Danjo
Master Black Belt
To cover most of what this thread goes over, I can give a little more indepth view.
I personally know Master Russell Clegg, being an instructor. I train with him every week. He's a great martial artist, a funny guy, and at the same time a very demanding, businiessminded ... employer. I like him as a man, but I don't like his business strategy and policies. I also am not fond of the way he conducts the instructor lessons. As I put it in my introduction post, it's basically a "here, catch!" method. He tosses certain techinques and the like at you, from four or five different angles, assuming that you already know it, *because* you're an instructor. You must know it! He trains all instructors as black belts, regarldess of raink, but that's how it goes through all of USSD from what I gather.
As for the animal tests, they are, in a way, another way for United Studios to make money. But at the same time they are a great opportunity to get to know yourself and your own abilities and limits.
The Tiger Test - $50 - tests your endurance and tenacity. It pushes your body to its physical limits, but at the same time is a very mental test.
The Crane Test - $50 - tests your balance and agility.
The Snake Test - $50 - is more a clinic where you learn more about chi and meditation as well as accurate, pinpoint strikes and fluid movements.
The Leopard Test - $75 - is the longest test of all of them (aside from the Dragon). At the beginning of the test, at least at mine, here in Utah, Master Clegg tought us a leopard defensive technique (a kempo technique), and we practiced it on eachother. To this day it's one of my favorite techniques. Afterward we went to the Provo CLAS rope course, where we spent about five hours. This test for me, was a very mental test, being that I'm terrified of heights. And there were a lot of heights involved.
The Dragon Test - $500 (yes, that's right) - is a super-secret test that you can only take after you've taken all four of the other tests. You're given a period of six weeks in which to complete the test. The only thing I know about it is that part of the test involves becoming certified in CPR.
If you have any more questions about USSD, feel free to ask away. I'll try to answer what I can, at least based on what I know from my own instructor and dojo and Master Clegg.
How much is the IQ test?