I would like to take a moment and reflect back on the past few belt tests. Many of my students are now at a crossroads in their training. Most are faced with one of the many trials at the higher levels, board breaking. Not only is form, sparring, mitt drills and self defense skills a critical obstacle that each individual must learn to overcome, but board breaking is one as well. For it is do or die. You either succeed and break it or fail to advance at that particular test on that particular day. However it isn’t the end of the world. For there will be another day to test. Each student has been taught that board breaking is also a test of ones determination and courage to succeed.

I can recall many times in my lifetime when I was faced with just such obstacles, as both a child and as an adult. I can recall both success and failure. Yet the thing’s that stand out the most, and seem to be the most important to me are those things that I had to fight and struggle for. I can look back with pride upon having earned those things, for they weren’t just handed to me on a silver platter. Board breaking at testing is just such an obstacle. Each and every student can and will reach that stellar goal of black belt or higher rank at testing as long as they continue to have a success oriented attitude.

When one stumbles and falls he/she gets up. And if it happens again you get up again and again until you succeed at what ever it is you are doing. Each and every student has been trained to break boards from the very first time they tied a white belt around their waist. Every kick and strike on a bag or target is practice for breaking. They have been informed of the test protocol and how to conduct themselves. However, as with anything in life there are no guarantees. But with a “yes I can attitude” anything is possible when one puts his/her mind to it, For if at first you fail, try, and try again!

In short there will be those that make the grade and those that won’t for some reason or another, and only they know whom to blame for their own shortcoming. Remember that only 5% that start at white belt will make it to black belt rank. The question now is who will that 5% be?