In part 1 of why can’t I gain belt rank, we looked at improving memory and endurance in anticipation of your next testing.  In this final installment, I’ll review two more problems I see in students testing for rank.

Health

As I sip my eightieth cup of coffee for the day whilst munching on a chocolate chip bagel with cream cheese, I am reminded that no one is perfect in maintaining health.  Even so, we still need to make the best go of it – poor health will affect everything from athletic performance to emotional stability.  Health seems to be a difficult problem to spot.  When we feel sluggish or uneasy, we ignore it as a symptom of stress and if the problem goes on long enough, these feelings become normal for us.  If you don’t feel quite right, it’s time to mind your health.

Disclaimer: if you’re having health problems, please consult your physician.  I give tips – not medical diagnoses.

Health tips

• Just say “no”

Step 1 is to take a look at the obvious: drinking, smoking, and non-prescription drugs.  Sure, we all need to unwind after a day of hard work and when we joined Taekwondo, we didn’t intend to live like monks.  The problem is that alcohol dehydrates a person and smoking reduces lung capacity.  If you must do these things however, keep it to a bare minimum.  Drinking, smoking and drugs all reduce your ability to perform, so you make a huge sacrifice by partaking in these substances.

• Got water?

Hydrate!  I notice that when I’m sluggish, it’s usually because I’ve had about 300 cups of coffee and neglected to follow up with water.  Proper hydration means 8 glasses of water (at 8 oz each) – more if you’re a caffeine addict or if you work-out.  That means the bare minimum of the day is 64 oz, so bust out your Mason jars and get drinking!

• Wax is not a delicious treat

Start cutting processed foods out of your diet and start eating natural foods.  Put away that macaroni and cheese – that shade of orange is freakish in a food, anyway.  Long story short, by eating a good number of processed foods, you’re eating wax.  Unless you’re into munching on crayons, please do yourself a favor and eat some fresh fruits and veggies.

• “…and I’m going to be high as a kite by then”

One of the reasons why I love my coffee is because it’s a legal “upper” (a.k.a.: stimulant).  My brain gets a jumpstart in the mornings when I caffeinate and an upper puts you in a good mood.  I like to joke about my coffee intake, but really I’ve limited it to a cup in the morning and another in the afternoon (like a proper German).  This way, I never have a mid-morning crash.

Caffeine is only one of many discreetly addictive stimulants.  Sugar and chocolate fall into that category as well, threatening to crash you after a couple hours.  “Energy drinks”, therefore, are death in a can.  But I digress.  The main issue with these stimulants is that they spike your blood sugar for a little while, and then drop you on your arse.  That’s the reason why you want to nap a couple of hours after a big helping of chocolate chip pancakes.  Try your best to avoid food highs – the higher you get off food, the harder you fall.

Attitude

Once upon a time, a hot-shot student focused on performance.  He kicked the highest, threw the hardest and never missed his mark.  Boards exploded beneath his might.  He probably lifted weights in his free time, just to be the strongest.  Unfortunately, he was well aware of his prowess and wanted everyone else to be equally aware.  In training exercises, he hit his partner extra hard, then chastised him for not having the strength of a warrior.  He showed no mercy with the young women, expecting a woman to throw all 120 lbs of herself into a punch equal to his own and the ladies frequently left with bruises – both on their bodies and attitudes.

What came of this guy?  He was eventually booted from the school.  No questions asked.  If Taekwondo was only about performance, this fellow would have been top of the class.  Fortunately, your instructors are looking to foster good attitude.  If your performance isn’t lacking in the least, you’re probably being held back by your attitude.

Attitude Tips (quotes courtesy of Yoda)

• “Size matters not”

When I was a young blue belt, I was charged with instructing the new white belts in basic stances.  One of my students was a good 30 years older than me and a good couple feet taller.  I’m not going to lie: I’m a tiny woman.  I heard scoffs and I was often corrected by fellows such as him who thought that size, age or gender mattered in the dojang.  Yet, I could still push this man over when his stances were poor.  In fact, I can throw a man 3x my size and hold him against the floor indefinitely.

Moral of the story: don’t judge your teachers based on size, gender or age.  If you find yourself scoffing at a high belt who’s younger or smaller than you, your attitude needs adujusting.  They earned the belt and can likely school you if they tried.

• “Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter”

While we don’t use the Force in the dojang, it’s important to remember that muscle isn’t everything.  Lift weights all you like, but strength will never overpower good technique.  Humble yourself to mastering the basics.  If you cop a ‘tude about your strength, it will likely lead to a bullying attitude.

• “Anger, fear, aggression: the dark side are they.  Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny”

When we study the martial arts, we’re given a special force that no one else has: the force to be able to defend ourselves from powerful attacks.  We’re also given a choice, much like Darth Vader was given: use the power for defense or use it to cause severe harm.  When Vader chose to give into feelings of anger and aggression, Obi-wan couldn’t instruct him further.

Our martial arts instructors know full well the powers of the real-life version of the Dark Side.  When we strike an opponent out of anger, we have the intent on hurting her/him.  Our instructors will not provide us with ways to more effectively hurt our classmates.  If you find yourself lashing out out of anger, fear or downright aggression, please get to the root of the problem before you severely injure your friends.  You will not be promoted if your instructors see a hint of Vader in your attitude.

Wrap-up

When you’re frustrated with your ranking, you need to take a look at your memory, endurance, health and attitude.  We all have room to improve in all areas, so as long as you focus on some good-natured self-improvement, you’ll eventually achieve the next rank.