Process or Progress?

Martial Arts has grown and developed over the years but did you know that the current belt progression systems are more of a western influence on martial arts as opposed to a traditional one?

Most students love the idea of belt progression and the idea of getting new belts at grading. It’s easy to track your progress from Taekwondo white belt to yellow belt and so on until you get your black belt. When a student gets to black belt though, they often wonder what’s next and the percentage of people who stop martial arts once they hit the black belt level is very high. So what is it that has a student quit once they reach their black belt?

I believe that the belt system itself can be a problem as it is a focus on progress and not process. A student at the coloured belt levels, grade a number of times in a year and get used to this regularity. When a student reaches 1st Dan though, the regularity of grading’s decreases with a minimum 1 year gap between 1st and 2nd Dan, 2 years between 2nd and 3rd Dan and so on. This change can really affect the motivation of students who have been focused so heavily on the progress of their martial arts journey.

This is why a focus on process is more beneficial. By process, I mean trying to integrate your martial arts into your daily life. When you go for a run or other fitness activity outside of your normal martial arts classes, do you add in any Taekwondo, Haidong Gumdo or other martial art into your session? This integration of martial arts into your life will help with your overall martial arts journey as well as with your fitness. It goes beyond the physical though. Are you integrating martial arts into the way you interact with people? I don’t mean bowing to the person who serves you at the supermarket but are you being polite and respectful to the people you meet? Are you giving someone who is talking to you the full attention they deserve like you do when an instructor talks to you in class or are playing a game on your phone at the same time?


Focusing your martial arts journey in the process of martial arts, the desire to improve your skills and mindset, not just in class, but in your everyday life, will make you a true martial artist. It’s not about the colour belt you wear around your waist. I believe if people looked at martial arts this way, they would not only continue well into their black belt dan ranks, but feel more fulfilled with their martial arts.

So I challenge you to think more about the process of martial arts in your life, and not just your progress from one belt to the next.


Mark Underwood

Mark is a 4th Dan Master in both Taekwondo and Haidong Gumdo (Korean swords). He has also trained in other styles of martial arts. He is currently the owner and head instructor for Zone Martial Arts in Sydney Australia

Choosing the right martial arts club for you

One thing I am asked a lot is what makes Zone Martial Arts different to other clubs. It’s both an easy and hard question to answer. I could list of a number of reasons why my club is great but will that matter to the person asking the question? Martial arts can be, and should be in my opinion, a very personal journey to improve the body and the mind. So your choice of martial art style and the club you train at should also be a very personal decision. It’s important to ask what you are hoping to achieve.

Are you looking to be a Taekwondo Olympic athlete? If so, choose a club that is very tournament focused.

Are you looking for a family friendly training environment? If so choose a club that has a number of families already training there.

Are you a huge fan of the UFC and how they fight? If so choose a club that teaches MMA styles.

Are you looking for your child? If so, have a look at what specific programs they have in place to help develop a child’s confidence and skills.


I could go on and on but the point is that when you set out to find a club to teach you martial arts, have an idea of what you are looking for and why. Then when you visit the club, ask specific questions that help you work out if this is the right club for you. You don’t have to choose the first club you go to and most will have a trial of some sorts.

You will hopefully continue to train for many years in martial arts so I encourage you to ask questions and above all things, have a go and train in a class. Sometimes that’s the best way to see if a club suits you and your martial arts goals.



Mark Underwood

Mark is a 4th Dan Master in both Taekwondo and Haidong Gumdo (Korean swords). He has also trained in other styles of martial arts. He is currently the owner and head instructor for Zone Martial Arts in Sydney Australia.