How We Are Changing Our Belt Testing Program

How We Are Changing Our Belt Testing Program

We used to look at a martial arts belt test as something that took place in the future, something you prepared for and then “took” on a particular day.

“Ok John, your test will be on July 10, 2008 at 10:00 am in the morning. Have a clean uniform and bring your sparring gear.”

The new way we are looking at testing makes today the first day of your “test” –and everyday after that a continuation of your test, until you graduate.

What’s the difference?

In the old model you might come to your test and be challenged to perform a 100 push ups. In the new model, you will have done 100 push-ups a day for 3 months.

Which do you think is more impressive, 100 push ups or 9000?


Which requires more self-discipline?

Which pays more tribute to “the journey” than to the “destination?”

With the old way, you might have come to your test and performed a form for the judges and the audience.

With the new method you will still perform at the graduation, but the real story behind your performance is that you documented 1000 repetitions of the form in preparation for your finale.

Instead of coming to your test and being required to fight 10 rounds of sparring, you will have been expected to complete 500 rounds during your three months of testing.

In this way, grand accomplishments, seemingly impossible feats, like 9000 push-ups, 1000 reps of a form, and 500 rounds of sparring, can easily be broken down into manageable, bite-sized pieces.

One hundred push ups can be done in 5 minutes. Three repetitions of a form can take 5 to 10 minutes. Three 3-minute rounds of sparring, with 1-minute breaks in between takes just 11 minutes.

This kind of testing promotes the idea that self-improvement and transformation isn’t something that is put off or scheduled for a later date, it’s something we do in the here and now.

It encourages students to look at every day as a testing day; a day when you want to be at your best. This method also allows the teacher to make his or her belt tests more comprehensive.

Test requirements can be expanded to include activities like reading and film viewing, acts of kindness, and community projects.