By: Hakim Isler
This week is promotion week at my school. Ninja Self Defense practitioners are evaluated in areas ranging from use of spirit in the class, understanding of a technique, physical performance, leadership and service.
If a student has performed to standard over the last several weeks then they will receive a Black or Red stripe on their belt. If a student does not perform to standard or above they will receive a Blue stripe signifying needed improvement. They will be given clear instruction on what they need to do in order to earn their Black or Red Stripe.
Yesterday I had to give one of my senior students a Blue Stripe. This rarely happens since my senior students have been through the process enough times that they know what is expected and thus they perform to standard. However, there are times that we as humans can become complacent and comfortable in a situation and inadvertently start to perform at a lower level than usual. As an instructor it is my duty to watch for this behavior as well as other challenges a student may have. It is also my duty to inform a student of any areas needing improvement in a positive way well before an evaluation so that he/she can work to correct them in advance.
I had spoken with this student several times as to my observations and gave suggestions on what was to be done in order to improve in those areas. Unfortunately he did not take steps to improve. Therefore yesterday at the end of class I gave out stripes and he received a Blue one along with another clear explanation on what he could do to improve and get his Black Stripe.
As he turned to return to the line of his peers something amazing happened. The entire class began clapping. The question that would naturally arise from this situation is, “ why applaud when a person receives something that symbolizes a lack in some area?” The answer for us is simple. As humans it is impossible to perform above standard all the time in all areas of our life. Even when giving something our all we may still not meet the standard for a certain area.
However, our greatest lesson as Ninja studying the Ninja Self Defense program at Elevo Dynamics is not just how we perform when things are going our way and something comes easy or natural, it is how we recover, endure and triumph over the struggles and challenges we face in our lives. To exist in an environment where you are good at everything or where people always give you praise for substandard performance very rarely helps you grow. But an environment where people praise you when you are good, gently guide you when you are struggling and honestly communicate with you when you become complacent, tends to breed strength of character and spirit.
My students clap for their peers to congratulate the moment in which he/she learns that they need improvement and they celebrate an environment where that student can be nurtured to be better tomorrow than they are today. A Blue Stripe doesn’t mean that you are lacking, instead it means that you have a greater potential for improvement
Hakim Isler (To-Shin Do Ninjutsu Head Instructor) has been involved in the martial arts for 24 years and the security field for 10 years. Hakim is a veteran of the Iraq war and an ex-member of the Army Special Operations community, where he received Arabic language training, survival training, evasion training, paratrooper training, etc. He holds a 4th degree black belt (Yondan) in To-Shin Do (modern Ninjutsu), as taught by world-renowned author and Black Belt Hall of Fame member Stephen K. Hayes. Hakim is also a practitioner of American Jiu Jitsu, Gracie Barra Jiu Jitsu and FCS Kali.
