You do not get a new grade for just turning up.

As we start our grading week, I thought it would be apt to do something around what grading should mean to us all. I have heard of some clubs that do this; by turning up for three months at a time you certainly get your grade. Now I am uncertain of the veracity of this, but I have seen many a black belt that I am certain would not have that grade in our club. I pride myself on the standards we keep. That said at times there are those that achieve grades but then sit on their laurels, this then can lead to them not progressing so well.

This brings me onto the turning up point. By turning up to grading you will not pass, by just turning up to training you will not improve. It’s a start but you have to put the effort in. Through attendance you will improve somewhat, you made the effort to attend, but by not then doing what is physically and mentally asked of you there will be no progress. Sometimes there are parts we don’t enjoy, working through these is a test of resilience and determination. Do that hard work then the bits you do enjoy will be sweeter still. There is a famous saying that goes along the lines of doing 1000 punches badly will still lead to doing a bad punch. Do every punch with feeling and correct form and doing twenty good ones will help improvement. This is the same as turning up, turn up and just do the bare minimum and you will not get better, turn up with the right attitude and you will improve for sure. Put your whole self into the activity, its what you are paying, or in some cases, what is being paid for you for.

Watching the latest grading was a pleasure as everyone for the most part had that attitude, I feel some could have added a little more. We have just issued a new certificate for those who do an excellent grading that goes above what is expected. It was my great pleasure to be able to award one of these. The individual involved left everything on the mats, she put heart and soul into her grading and gave an exceptional performance. Several commented on her sparring especially, being the last part of the grading this is often where you see tiredness and some can try and get by, she tore into it and gave everything to do her best. What an instructor wants, and this is how it should be in training do yourself proud every time.

Dr Charles Spring 08/06/2025