"What is the secret to success in martial arts?"
or,
"How do you get a black belt?"
The answer to these questions is not whispered to a trusted acolyte by a grandmaster in the inner sanctum. It is not to be rummaged for in dusty and disintegrating parchments. It is not buried treasure or a revelation from God.
There is only one true answer: Training time on the deck.
The time you are willing to spend on the deck, sweaty and exhausted. Sometimes bleeding, crying, or vomiting. It is not glamorous.
Consistent attendance and diligent training will allow anyone to make Dan grade. There are great personal rewards which may be achieved in the martial arts if one can subdue the ego, be willing to make mistakes, be an active learner, and submit to an old and esoteric tradition which seems shrouded in mystery. Unfortunately, not everyone is willing to make the commitment to consistent training.
Karate is like boiling water; without constant heat, it eventually returns to its tepid state.
- Gichin Funakoshi
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