Dedication to Practice

I often wondered when I taught full time Isshinryu whether people were truly dedicated to learning. The reason I wondered was the amount of time they dedicated to practice and training. 

When I first began learning some form of martial arts I was a bit sporadic and inconsistent. I attributed this to the fact that what I was doing didn't meet what I wanted or needed. I guess I had not found my core, foundational, system of martial arts. I finally found Isshinryu on Okinawa under then First Sergeant Warner Dean Henry and knew that this was my core system.

I practiced daily, seven days a week. I did this for about twenty years until I finally gave myself a break by taking some weekends to myself. Even today as a retired sensei and a full time practitioner still devote a lot of time to my training and practice along with more hours of study as well. I still take time for weekends simply because in those many years I found my soulmate and married. I use what time I can find throughout the day to train, practice and study about not only my system but others as well along with the more esoteric studies the enhance and build on my system, such as it is.

I wake and train. I train at work breaks as well as work lunches. I often train and study evenings for an hour or so - most evenings. I actually think and breathe my studies and training/practice. It is something I enjoy so much that it is literally a part of my life as I believe martial arts should be to be a martial art. 

So, when I see someone showing up at the training facility two or three times a week for about an hour and a half I wonder if they are truly learning a martial art or are they simply participating in a club environment much like a jazzercize session, etc.? I can tell most times when someone is putting in time and effort outside the training hall. I wonder whether they actually have the dedication to practice they should have to be true and real martial artists? 

I am not advocating that someone dedicated the same amount of time and effort I dedicate and I know that there are those out there who dedicated a lot more time, effort and study to their practice and training than I do so I know my dedication is a middle of the road type thing. 

I also can tells, mostly, when someone reaches black belt, sho-dan, because they met some time and test criteria that may or may not be actually black belt jutsu or even "do (doah)" criteria, they simply attended a certain number of sessions and completed a basic set of requirements set forth in the syllabus set by the instructor, much like in schools, so they are given a black belt. 

So, what I would ask is if the person has a dedication to practice that transcends merely going with the flow, doing what everyone else is doing or simply follows the path of least resistance so they can say, "I am a black belt." What is your dedication to practice and are you a black belt or are you a black belt?

Oh, regardless of black belt or black belt, when you get one do you continue with your efforts of study and practice or do you just quit thinking you have achieved all you can? You know, like earning your degree from college or diploma from high school, your done so why bother now? Hmmmmm?