The World Championship Tournament is this week! Martial Artists from all around the country and even the world will be competing to take home a World Champion title. There are several students from Venture Martial Arts that will be competing in the tournament, and a fair few who will be working to defend their titles from last year. 

It got us thinking, what makes a world champion? Is it just natural talent that a person is borth with that puts them above the rest? Or is it something more than that, is it a grit and determination that a person possesses? Most importantly, can that be taught so that a person with no natural talent can achieve that greatness? The answer is yes, and here’s what it takes.

Hard work:

It’s no surprise that everything great in life does not come easy. It takes a lot of hard work, sometimes years of it. In my years in the taekwondo world I’ve noticed one consistency in those that win world titles. They don’t just come to class. They practice at home, sometimes hours a day. They stay late and get in extra reps. They attend champ camp and any extra seminars to learn as much as they can. Simply put, they work harder than anyone else to get what they want.

Believing in themselves:

Confidence is taught in class on a regular basis. The students learn to believe in themselves. But world champions are different. They have an unfailing belief that they are going to win. They do not accept defeat as an option because they know that they are the best. They are still humble, but they also know that their hard work and effort will pay off in the end. There is never an unconfident world champion, they always believe in themselves more than anyone else.

Never giving up:

Perhaps the most important trait that a world champion possesses is never giving up. Even when things get tough they never quit. Life is hard and full of ups and downs. Sometimes they lose at a tournament or even at worlds. Sometimes they fail at testing. But a true champion does not let that get them down. They rise back up and never give up, never accepting defeat as a finality. 

A world champion is someone who works hard, believes in themselves, and never gives up. These are skills that are taught every single day in taekwondo. The Venture Martial Arts team is led by multiple title holding world champion athletes. These instructors have been there and know what it takes to be the best. They work together and inspire each other to be the greatest in the world. At Venture, world champions are in the making.

The World Championship Tournament will start this Wednesday at the Colorado Convention Center. The tournament is hosted by the National Martial Arts Alliance, an organization that Venture proudly is a part of. Students must earn their way there by being in the top ten of their ring in certain events. Only Black Belts can compete in the Tournament of Champions. The World Tournament, open to everybody, will begin on Saturday and will kick off the next season of tournaments.