compare prices, warranties, safety concerns, companies, etc. The same principle applies to finding the right martial arts
dojo.
Today, more than ever before, the consumer has an enormous variety of choices when it comes to choosing a martial arts dojo or an
instructor to guide them to the fulfillment of their goals in the martial arts. Furthermore, just as there are good restaurants and bad
restaurants in every city and town across America, there are also good martial arts instructors and bad martial arts instructors. In addition,
there is a wide variety of choices when it comes to different styles of martial arts, not to mention the different philosophies of the individual
instructors.
To the novice, with no experience in the martial arts, the range of choices can be mind-boggling. The task of deciding on a martial arts
school for the beginner, could be compared to someone walking into a gun shop to buy a gun with absolutely no experience or knowledge of
firearms. Unless that person is very lucky, he is just asking to be taken advantage of by an unscrupulous owner. This is not wise.
Moreover, even for people who do take the time to research the martial arts, all of the bogus and conflicting information out there can make it
a daunting task to filter through it all and decide which martial art is right for them. Even after deciding on a specific martial art that will help
them with their personal goals, they still have the intimidating task of then finding a truly qualified instructor.
As you can see, there is much more involved in choosing the right dojo for your training than picking up the phone book and flipping through
the yellow pages. But unfortunately, this is how the vast majority of people decide on martial arts school, and as a result, many people walk
away from their experience in the martial arts disheartened and disappointed.
Although it is highly unlikely that you will find any martial arts school or instructor which is perfect in every way, there are some very important
criteria that you should look for in choosing both the right school and the right instructor. By definition, the martial arts are about learning
methods of self-defense. Learning to successfully defend yourself is at the core of what the martial arts are all about, although as I stated
above, different people in today’s society have different goals when it comes to the martial arts.
No matter what your own personal goals are where the martial arts are concerned, there are certain things that you should look for in making
the various decisions concerning your training. Is the instructor truly experienced and qualified to help you meet your personal goals? Is the
instructor’s philosophy compatible with your own personal ethics? Is the instructor a man of honor and integrity or is he merely someone who
knows how to fight? Is what the instructor teaches truly useful or is he simply teaching you rote punches and kicks which have no true value
in the real world? These are just a sampling of the questions that you need to consider before you sign on that dotted line.
Your martial arts training should guide you on your journey to live the warrior lifestyle. This is what true martial arts are all about. Don’t
misunderstand me here. I’m not saying that the martial arts should lead you to a career in the military or in law enforcement. That is not what
is meant by the warrior lifestyle.
The warrior lifestyle is a lifestyle of excellence, of character, of integrity, and of honor. The old martial arts masters knew this and considered
this such an important consideration that they refused to instruct anyone whose character was suspect. The character of your instructor
should be a primary focus when it comes to choosing the right martial arts dojo, especially if you are looking for a school for your children.
Any martial arts school which neglects this part of a student’s training is leaving out what should be one of your primary goals in studying the
martial arts – the perfection of your character.
Gichin Funakoshi, the founder of Shotokan karate made this perfectly clear when he stated, “The ultimate aim of karate-do lies not in victory
or defeat, but in the perfection of character of its participants.” Ultimately, the perfection of one’s character, and the ability to defend yourself
and your loved ones, is what true martial arts and the warrior lifestyle is all about. The trick is to find the right instructor which understands
this concept.
Kevin Brett has made the task of filtering through the perplexing amount of information available to the novice martial artist, much easier with
this wonderfully complete book. The Journey to Black Belt: A Beginner and Parent's Guide to Finding the Right School and Succeeding in
Martial Arts helps the reader decide what his or her ultimate goals are, which style of martial art is best for his or her goals, what to look for in
a good school and a good instructor, and much more. This is the most complete book on the subject that I know of, and is sure to be a
valuable resource for anyone who has the desire to start the rewarding journey to a black belt and beyond.
Bohdi Sanders, Ph.D.
www.TheWisdomWarrior.com
Bohdi Sanders is the author of the award winning Warrior Wisdom Series, the award winning Wisdom of the Elders, Wicked Wisdom:
Explorations into the Dark Side, Life Lessons: Politically Incorrect Wisdom, and Fireside Meditations. He is also a member of the International
Independent Martial Artist’s Association Hall of Fame for his literary contributions to the martial arts with his Warrior Wisdom Series. His
website, The Wisdom Warrior, can be found at: www.TheWisdomWarrior.com. Dr. Sanders may be reached by email at:
WarriorWisdom@comcast.net
People become interested in martial arts for a variety of reasons. Some people find the traditions and mysteries of the martial arts intriguing
and are interested in the martial arts strictly as an art form. Other people are interested in the sports aspect of the martial arts – competition
in tournament sparring, forms or breaking. Many are looking for a way to instill positive character traits and self-esteem in their children.
Others are only interested in pure self-defense and are not concerned with the art form, history, traditions, or competitions.
