Black Belt Karate

Chris Thompson attempts to tackle a tough question – "what does one do after black belt?" The two most frequent times for karateka to quit are early on (inside the first year), and right after they get their black belt. What’s missing from schools these days? Why is black belt seen as the end of the road?

Chris Thompson is an 8th degree black belt in the Wado-Ryu system. He is also the Chairman of the British Traditional Karate Association. I’m not entirely sure who he trained under, as his lineage is not readily available. Nevertheless, Thompson Sensei displays a great deal of knowledge regarding modern karate throughout this book.

I’d like to start off by saying that this book was a pleasure to read. Not at all heavy handed, as you might suspect. Thompson Sensei could have easily fallen into the trap of looking down upon readers who haven’t pursued the martial arts properly, but he opts to keep things light and informative.

Here is a peek at the kind of content you’ll receive:
1. Introduction to Karate – history, styles, basics…the standard affair.
2. Fundamentals – etiquette, stretching, waza, makiwara, kata, and drills.
3. Competition – rules, regulations, titles, guidelines.
4. Reference – how to tie your belt, term glossary, other odds and ends.

Each section is presented in very digestible chunks, and could easily be referred back to should a student need a quick reference guide for the topics involved.

I think my favorite part of the book is the sample self defense techniques that are shown. Rather than just showing a frame by frame example of kata, Thompson shows how certain techniques can be utilized in a self defense fashion. These insights are valuable for beginner and black belt alike.

Here is a pet peeve of mine though. Check out this picture from the book:

I have no personal problem with anyone in the picture and I am sure they are all skilled martial artists. But here is the thing – Thompson’s assistants probably have about 10-15 years experience. 20 at the most. Why do their belts have 40 years worth of wear and tear on them? Their belts are even more worn out than their instructors! One of two things could have happened here:

1. They bought a brand of black belt that intentionally skimps on the stitching, therefore making it easier to show wear.

2. They placed these belts in a giant rock tumbler.

Again, I have no problem with these practitioners. But what they have done is committed a faux pas against the concept of sabi. Sabi is an appreciation for that which is old. Objects in our everyday lives exude sabi when they have developed a unique character all their own do to use and age.

Black belts are one of the best examples of the natural growth of sabi. As a belt becomes worn from practice, it becomes more beautiful and valuable in the eyes of traditional martial artists. Having a belt that shows premature sabi sticks out as badly as a tiny man wearing a very oversized coat. Something just isn’t right.

But let’s place my grouchiness aside! The pictures themselves are very well made and serve to illuminate the techniques involved. Thompson found a good balance of using pictures to enhance the content without overpowering it.

my one true concern about this book is its main concept – helping students progress past black belt into the fog beyond. The topics covered in these chapters are all very valuable, but still basic. Technique combinations…tournament rules…historical snippets…these are things that students should be working on UP to black belt. Beyond that, there should be a discussion of mind and spirit alongside physical movements.

Furthermore, there isn’t mention of truly important concepts like distancing, timing, zanshin, and all that other good stuff which separates one black belt from another. Sure, it shows maturity if you know how to behave at a tournament, but in my mind, it doesn’t reach for the high heights that martial arts mastery should shoot for.

Ultimately, I think this book is very useful…but falls far short of its implied goal. Perhaps if this were listed as a guide for intermediates rather than advanced students, I would be on board. But since it seems to get caught in base-level land, I would recommend other books for practitioners really looking to dive deeply into karate.