The Black Belts Among Us

What's the image that comes to mind when you here the words "black belt"? A person, usually male, white and/or Asian? A lone, dedicated soul training high on a mountaintop in China? A person roaming the earth to right an ancient wrong? How about an action movie hero?

In reality, the black belts walk among us daily. They're not only the guys you'd expect to be trained in hand-to-hand combat such as policemen and military personnel. A black belt can be the "computer guy" in your office, your child's teacher or a home-care nurse. A lawyer or the visibly pregnant woman in front of you in the checkout line. Busy moms with toddlers in tow could black belts too. A black belt can be an entreprenuer, the manager at the big box store, and the construction worker that built the store. They're even church ladies. They're the shy kid in school, the math nerd, and the mousy girl in your daughter's class.

Martial arts training attracts a certain type of personality - a type of do-gooder, if you will. Someone with high standards for themselves and others, and someone with a sense of humilty. It's not the looks, occupation or income level that count. It's the person inside and their potential that are important in the martial arts.