Training for Green Belt

[John Brewer]

As a new Blue belt I am looking forward to training for Green. I'm looking for suggestions on exercises and other training methods (including mental preparation) to increase my success.

Thank you,

John

 

[HKphooey]

Around your level I always suggest that the students go back and work on all the footwook in the techniques they know so far. I find that having them execute a technique without the use of their upper body strikes, helps them isolate their footweok and leg checks.

As do for exercise, they to work on your stamina and breathing. Bob Hubbard just posted a great article on breathing. I find many students find the brown and black belt tests to be overwhelming, physically. They seem surprised it is so strenuous. Going through years of material in a few hours can get tiring.

Good luck with your training. I am sure the rest of the MT gang will post some great advice.

 

[Sam]

I think you will have more success if you just train to better yourself, not specifically *for a belt*. Getting promoted is fun, but there is a stopping point - and the higher up you get the longer it is between belts.

You know you better than we do. What are your weakest points? What do you have trouble remembering or doing? That's what you should work on.

Good luck!

 

[Flying Crane]

Keep training your previous material, just as hard. New material is to be added to the old, not in replacement of the old.

One of the biggest mistakes people make is to stop training the earlier material when they get new material. The things you are being taught are parts of a working system. The more of it you know and understand, the more of the complete system you have. But all parts are important, even the older stuff. The newer stuff gives you an opportunity to claim a larger portion of the complete system, but the older stuff gave you the base on which to build with the new.

This becomes obvious when you test for your next belt. I am always amazed when people get freaked out over the fact that they are getting ready to test, and they just found out that they will be tested on ALL the material that they have learned, not just the new stuff for the current ranking. But to me, this never should be in question. It should be obvious that you need to keep training it all.

 

[John Brewer]

Thanks for all the great advice. Towards my blue test I was already working with a friend on the techniques without the upper body strikes. We have a free class at night and I work with Yellow, Orange and Purple belts. This really helps me keep up on the early material. The first thing I said after testing was that I need to build my stamina. But I did better breathing this time. I think the mental side is a weaker point for me. Along with getting in better shape. By mental I mean I am not great at visualizing attacks. That's why I started doing a lot more partner work to make sure my positioning is correct.

Thanks,

John