10/09/2026
I was chatting yesterday with the mum of one of my students. She liked the idea of starting Karate classes herself, but was scared that she would make mistakes and embarrass herself or her child. That's what prompted this post
There is a cliché in martial arts that “a black belt is a white belt that never gave up”. Although it's true, I would suggest a better way to think of it is that every black belt was once a white belt.
In other words, we've all been there.
One of the driving forces in karate, and other martial arts too, is that there's always something new to learn and improve, no matter how long you have trained. Every one of us is trying to improve our technique. For absolute beginners, this might mean checking that you've got the correct leg forward. For the more advanced students, the improvements become more subtle. But we are ALL still trying to correct mistakes.
Instructors can relate to the struggle of trying to get something right. We've all been there. Everyone in a Karate class will recognise that a beginner is on the same path as them. A good instructor can spot the mistake and know how to fix it, because they’ve done it themselves.
One of the principles that I have in the club is that failure is an option; giving up isn't. Making mistakes is an integral part of the learning process. Failing is an opportunity to try again.
Sometimes you need to push yourself to try something, and you may not succeed. It might mean trying a move that you don't know well and ending up facing the wrong way; making a mistake in sparring and blocking with the wrong arm; losing the balance point when throwing a kick… or missing the target.
It's actually a good sign that someone is worried about making mistakes. It means that they care and want to get it right. The worst attitude to bring to Karate club is "near enough - that will do". Settling for mediocre isn't the Karate way.
So if you are concerned about looking foolish and making mistakes as a beginner in Karate, don't worry about it. We expect you to make mistakes. If you never make mistakes, we are simply not challenging you enough.
