I’ve been one for a little over a week, and I must say I don’t feel any different.  You know, so many people put so much emphasis on getting this belt that is the absence of color, they put such a weight of gravity on it that you almost think that once you’ve reached this milestone that things change. They really don’t.  I was about to type that I don’t feel any different before as I do now.  However, it isn’t true.  I actually feel sub-blackbelt now as opposed to a few weeks ago.  Reasons:

1. I started having ber and wine again. Not a lot, but a drink is a drink.
2. Injuries (toe, knee) have caused me to curb my training and do just teaching.

The only difference I’ve had so far is what other people think of me. There have been a few reactions to it so far from the people that have seen me train or that I help to teach:

• a little more respect from the students that are close to black belt
• congratulations from students parents
• shock from students that weren’t at the test, and this has been said to me after the new belt is viewed. “You’re not a Blackbelt!”- that is by far my favorite

In the midst of writing this blog, I was speaking to my friend in regards to the same topic. My friend Randi basically told me the following:

Randi: i’m sorry that you don’t feel different doing your blackbelt, but the thing is, you did all of that training so you knew you were ready for it, so basically you were doing the same thing before, but now you gotten certified for it. and you know not many people make it as far as you and have the strength to do so. i saw you breaking those boards and i saw a smile at one point.

The truth is, that I think that my friend is right. I’ve heard that 1 in every 10,000 people can become a Blackbelt.  At another school 1 in 400 that starts as a White belt becomes a Blackbelt. I don’t know if these ratios are correct, but being one of those select few, doesn’t feel like I’ve accomplished anything.  Its more like I’ve still got more to accomplish.

Hello everyone, I have earned my First Dan. I’m still to tired to go ahead an chat up everything that happened, but I’ve got a few videos up on youtube for everyone to see. Here are some of the clips below:

Breaking:

This will be a short post…sorry kids.  Essentially, I found out something interesting about my 2nd degree black belt in the school system I train in, once you have acquired your belt, they do something that I think is brilliant. They buy your next degree belt (would be 2nd in my case) and they place it on a wall in the front of the school.  The idea, as I guess, is to motivate you past Blackbelt.  Sort of like a carrot on a string.  I think it will work.

I came across this post while searching for kindred blogs:

• http://allfight.freehostia.com/tae-kwon-do-meanings-of-the-belt-colors/#comment-190

Our school has several more colors, but they all have a meaning. In fact, based on their meanings it is easy to see why orange is below yellow:

• White - The beginning of light as it crosses the horizon. Signifies the beginning of ones training.
• Orange - The warm glow of that light as it begins to shine. Signifies the small amount of knowledge and skill that can now be shown by the practitioner.
• Yellow - The more powerful and bright rays of light.
• Green - The plants and animals that have grown and fed by the light.
• Blue - The seas and waters that are warmed by said light.
• Purple - The beginning of dusk as the night nears. Followed by a purple belt with a red tip in our style.
• Red - The burning sun as it is setting.  Followed by a red belt with a black tip
• Cho Dan Bo - Half Blackbelt/Half Red belt - Signifies the final transfer to night
• Blackbelt - The endo fo the day and the end of the beginning of ones martial arts journey.