Natural Style Karate

 

White Belt
White belt is the first level of Karate. Think of it as a clean marker board. Sometimes in teaching, I have to help you clean your marker board, to give you room to learn new techniques and principles. Often, with those having prior training, there are many ideas that are fallible. If you do have prior training, my goal for you is to listen to my ideas as you bring your training to the table. I hope to also learn from you. An advanced black belt like me often wears a double wide white belt—this is to signify that I am twice as eager to learn. I consider myself a good student, not an expert. You can expect to get more flexible physically and will be learning the aspects of self-defense that most karate students do not learn—even at the black belt level! You will learn how to control your opponent in virtually every position while standing or prone. Learning essential elements from a combination of the arts of Judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Karate, Ai-Ki-Do, Boxing, and Tae-Kwon-do will help you to realize excellence in self-defense.

Green Belt
Green Belt is an intermediate rank. At this level, you should feel confidence in your ability to defend yourself in most street situations. My green belts are better equipped for the streets than many black belts in other systems. That is because the focus of our teaching is different and my classes are limited to one, or only a few students per class. Please do not take this as condescension of other martial arts teachers, or other systems. They have a different experience and a different focus. Even if I were teaching large classes in a commercial school with 70 % children, I would have to teach differently too! You will have learned many of the basic throws, restraints, submissions, escapes, punches, and kicks by now.

Brown Belt
Brown Belt is an advanced rank. You may know most of the techniques that you see black belts performing by now, but not with the same ease and expertise. Brown belt is a teaching rank. I will expect that you will be able to teach others what you have learned. All of my students are not called into teaching, but you must be able to demonstrate to me that you have a basic understanding of the bio mechanics of the martial arts techniques and the scientific principles involved. I adhere to the philosophy: “See one, do one, teach one.” I will have you teach me back what you have just learned—even in your first lesson. This will help you to learn deeply. By now, you should be able to put many combinations together in you application of techniques.

Black Belt
The coveted Black Belt signifies high achievement and excellence in the Martial Arts. You will have most of the tools available to you by now, and will be able to demonstrate high level combinations of these techniques. This is a certified teaching rank. You will be expected to have a good understanding of the bio mechanics of the martial arts techniques, basic anatomical understanding as it relates to self-defense, and the scientific principles involved. You should be able to put many combinations together in you application of techniques. At this level, you should be able to relax through your techniques, instead of using strength. For advanced promotion—higher levels of black belt—you must remain active in private lesson classes under my tutelage, and make significant progress in your skill development. The average time for earning a black belt is about five years. Taking private lessons will shorten the time needed due to the one-on-one effort, and due to a focus much different than other Karate Schools. If you take notes and study the DVDs from your classes, your time will be shortened. Most of Karate is intellectual, but you will have to spend time on the mat developing the physical application of the techniques learned. There is a usual waiting period between each advanced black belt level of two to five years. The more advanced levels have a longer wait. If you remain active in private lessons, you can advance much more quickly.

Rank Advancement

Rank advancement, or belt promotion, is done individually and not as a group belt test. As your private instructor, Mr. Morris will be familiar with your skills. This means you are promoted when he believes you have the skills for the next belt. This is the ancient way.

As a prior owner of several karate schools in north Texas, Mr. Morris has taught classes in the traditional karate school style. He has taught as many as 2,200 students in an auditorium class. It is easy to imagine the lack of individual attention offered in these traditional classes. The best measure of skill is by your teacher during one-on-one instruction.

Copyright 2007. All Rights Reserved. Richard Morris Karate