CONTRIBUTOR'S WANTED! Would you like to contribute to PhysicalArts.com? We are always looking for quality relevant articles. If you are interested please email your article to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Your Journey to a Karate Black Belt: 10 Training Tips By Paul A. Walker The primary goal of any beginner or intermediate student of karate is usually to attain the coveted black belt. The black belt represents technical excellence, high ethical standards and the ability of a student to endure a strict and rigorous training regimen. To those "in the know," people with black belts are seen as being more than just average practitioners. They are rightfully seen as being highly disciplined and skillful proponents of the art. So what are the steps that any beginner can take now to ensure a successful path to black belt? This article lays out the top ten planning and training tips for becoming a black belt. If you read and follow these tips, you will significantly increase your chances of success in getting to the destination of "Black Belt" as a serious karate practitioner. Tip #1: Define what the black belt means to you personally There is an expression that goes "if you don't know where you're going, you will probably end up somewhere else..." By defining what the black belt means, you now have specific reasons to become one. You must take full ownership of your chosen goal if you are