I've had numerous conversations with black belts, some of which have done karate longer than myself. We all seem to have had a moment of frustration with a 'light bulb moment' when you find an answer to something you have struggled or battled with, or get shown a new idea you agree with but can't do.
You ask questions like "Why have I even bothered?" or "Why was I not taught this before?"
It's demoralising.
It is at this moment that I must clarify that this is not a criticism of any Sensei, Karate ka, style or association. The purpose is to offer an answer to this state of mind.
My instructor always spoke of the old JKA symbol 'moon and sun' and described their circular nature where a beginner follows the path to become a blackbelt, then returns to their roots or beginning.
Jesse Enkamp speaks of this as 'Shoshin' in his blog on the 4 mindsets to karate (well worth a read).
So what is this mindset?
Its the idea that karate is a lifelong study. As an enthusiast - even more so as an instructor - I find this most important.
What prompted this blog was a small basics class that I taught to a few black belts and a white belt. Usually I try hard as an instructor to differentiate for people at different stages and grades, but for these, this was a new take on the kihon that they had already learnt, and what the white belt was learning. At times, the black belts' superior form shone over the inexperience of the white belt, where as at other times, the freshness and receptiveness to this way was more accepted by the white belt and hindered for the others by previous habits.
It was at that momentmone of the black belts had a "light bulb moment." They progressed, they found answers to their problems and therefore improved because they questioned, experienced something different and experimented - just like a beginner.
That is not to say turn your back on your Sensei, your roots and your experience. But sprout new branches and leaves, because of the good foundation of those roots.
That is also not to say that everything new you try is better than what you know. By being receptive to new ideas, it strengthens your understanding of what you know, either by justifying or reinforcing your ideas, or developing them into something different. That, in itself, some reject as it makes them question why they have bothered. I find the opening of this 'can of worms', to quote Grace Nicholls, "Fearful and reassuring", (Hurricane Hits England).
So why have you even bothered? To get better! What's the point in trying if you are stagnant and getting no better in one way or another?
My Sensei always gave the anecdote of a student asking his instructor to teach him the way how to improve. The instructor's response - "go find the way".
