Why the Basics Still Matter After Black Belt

There’s a temptation in martial arts to believe that advanced students should constantly be learning more complicated material.

But advanced Kenpo often comes from doing simple things exceptionally well.

A stance is basic. So is a block. So is a punch, kick, check or step. Yet every advanced technique depends upon those fundamentals.

Consider something as simple as moving off the line of attack. If your footwork is poor, the hands have to compensate. If your stance is unstable, your strike loses power. If your posture is wrong, your balance and mobility suffer.

That is why experienced practitioners continue practicing basics.

The difference is that a black belt should understand them at a deeper level.

Instead of simply asking, “Is my hand in the correct position?” the advanced practitioner asks:

• Is my skeletal structure supporting the movement?

• Am I unnecessarily tense?

• Is my weight properly distributed?

• Can I move immediately from this position?

• Am I generating force with my entire body?

Basics aren't something we leave behind.

They’re something we continue to understand.