Before every class, our students here at Basche’s Martial Arts recite our Student Creed. The Student Creed establishes what every student is training to attain when they walk in the door. From our youngest Little Tigers to our senior students, every student is training to develop the values of the Student Creed. But what do the different parts of the Student Creed really mean? In this series, we explore the deeper implications of our Student Creed. I will develop myself in a positive manner and avoid anything that would reduce my mental growth or my physical health.
I will develop self-discipline in order to bring out the best in myself and others.
I will use the skills I learn in class constructively and defensively to help myself and my fellow man, and never to be abusive or offensive.
I shall respect my parents and seniors, and always abide by the black belt creed.
Courtesy
Modesty
Perseverance
Self-Control
Indomitable Spirit
What is development?
The first words of our Student Creed are, “I will develop myself in a positive manner.” This reflects our focus on positive development. We are all devoted to constant development. That can take the form of improving your discipline, dressing better, getting a promotion at work, learning a new skill, or improving any number of other qualities.
Development is typically split into 5 major categories: gross motor skills, fine motor skills, speech and language, cognitive/intellectual, and social/emotional skills. Our training program builds on all 5 categories.
Gross Motor Skills
Students develop gross motor skills with drills that focus on big movements. When students run around the room or practice their technique on punching bags, they are developing their gross motor skills.
Fine Motor Skills
Students develop fine motor skills with drills which focus on detailed movements. Our reflex bag drills develop fine motor skills by forcing the student to strike specific parts of a moving target. These strikes require greater accuracy than a simple straight-on kick or punch.
Speech and Language Skills
Even though students do not talk much in class, they still develop their speech and language skills by actively listening.
“You’ve got one mouth but two ears. Make sure you listen more than you speak.”
Instructor Mary
Our instructors often ask students questions throughout their lesson. Beyond building listening comprehension skills, these questions ensure that the students are paying attention and learning new terms.
Cognitive/Intellectual Skills
We develop cognitive skills when we work on awareness drills. Students can be asked to identify how many people are in the lobby, what color a car outside is, or other questions which make them focus and consider several pieces of information. When students spar later in their curriculum, they may be faced with several opponents. In these situations, students learn to assess threats and prioritize targets under pressure.
Social/Emotional Skills
Finally, our students develop social skills in many of our drills. Whenever a student is drilling by themselves, the other students in the class cheer them on and shout words of encouragement. This builds a sense of friendship between students, but it also teaches students to support each other.
Why does development have to be positive?
Movies, books, and television shows are full of examples of people whose development did not develop in a positive fashion. These characters are almost always the villains of the stories. When development does not happen in a positive fashion, it often results in other people getting hurt.
When you improve yourself positively, other people also improve. If you go to the gym every day, encourage a friend to come with you and be your workout buddy. If you learn a new skill for your job, teach your coworkers what you’ve learned. Develop yourself positively and others can’t help but to do the same. By developing yourself positively, you’ll become an inspiration to others. Before you know it, your life will be exponentially better, and you’ll have effortless positivity.
Sensei’s Thoughts on the Student Creed
In the video below, Sensei also shares his own thoughts on the opening section of the Student Creed.
Conclusion
This week, we discussed the importance of developing yourself in a positive manner. When you train at Basche’s Martial Arts, you work on all 5 categories of development. We always make sure that development is positive so that your life and the lives of those around you improve. Keep training! It’s the first step to a better life.
Jacob O’Dell
May 17, 2023