One small step closer...

Tonight I had my first maintenance test! Basically a mock black belt test just for forms and breaking. I had the approval since April 19 but I’ve been waiting for the other double black stripes to be ready.

So tonight I was randomly assigned Taegeuk 6, then 4, then 8. Then did a 3 station breaking: knife hand, spinning kick, and flying side kick. I’ll have a breaking video for you guys soon I think. I nailed the forms, and broke every board in one try. Very happy!!!

Next is a 2 hour class sometime in the near future, then another maintenance test, then another 2 hour class....and then belt testing!
Nicely done - looking forward to that video.
 
Tonight I had my first maintenance test! Basically a mock black belt test just for forms and breaking. I had the approval since April 19 but I’ve been waiting for the other double black stripes to be ready.

So tonight I was randomly assigned Taegeuk 6, then 4, then 8. Then did a 3 station breaking: knife hand, spinning kick, and flying side kick. I’ll have a breaking video for you guys soon I think. I nailed the forms, and broke every board in one try. Very happy!!!

Next is a 2 hour class sometime in the near future, then another maintenance test, then another 2 hour class....and then belt testing!
Great job. Keep us in the loop.
 
Hey guys, it's been a while! I just realized I never did post that video. I'll have to check to see where I saved it and see if I can get it posted. Whoops.

I did my 2 hour class on August 18 and it was exhausting. Two hours of just going through Taegeuk 1-8 very slowly as a group. We would start over anytime someone messed up, so some forms took a long time to get through. At the end, we were all randomly assigned a form, and all 9 of us did forms facing a different direction. I was facing diagonally toward the back of the mat. It was crazy...but I just closed my eyes and started Taegeuk 5 and once I was comfortable, I just kept going with my eyes open lol. It was fun! I was the only person I think who finished and I even ended in my same spot.

Today...I got my final white tip. I am approved to do my last maintenance test and that will get me my last tip on this belt. Black Belt testing is now so close I'm feeling nervous. I have designed (with masters help of course) three of my own one step sparring techniques and have "improved a lot" with forms and board breaking. My tip test today was Taegeuk 4, 7, and 8. I got a little feedback on something to improve in 7 just to make it look better, but my Master was very pleased.

Next 2 hour class is October 6. Then Black Belt testing on Nov 10. I am SO ready and excited, but also terrified lol.
 
Hey guys, it's been a while! I just realized I never did post that video. I'll have to check to see where I saved it and see if I can get it posted. Whoops.

I did my 2 hour class on August 18 and it was exhausting. Two hours of just going through Taegeuk 1-8 very slowly as a group. We would start over anytime someone messed up, so some forms took a long time to get through. At the end, we were all randomly assigned a form, and all 9 of us did forms facing a different direction. I was facing diagonally toward the back of the mat. It was crazy...but I just closed my eyes and started Taegeuk 5 and once I was comfortable, I just kept going with my eyes open lol. It was fun! I was the only person I think who finished and I even ended in my same spot.

Today...I got my final white tip. I am approved to do my last maintenance test and that will get me my last tip on this belt. Black Belt testing is now so close I'm feeling nervous. I have designed (with masters help of course) three of my own one step sparring techniques and have "improved a lot" with forms and board breaking. My tip test today was Taegeuk 4, 7, and 8. I got a little feedback on something to improve in 7 just to make it look better, but my Master was very pleased.

Next 2 hour class is October 6. Then Black Belt testing on Nov 10. I am SO ready and excited, but also terrified lol.

Awesome to hear, and I looove those types of forms classes hehe...

How exciting!! It is coming up but you'll be fine for it, you're so dedicated I reckon you'll smash it ;). Keep us in the loop!
 
Keep up the hard work and all the training, and I’m sure you’ll do great. It’s been very enjoyable reading about your progress and enthusiasm here. Keep us posted.
 
I did my final test before black belt tonight. I was assigned Taegeuk 6, 7, and 8. I have a video of my board breaking that one of the parents took. My spinning kick improved though it’s not great.

And with that, there are no more obstacles between me and my Black Belt test. I do have one more 2 hour class but I am approved for testing. Wow.
 
Hey that is really neat! I wish I had videos of my breaks. That would be fun to analyze. Congrats on approval for BB testing!


