Determination & Perseverance: The Power Twins of Martial Arts
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In every Karate stance and every Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu position, two invisible forces are always at work: determination and perseverance. Determination is the decision to keep going even when something feels new, scary, or challenging. Perseverance is the ability to stick with that decision day after day — especially when progress feels slow. Together, they create students who don’t just train harder… they grow stronger in character.
You can see determination the very first time a child steps onto the mat. Maybe they’re nervous about trying a new kick in Karate or unsure how to escape side control in BJJ. But they try anyway, even if they wobble or fall. That moment — the “I’m going to do this” moment — is determination. It’s the spark. And every time they choose to try again, even after making a mistake, they’re building a habit that will follow them long after class ends.
Perseverance shows up in the small battles that students face every week. Like practicing their kata until it flows smoothly, even when they want to stop. Or drilling a sweep in BJJ over and over until their timing finally clicks. Perseverance is what gets a student through a stripe test, a belt promotion cycle, or a challenging class where everything feels “off.” It reminds them that mastery isn’t about being perfect — it’s about refusing to quit.
Every student has goals, and determination and perseverance are the tools that turn those goals into reality. A white belt in Karate might dream of earning their yellow belt. A young BJJ athlete might set a goal to escape mount without panicking. These goals don’t happen overnight, but they do happen through steady effort. Encourage your child to set simple weekly goals like: “I will practice my front kick ten times every day” or “I will try the hip escape three times during open mat.” Small steps lead to big victories.
In the end, martial arts teaches kids that success isn’t about being the fastest or the strongest — it’s about being the one who keeps showing up, keeps trying, and keeps believing in themselves. Determination gets them started. Perseverance gets them to the finish line. And together, they help build confident, resilient, unstoppable young martial artists.


