What is black belt burn out? When black belts have been doing taekwondo for years they, just like any other passionate person, eventually feel burn out. So how do we stop it? Obviously, I can’t speak for everyone and I can’t treat burn out (I’m not a medical professional). But, I can show you how I handle feeling black belt burn out. It’s solvable!

Step Back

When I’ve started to feel the black belt burn out, I’ve found that stepping back helps enormously. What do I mean by “stepping back”? I mean reducing my involvement in the taekwondo community. I go to less classes, judge less testings, and referee less tournaments. Now, stepping back doesn’t necessarily mean fully quitting. When I step back, I reduce but I don’t stop. As an example, instead of going to class every single day, I go to only one or two per week. Instead of going to every single tournament available to me, I go to only a couple for awhile. Instead of writing 8 blog posts a day (yes, that does happen), I write only a couple. Then, I space them out more. Of course, I don’t have full agency over everything. I take control where I can. I also give myself some time to relax. I’ve found that, eventually, I start to want to do taekwondo more again. That’s when I go back to the usual!

Meditate, mentally recharge

No, I’m not joking. If you’ve read any of my other posts on meditation. You know that meditation is an important, though sometimes under appreciated, section of taekwondo training. Research has shown that meditation can be very helpful for people in their day to day lives (find scientific source). I’ve met many people who encourage it, and many more who practice it. It seemed a little odd at first but, once I got into it, it became quite fun! When I was experiencing burn out, meditation turned out to be very helpful in practicing and reviewing my forms mentally. It made it especially helpful for focusing on the details.

Leave the burn out, Look for New

The taekwondo community (and the martial arts community in general) is huge! Within one small dojang there is so much that a student can explore. Even with years of experience, a person can still learn new things. Recently, for example, I’ve been getting more and more involved in local tournaments than I used to. This turned into the opportunity to learn about a whole new part of taekwondo. It goes beyond just the promotional test. Plus, I meet so many new people! With a new thing to focus on, it feels like I have new gears moving. It’s quite refreshing!

Side Note: As a side note there are scientific articles on the benefits of meditation, if anyone is interested. I found them to be very informative!

It’s legit, don’t doubt Yourself

Burn out is a legitimate problem, whether it’s in work, exercise, or relationships. In the taekwondo community, it can be more common than many think. The important thing to know is, you are not alone. I and many of my colleagues have experienced this in our careers as black belts. It is possible to get through it, and it is possible to renew your interest in taekwondo.

You can do it. You know it. Good luck!

If you are wondering how I’ve solved my black belt burn out, it’s through reading and writing here, at tkdtutors.com! Of course, you don’t have to write for us to feel better, but you can subscribe to our email list! Just put in your email to get unique and interesting articles every week! Best part? It’s free!

Disclaimer: this post is for entertainment only. If there is concern for your mental health, talk to a licensed medical professional. This site is for informational and entertainment purposes only. All martial arts techniques and exercises should be supervised by a trained martial arts instructor. This supervision prevents injuries. It also ensures the proper technique is utilized. The information on these pages and videos is meant to reinforce the instruction given at your martial arts classes. It serves to supplement these classes. To properly understand these techniques, you need to learn them from a martial arts instructor at a local dojang. They can provide an in-depth explanation of the technique. They help correct your mistakes. They can answer your questions. They will also detail how the technique should be utilized. In addition, all martial arts techniques and training should be used safely and responsibly.