The Value of Belt Testing
Testing is an important part of developing our students in many ways.
In recent years testing has gotten a bad rap amongst parents. Some fail to see the value and importance of it.
Well I am here to give you a few reasons that the value is a lot more then what you see and what you pay. The value of testing is not even measurable, until you see the look on your child’s face and the change in them at home and school.
Check out some of the benefits we have seen over the last 18 years of testing at Synergy Martial Arts in Odenton.
Builds Confidence
Here is a story about one of our Synergy Martial Arts students that is really more about the power of martial arts then testing. But this happened during a test so I feel it was a turning point for this young man.
About 6 years ago we had a young student taking his pre-test for black belt. This boy was so terrified to be out there and was so self conscious about his performance. So scared in fact he ran out of the building and into the parking lot. Together with his mom and dad we were able to work with him and get him back in the building and he completed the test. Upon returning to class after that test I noticed a difference in this young man. He had more confidence in himself. There was a huge jump when he tested for Cho Dan (1st degree black belt) in front of my Sa Bom Nim, Grandmaster C.S. Kim. Fast forward 6 years that student is now testing for his 3rd Degree Black Belt and helps teach classes. That one test day made a huge difference in that young mans life. it was a turning point and the one thing that set in motion a series of positive changes in his life.
Getting out there an accomplishing what he thought was impossible gave him the confidence to move forward.
Testing and pushing ourselves to do things we thought were not possible can change our lives, especially the lives of our younger kids.
Helps Set Goals
At Synergy Martial Arts in Odenton Maryland we remind our students that they have both long term and short term goals.
In our martial arts training, a long term goal is black belt and beyond. Long term goals are essential to our growth. We all need something to shoot for. Something that is a few years down the road, but that we want to accomplish. In order to get there we need a plan. One of the major factors in that plan is our short term goals.
So, our short term goals are your next belt rank. For example, a white belt can set a short term goal of accomplishing yellow belt in 3 months.
What does that entail?
Two practices per week, using the Synergy Martial Arts University to practice at home, and even asking for help when we feel we need it.
But a major part of both long and short term goals is testing. We need to test to keep moving forward. We need that checkpoint to know we are on the road to bigger and better things. In this case, black belt.
When we don’t make our goals we need to reevaluate and set new ones. Failure or not doing as well as we had hoped is not an opportunity to exercise our quit muscle. Actually, it’s just the opposite. It’s the opportunity to learn and make ourselves better. Figure out what we need to do to move forward toward our bigger and better goal.
Without testing, those checkpoints do not exist. Our students just wander around and wonder, am I good at this, am I doing what I am supposed to be doing? We all need the reward of a new belt to tell us we are doing well. Keep moving forward!
At Synergy Martial Arts in Odenton we have been teaching martial arts full time since 2006 and training for much longer. Our staff knows how to help you and or your child meet and exceed your goals. Whether that is a black belt, improved confidence, better self discipline, getting in better shape or all of the above. We will always help our students get there and beyond. We are dedicated to that.
Testing for a new rank is an integral part of that journey.
If you read this blog post and think that you our your child could benefit from training in the traditional martial art of Tang Soo Do, please click the link below to set up your 7 day free trial here at Synergy Martial Arts in Odenton.