I joined GKR in 1991 with my best friend Jon. We were both excited about doing karate and it was something we had often talked about. At our first class we felt totally uncoordinated and a little lost. But that night after class, we were super excited, and the couple of techniques we could remember, practised them over and over. We trained together once a week on the only night we both had free and soon had 5 classes up and were due for our yellow tip grading. on our sixth week, Jon rang me to say he couldn't make it. I was terribly disappointed, but this was something we started together and I thought it important we graded together. So I didn't go and looked forward to grading the next week. A week later and Jon rang again - he couldn't get there. Now he was testing our friendship, but my loyalty to him held and again I didn't train. The following week as I was getting ready, the phone again rang on cue. Jon couldn't make it - again! I remember thinking "That's it, I'm going anyway". So I trained and at the completion of class, graded to 9th kyu, leaving Jon one lesson short.

Eight years later and I achieved my Nidan grading. And Jon? Well he was still one lesson away from his 9th kyu. It is in this story that we find the fundamental difference between a while belt and a black belt. The black belt went back for one more class, and then one more class, and then one more class and then...

RULE 1: Never Give Up

We all want success in our life, in our work, our relationships, our sports, etc. To achieve any type of success, rule number one is simple - Never give up.

RULE 2: It won't always be easy

Deciding to go the distance is step one. But understand there will be times where motivation to train is lacking. This is normal for any pursuit in life. But anything worthwhile will not come completely at your convenience. In fact, often it will only come at your inconvenience. Sometimes it is much easier to sit in a comfortable lounge room than it is to face the elements and drive to the dojo. Sometimes after a long day, the last thing you feel like doing is going to class. But you make the effort all the same. It is often the classes where we dragged ourselves along, that were the most rewarding. How often have you left a class thinking, "I'm so glad I went?" It is that extra effort and dedication that will forge a strong karate attitude. It is that attitude that will allow you to achieve your goals. Whenever I need a little extra motivation I remember the saying, "A little bit of something is better than a whole lot of nothing."

RULE 3: Repetition is the Mother of Skill

Jon tells me he lost some enthusiasm for karate because the first five classes were the same - basics. He could not make a fist, yet he wanted to learn something new. It is important to have the correct attitude to your training. Basics lead to strong kata and kumite. Your karate will move forward in leaps and bounds when you come to appreciate that repetition is the mother of skill. Focus on your basics. Strive to make every technique as perfect as possible. In a month's time your basics should be better than they are now. This will flow on to all aspects of your karate. Never make the mistake of going through the motions with your basics. The rest of your karate will pay the price!

RULE 4: Quality combined with Quantity

Training each week with an appreciation for repetition is the first part. When you combine this with a more frequent training regime, your karate standard will once again move up a gear. Your body develops muscle memory far more quickly and your mind becomes attuned to the finer details. Training twice a week is more than twice as beneficial as training once a week. Training once a week is OK and you can still get there... eventually. But why go slow when you can go fast?

RULE 5: Have strong reasons

Don't forget the reasons why you started training. Did you start to plod along one class a week, doing the minimum and become an OK student? Or did you start with the goal of becoming fitter and stronger? To become more confident and disciplined? To develop your self-defence skills or maybe those of your kids? Did you start because you wanted a black belt? I did! My friend Jon didn't. These reasons got you excited and enthusiastic about karate in the first place and keeping them in the front of your mind will help maintain the enthusiasm. Don't just get caught up in the grading slog, train for bigger reasons and your gradings will come as a by-product of this.

So is it worth it? Is all the effort and time and dedication worth the end result? You bet it is!

Sensei James Gray

Regional Instructor - Australia