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Congrats! Is your school in Austin? I think I met your teacher and his wife at a seminar a year or two ago; they seemed like good people, very sincere & friendly.
 
Keep working hard. Now that you’ve got all the new material memorized and out of the way, now it’s time to really sharpen up everything.

Edit: Not that I think your stuff is sloppy, but the time between everyone’s last test of material and their 1st dan test is the time to really focus on getting all the little stuff right. Stances, posture, timing, etc.; all the little stuff that takes people to that next level.
 
I did my final test before black belt tonight. I was assigned Taegeuk 6, 7, and 8. I have a video of my board breaking that one of the parents took. My spinning kick improved though it’s not great.

And with that, there are no more obstacles between me and my Black Belt test. I do have one more 2 hour class but I am approved for testing. Wow.
Awesome! So what is the BB test like? Is it more of the same stuff you've been doing, or an entirely different experience?
 
I did my final test before black belt tonight. I was assigned Taegeuk 6, 7, and 8. I have a video of my board breaking that one of the parents took. My spinning kick improved though it’s not great.

And with that, there are no more obstacles between me and my Black Belt test. I do have one more 2 hour class but I am approved for testing. Wow.

Well done, that's super exciting :D. Home stretch now!
 
We aren’t in Austin but I know what school you’re thinking of if you recognize the logo.

I’ve been working on details since January and have fixed so many bad habits lol. Still needs work though. Our newest master just pointed out that my wrists are usually very slightly angled up so I’ve been working on fixing that.

Black belt testing will be the same as we’ve been practicing. It’s not meant to be some horrible experience. We have to do 3 random forms, with each person doing a different one at the same time. Then we have to do our own one step sparring that we created. And then 3 station board breaking. There should also be some sparring in there somewhere as well.
 
And with that, there are no more obstacles between me and my Black Belt test. I do have one more 2 hour class but I am approved for testing. Wow.

You're wearing a black belt in the video right? Is that a "preliminary" black belt?
 
It’s a red belt with two black stripes. It does look black in the video. I’ve had it since January so it’s pretty dirty by now lol. On black belt testing day I’ll get a poom belt (half red half black) for about 3 months. Then we’ll do a black belt ceremony to receive our actual black belts.
 
I did my final test before black belt tonight. I was assigned Taegeuk 6, 7, and 8. I have a video of my board breaking that one of the parents took. My spinning kick improved though it’s not great.

And with that, there are no more obstacles between me and my Black Belt test. I do have one more 2 hour class but I am approved for testing. Wow.

You are doing well. Keep it up!
 
So next Saturday, 11/3, I will do a local tournament...my 2nd and last one as a color belt. I'll be doing Taegeuk 8 by myself and again with my mom in the family category. I'll also be doing board breaking. Then one week later...Black Belt test time.

I did a private lesson last week and will do one more probably next week. I really want to get good scores and impress the guest masters so I'm working on the tiniest details now. My new black collar uniforms are in the storage room, taunting me every day when I see them. I got to touch my poom belt when it came in the order, but I'm trying to pretend it's not there in the belt drawer lol. It's SO close now. I can't believe it.

Last Saturday, we had a board breaking day and not many people signed up so I went ahead and participated. I got to work one on one with a master to improve my flying side kick. It helped a LOT.

Some of you guys have been reading this since I literally got my 1st or 2nd tip on my white belt, and now I am two and a half weeks away from Black belt. It's very emotional to think about. I don't know how I will get through reading my 5 page paper I wrote at the test lol. I'll be crying the entire test day I think. I just can't wait.
 
I've really enjoyed reading your progress along the way - especially your reactions to the steps. I love to see people really enthusiastic about something.

Can't wait to read your reaction to the first time you put on the new uniform and belt...
 
Congratulations. I am curious about something, though.
Aren't you in your 30's? Why would you get a poom belt? Poom belts are junior ranks. For kids.
 
Congratulations. I am curious about something, though.
Aren't you in your 30's? Why would you get a poom belt? Poom belts are junior ranks. For kids.
I’m assuming it’s that probationary black belt. Some karate organizations do it, calling it shodan-ho. In those organizations, you’re given a black belt upon passing the test and you’re recognized as a black belt immediately in your dojo. But you don’t receive your official certificate and other things (wherever applicable) until a standard time period of consistent training.
 

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