To rank in a timely fashion at CrossForce Karate ministries requires more than just showing up to class each week. One must be willing to stick to it in order to advance at all when taking martial arts. At CrossForce it may take as long as six to eight years before a student is ready for their Black Belt test. You must go through nine different belts with each belt having a more challenging rank test than the previous one. We at CrossForce have three requirements in order for a white belt (beginners level)to progress. These are as follows:
1.Attitude
2.Attendance
3.Technique.
The most important of course is the
Attitude of the student towards their family, classmates, the CrossForce instructors and towards Martial Arts itself. Karate is not about learning how to show off in front of your friends. In the Bible God says to do all things unto the Lord and not for you or any other man. The Bible is the foundation of our motivation at CrossForce .We at CrossForce strongly discourage violent behavior. Some people think that learning Karate is the same thing as learning to be violent. This is a common misconception. The truth is
violence is an emotion similar to anger,
what we teach is self defense. Avoiding conflicts is top priority in self defense but we do teach how to handle conflicts effectively if they occur. We as Christians should strive to live like Jesus did, as servants who help those in need in a sincere humble way. Not arrogant because of our abilities or success.
Next is
attendance, coming to class each week consistently. This is self-explanatory in that if they do not come to karate classes they aren’t participating and can’t expect to move ahead with their learning. They must be attending class in order to learn the forms, punches, kicks and karate etiquette.
The third and final requirement is
technique, the way you demonstrate each move or skill that you learn while attending classes. At CrossForce the only skill level you must reach is your very best. Some people’s best is kicking at knee level while others can kick way over their head level. We do not compare one student to another , instead we try to help each individual reach their full potential for the glory of God. Ranking is not the top priority in our classes.
We focus more on how we can use Martial Arts to worship God and show others the love of Jesus Christ. We have nothing to be arrogant about because everything we accomplish or achieve is a gift from God to us. We can either use the talents He gave us for our own personal gain or give back to Jesus by praising Him by doing our best in all aspects of life including Karate!
By:Zack Anderson