StudentCarl
3rd Black Belt
The rank below white belt is "I can't" (I would rather die than try.)
Last night we had a relatively young guest in class. I was assigned to guide him through stretching before class and help from beside him, as needed, during class. To make a long story short, during the early part of class one of the physical warmups we do is duck walks. He tried about 3 steps and sat down. All attempts to encourage/coax/direct were met with "I can't". He wasn't hurt; it was more that the reality of class didn't match his expectation of it and how he would do (he had told me right away that he already knew a load of moves and figured he'd start with a high belt).
Both the 2nd dan assistant instructor and master talked with him to no avail. After he sat and refused to move for about 5 minutes, my master told him to go off the floor and sit with his family.
I've always known that the white belt symbolizes the blank slate of one who has not learned. This was a reminder that wearing a white belt also says you have an open mind and want to learn. Not everyone makes it to that point.
Last night we had a relatively young guest in class. I was assigned to guide him through stretching before class and help from beside him, as needed, during class. To make a long story short, during the early part of class one of the physical warmups we do is duck walks. He tried about 3 steps and sat down. All attempts to encourage/coax/direct were met with "I can't". He wasn't hurt; it was more that the reality of class didn't match his expectation of it and how he would do (he had told me right away that he already knew a load of moves and figured he'd start with a high belt).
Both the 2nd dan assistant instructor and master talked with him to no avail. After he sat and refused to move for about 5 minutes, my master told him to go off the floor and sit with his family.
I've always known that the white belt symbolizes the blank slate of one who has not learned. This was a reminder that wearing a white belt also says you have an open mind and want to learn. Not everyone makes it to that point.