ZANSHIN

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Z A N S H I N

by Dick Morgan

Searching for Black Belt-ness

Last night I saw a news story about a six year old boy who had received his black belt in Tae Kwon Do. His teacher, a young Asian man who spoke broken English, said the boy had worked really hard at Tae Kwon Do since he was three. There was a news clip of the boy doing a jumping side kick and breaking a pine board. I thought, well, good for him. But I also thought, What? A black belt at six? And after only three years? Either this kid was a reincarnation of Bruce Lee, or the criteria used for his black belt differed greatly from that used by black belts in the World Oriental Martial Arts Federation to judge our black belt candidates.

There is a lot more to becoming a black belt than being able to do a passable jumping side kick. Physical prowess is only a starting point. Much of what the judges in WOMAF look for in a black belt candidate completely transcends the physical level.

Such requirements for black belt are difficult to explain. What are the non-physical criteria for black belt? I’ve been asking myself this question ever since I received my first Hapkido black belt in 1976. I didn’t understand it then. Most candidates testing for black belt have no idea what their judges are looking for. But, after more than 30 years of evaluating black belt candidates under the watchful and intense scrutiny of Grandmaster Garrison, I have learned a few things about what is expected of a black belt in WOMAF. I’ll try to explain some of this if I can.

Most candidates assume the black belt test is about performing technique flawlessly. Of course the judges are looking to see if the candidate knows how to punch and kick well, and whether he (or she) can throw an opponent. As for performing flawlessly, that can only be accomplished in the absence of an opponent. The black belt candidate should be able to do basics and forms flawlessly. But that’s just the beginning, to see whether or not the candidate is wasting the judges’ time. The real test begins when the candidate faces an opponent. Then, the concept of flawless becomes irrelevant. Each opponent is different; each attack is different. Attack dynamics change moment to moment. The judges don’t expect flawless performance. In fact, if the opponent is worthy, he should not allow a flawless technique to be executed on him. Not on a black belt test. A worthy opponent should challenge the black belt candidate; he should try to remain on balance, counter the candidate’s technique if he can safely do so, and strike back if the candidate exposes a vulnerable area unawares. The candidate should feel like he is in a serious struggle.

The judges are looking for how the candidate handles uncontrolled adversarial energy. Can he adapt his techniques to handle a counter? Does he flow from one technique to another as the adversarial energy changes? Is he continuously seeking positional advantage, or does he become defensive, and only fend off his opponent’s attack without attempting to control him?

The judges are looking for a quality of being that exists above and beyond technique, a quality of which technique is only an expression, a gauge. This quality is not physical, although good physical condition is a prerequisite.

And strictly speaking, it is not mental either, although the candidate must “know” his body of techniques and have a thorough understanding of the history and philosophy of his martial art. The quality the judges are looking is all of that, and something more as well. It is an almost spiritual quality which has come to be called Black-belt-ness.

Black-belt-ness is a state of being which results from long years of practice, during which a student’s interaction with opponents becomes increasingly challenging. Over time, a student learns the principles of adversarial interaction and the strategies which give advantage: proper distancing, proper angles, guarding balance, and effective and timely entry. Once he understands these principles, an opponent no longer has to cooperate with his own defeat. Ultimately, the student learns to accept the energy of an opponent’s attack, apply the principles of movement and balance, and exploit that energy to his own advantage. His defense may take the form of a well-known technique, or it may be entirely unique, as the situation may suggest. But if the student adheres to the principles of advantage, he will prevail no matter what technique is used. In fact, he may not even be aware of which technique he has just used. His mind no longer has to concentrate on individual techniques, but concentrates instead on the principles which suggest them. His body will have developed a kind of muscular intelligence, and will remember how to perform the individual techniques automatically without conscious consideration. His mind will be engaged on a different level. If the candidate for black belt is properly challenged, he will be completely preoccupied with not giving up. Defeat is, after all, a state of mind. A person is not really defeated until he defines himself as such. The black belt candidate must resist this. He must find within himself a strong state of mind which exhibits an intense personal force-of-being-- an intent, a confidence and tenacity that cannot be diminished by adversity.

If a student has been diligent in his training and attentive in his participation, a profound personal transformation eventually takes place. His mental process—his personal identification, and world view as well— becomes stronger. He comes to see himself on his own terms, and takes responsibility for his choices. He becomes proactive rather than reactive, ethical rather than opportunistic, observant rather than self-absorbed, respectful rather than egotistical, filled with clear intent rather than self-doubt and confusion. In short, he develops an indomitable spirit which is sometimes referred to as warrior mind.

The candidate for black belt must want to succeed enough to overcome any adversity his judges can place in his way. He must examine the depths of his spirit and muster the inner strength to prevail. And this inner strength will be evident in the candidate’s every movement—evident in his awareness, his posture, his confidence, his attitude, even in his breathing.

It is this inner strength that the judges are hoping to find in a black belt candidate. But, he must discover it on his own; it can’t be given to him.

I doubt very much if this transformation happens in many six-year olds. It may be possible, however. I do not want to criticize the boy I saw on TV. I’m just saying, in my 42 years in the martial arts, I have never seen a six year old who exhibited the qualities I consider necessary for black belt. And I don’t expect to very soon.

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