Black Belts and Fitness: No Excuses By Sensei Liam Musiak

Being a black belt is meant to represent something. It’s not just a belt around your waist — it’s a symbol of discipline, skill, resilience, and physical capability. But too many martial artists, once they reach 1st Dan or higher, start to drift. They stop training like they used to. They get comfortable. And worst of all — they start making excuses.

Let’s be clear: if you are physically capable and mentally stable, and nothing serious is holding you back, then you should be in shape. You should be training. And if you’re not? That’s not bad luck. That’s on you.

Fitness Is a Requirement — Not a Bonus

At Voracious Karate, every Dan grade includes a dedicated fitness test. It’s not optional. We assess strength, stamina, flexibility, and cardio because we believe a black belt should be able to fight — not just talk about fighting.

We also run intense pressure drills like Rush Zone and Iron Fortress — these aren’t fitness tests, but they reveal your conditioning fast. Under stress, if you’re not fit, everything falls apart. In a real-world fight, that’s the last thing you want.

Being able to perform at a high standard physically isn’t just a nice extra — it’s part of what it means to be a black belt.

The Most Common Excuses (And Why They’re Rubbish)

If you’ve got no injuries, no illness, and nothing serious going on in your personal life — then these next few excuses don’t hold up. Let’s break them down.

❌ “I’m too busy.”

We all are. I run a business, teach students, train, write, and still find time for my family. Being “busy” is part of life. You’re not special because your calendar’s full. If your black belt still means something to you, you’ll make time. If it doesn’t, you’ll keep making excuses.

❌ “I teach so much, I don’t have time to train myself.”

This one needs to be called out hard. I’ve seen so many black belts start teaching, then slowly let themselves go — physically and mentally. They start standing at the front, giving instructions, correcting students, managing the class — but stop doing any proper karate themselves.

They say, “I’m too focused on looking after my students,” or “Teaching takes up all my training time.” Let’s be honest — that’s not a reason. That’s a cop-out.

You made it to black belt by training. You got that respect by putting in the work. And now that people are looking up to you — you stop holding yourself to that standard? That’s backwards.

If anything, teaching should push you to train more, not less. Because now you’re not just representing yourself — you’re representing the art. Your students are watching you. And if they see a tired, unfit instructor who hasn’t improved in years, what are they supposed to think black belt actually means?

Standing at the front of a class, shouting combinations and fixing stances, doesn’t develop your power, speed, timing, or conditioning. That’s administration, not martial arts. If you’ve let yourself become a glorified PE teacher instead of a warrior, it’s time to snap out of it and get back to training.

❌ “I’ve already earned my black belt — I’ve nothing left to prove.”

Then give it back. Because a true black belt doesn’t stop. They grow. They refine. They improve. If you’re using your past achievements as an excuse to stop working, then you’ve misunderstood everything that belt represents. This isn’t school — there’s no graduation. There’s only progress.

Valid Exceptions – Not Excuses, But Real Life

That said — let’s be fair. There are valid reasons someone might not be training or at peak fitness.

If you're looking after a dying family member, going through grief, recovering from surgery, or struggling with serious mental health — that’s different. Life hits hard sometimes, and when it does, karate can take a step back. That’s not failure. That’s human.

The same goes for older martial artists or those with physical conditions like arthritis. Of course, they won’t move the same way a 25-year-old will. But you know what? I've seen older black belts still turn up, still train, still put in the effort — not making excuses, just adapting to what their body can do.

Effort matters. Intent matters. Progress within your limits matters. But choosing not to train when you know full well you’re capable? That’s not a reason — that’s a decision.

If You Can Train — Then Train

I train through stress, fatigue, and busy days. Not because I want to show off — but because I refuse to let my belt lose its meaning. I know what it took to earn it. And I know what it takes to keep it.

To every black belt out there who still has the strength, the mobility, the time, and the opportunity — stop finding reasons to skip training. You’re not protecting your legacy by resting on it. You’re slowly erasing it.

Final Words

A black belt isn’t a finish line. It’s a promise — to keep pushing, to keep growing, and to keep representing everything that martial arts stands for.

So if you’re still able to move, strike, stretch, sweat, and learn — then do it. Don’t hide behind your role as a teacher. Don’t claim you’re too busy. Don’t let your belt collect dust while you tell yourself you’re still a warrior.

Because like I tell my students:

“A black belt doesn’t settle — they uphold the standard. Excuses are for white belts. Responsibility is for black belts.”

— Sensei Liam Musiak

Founder of Voracious Karate

Self-Defence Instructor | Martial Arts Sensei | Author