Blog Post 10 - Promotions
Our school is not very traditional. We don’t ask anyone to bow to anyone, no one needs permission to step on or off the mats, and no one has to call anyone “master.”
2025 holiday promotions
But one tradition we keep around is promotion day. We don’t do it often, maybe once or twice per year at most, but I think it’s an important thing to keep around.
It’s an opportunity to have the team gather together and celebrate everyone’s success and hard work.
Earning stripes with my favorite person!
Everyone who trains deserves some recognition and validation. The cynics—sometimes rightly—point out the marketing reasons behind promotions. Stripes and having the belt color change are marketing tools that provide folks some external validation, a dangling carrot to keep them showing up and paying their member dues.
Sure, it’s a brilliant marketing strategy, granted. But sometimes it’s just nice to have someone, especially a coach, say “Hey, nice job. Keep it up!” It shouldn’t be the only reason one trains, but it can certainly be a small part of it.
Being with your teammates on promotion day is a bonding experience. Teammates you have trained with are becoming your friends, and you all are getting recognized and leveling up together.
Me blabbering on, as usual.
It’s truly special as a coach watching my students go through the belt ranks together, helping each other push through the hard training days and growing as a result. The bonds forged in training can’t be replicated elsewhere.
This post will be published around the new year. I always like to remind students to be kind and welcoming to new folks. I really don’t like the “new year, new me” reasons for starting a new habit or routine. It’s never sustainable and these new year resolutions are often dead by March.
But just because someone started the gym for a dumb reason doesn’t mean they can’t stay for better reasons. Treat the newbies with respect and they’ll develop a love for the gym organically. If someone does decide to quit, how you treated them should not have been a factor in that decision. Remember, you were new at one time, too. And one day, when they eventually get their recognition, you’ll be a part of their journey and you can celebrate together.
Happy new year! Let’s get after it in 2026!