All of these are valid reasons to explore the world of martial arts, but becoming interested in the martial arts is only the first step. Deciding
that you want to pursue your goals through the study of martial arts is the easy part; it is much harder to find the right dojo to train in and a
qualified teacher. It is easy to be taken advantage of when you are entering into unfamiliar territory, especially if you have not taken the time
to do your homework. This is where The Journey to Black Belt: A Beginner and Parent's Guide to Finding the Right School and Succeeding
in Martial Arts comes into play.
Kevin Brett has put together a wonderful book that guides the novice through the sometimes confusing and foreign world of martial arts. The
martial arts are no different than any other subject when it comes to doing your homework; you need to understand something about the
subject before you jump in with both feet or, in the case of the martial arts, before you sign a contract.
Most people would not buy a new car without doing some research on the different types and models of cars that they are considering
buying. They would compare prices, warranties, safety concerns, companies, etc. The same principle applies to finding the right martial arts
dojo.
Today, more than ever before, the consumer has an enormous variety of choices when it comes to choosing a martial arts dojo or an
instructor to guide them to the fulfillment of their goals in the martial arts. Furthermore, just as there are good restaurants and bad
restaurants in every city and town across America, there are also good martial arts instructors and bad martial arts instructors. In addition,
there is a wide variety of choices when it comes to different styles of martial arts, not to mention the different philosophies of the individual
instructors.
To the novice, with no experience in the martial arts, the range of choices can be mind-boggling. The task of deciding on a martial arts
school for the beginner, could be compared to someone walking into a gun shop to buy a gun with absolutely no experience or knowledge of
firearms. Unless that person is very lucky, he is just asking to be taken advantage of by an unscrupulous owner. This is not wise.
Moreover, even for people who do take the time to research the martial arts, all of the bogus and conflicting information out there can make it
a daunting task to filter through it all and decide which martial art is right for them. Even after deciding on a specific martial art that will help
them with their personal goals, they still have the intimidating task of then finding a truly qualified instructor.
As you can see, there is much more involved in choosing the right dojo for your training than picking up the phone book and flipping through
the yellow pages. But unfortunately, this is how the vast majority of people decide on martial arts school, and as a result, many people walk
away from their experience in the martial arts disheartened and disappointed.
Although it is highly unlikely that you will find any martial arts school or instructor which is perfect in every way, there are some very important
criteria that you should look for in choosing both the right school and the right instructor. By definition, the martial arts are about learning
methods of self-defense. Learning to successfully defend yourself is at the core of what the martial arts are all about, although as I stated
above, different people in today’s society have different goals when it comes to the martial arts.
No matter what your own personal goals are where the martial arts are concerned, there are certain things that you should look for in making
the various decisions concerning your training. Is the instructor truly experienced and qualified to help you meet your personal goals? Is the
instructor’s philosophy compatible with your own personal ethics? Is the instructor a man of honor and integrity or is he merely someone who
knows how to fight? Is what the instructor teaches truly useful or is he simply teaching you rote punches and kicks which have no true value
in the real world? These are just a sampling of the questions that you need to consider before you sign on that dotted line.
Your martial arts training should guide you on your journey to live the warrior lifestyle. This is what true martial arts are all about. Don’t
misunderstand me here. I’m not saying that the martial arts should lead you to a career in the military or in law enforcement. That is not what
is meant by the warrior lifestyle.
The warrior lifestyle is a lifestyle of excellence, of character, of integrity, and of honor. The old martial arts masters knew this and considered
this such an important consideration that they refused to instruct anyone whose character was suspect. The character of your instructor
should be a primary focus when it comes to choosing the right martial arts dojo, especially if you are looking for a school for your children.
Any martial arts school which neglects this part of a student’s training is leaving out what should be one of your primary goals in studying the
martial arts – the perfection of your character.
Gichin Funakoshi, the founder of Shotokan karate made this perfectly clear when he stated, “The ultimate aim of karate-do lies not in victory
or defeat, but in the perfection of character of its participants.” Ultimately, the perfection of one’s character, and the ability to defend yourself
and your loved ones, is what true martial arts and the warrior lifestyle is all about. The trick is to find the right instructor which understands
this concept.
Kevin Brett has made the task of filtering through the perplexing amount of information available to the novice martial artist, much easier with
this wonderfully complete book. The Journey to Black Belt: A Beginner and Parent's Guide to Finding the Right School and Succeeding in
Martial Arts helps the reader decide what his or her ultimate goals are, which style of martial art is best for his or her goals, what to look for in
a good school and a good instructor, and much more. This is the most complete book on the subject that I know of, and is sure to be a
valuable resource for anyone who has the desire to start the rewarding journey to a black belt and beyond.
Bohdi Sanders, Ph.D.
www.TheWisdomWarrior.com
Bohdi Sanders is the author of the award winning Warrior Wisdom Series, the award winning Wisdom of the Elders, Wicked Wisdom:
Explorations into the Dark Side, Life Lessons: Politically Incorrect Wisdom, and Fireside Meditations. He is also a member of the International
Independent Martial Artist’s Association Hall of Fame for his literary contributions to the martial arts with his Warrior Wisdom Series. His
website, The Wisdom Warrior, can be found at: www.TheWisdomWarrior.com. Dr. Sanders may be reached by email at:
WarriorWisdom@comcast.net
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