At the Independent Karate School, the teenage black belts can do a lot of things that are really fun to watch. They can roll out of a fall and spring up as if they were made of rubber. They can put someone who is grabbing their wrist on the floor with a seemingly trivial gesture. When called upon to perform a flying kick, they can practically levitate.
But sometimes, it's even more fun to watch our beginners. When very little children begin karate (our youngest students are only 5), the challenges they face are very real. It's hard for them to pay attention. It's hard for them to coordinate their movements. It's hard for them to see how they could ever be like the black belts who are teaching them.
This is why it's so exciting when they start to make progress. A few days ago, an instructor asked three young white belts to perform the most difficult technique they are asked to learn as beginners. It has multiple steps, requires some tricky coordination of hand movements and footwork, and involves a change of direction.
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On command, all three children executed the sequence correctly. Pleased (and I think a bit surprised), the instructor smiled and praised the students, describing what they had done right. It's a long road . . . but the magic is starting to happen.
Would you like to see a little magic in progress? Feel free to visit any scheduled Independent Karate School class! Classes in Merrimack meet every Tuesday and Thursday night at 6 pm at the VFW post near the Common Man. Hope to see you there!
