Green sash

Last night I received my green sash. While training you go through a series of plateaus in your improvement and then every now and then you go through increases in skill as both your body and mind become familiar with or 'get' your training. After receiving my black belt in TaeKwon-Do I could look back over the previous 6 years and see this pattern of training development. For much of the summer of have been on a plateau in my training but in the last 2 weeks I feel as though I have just stepped my game up a level. I am more comfortable being closer to my opponent when sparring - finally getting over the distance I felt I needed from my TKD training. My movements are more relaxed which means that my movements are faster - a goal of Kung Fu. I feel as I have more power in my movements and more control over my technique.

It is interesting that I went through the same sudden improvements in training before each new belt color in TaeKwon-Do. I also saw these changes in most people I trained with. The conclusion I came to is that it is a mental change in people. I think that consciously or not, people have an idea of how skilled someone at that belt level should be and step up their game to match this idea. It was very interesting to be aware of such a significant change in myself recently.

The next kung fu 'year' starts in the next week or two and I will have the opportunity to train with the senior students, something I have been desperate to do for a while now. I am looking forward to the next step of my journey.

Nick
Green sash