white thru brown are the prerequisite courses that need to be taken so that you may then begin to learn karate. They are the nonmonetary dues that must be paid to be excepted as a novice in your style.
Instructors are faced with a delema, they need to pay rent. They have a diverse group of students with varying talents and abilities, and from them they expect maximum effort even if the result is less than a perfect kata or a mediocre crescent kick. That is the beauty of Karate in my eyes. I as a student can set my own bar and my own expectations to either meet or exceed that of my instructor. It is an individual "sport" for lack of a better word. I don't have to worry that the person next to me can't go the distance, my sucesses and failures are based solely on my efforts.
Eventually I would love to teach and pass on what I've learned. And I will expect maximum effort from my students as well. I will also except the fact that not all my students will be able to do the things that I am capeable of and some will have more natural talent than me. That makes them no less deserving of a black belt that signifies proficiency. Unfortunately that will probably be the extent of their martial arts journey. What comes next requires skill and dedication.
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