Archive for category 7th Degree
What National Testing Means to Me
Posted by admin in 7th Degree, Black Belt, Fitness, National Testing, Taekwondo on August 18th, 2009
In just 4 short weeks Mrs. Julee Peck will become the first female 7th Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo America, joining the elite ranks with the five current 7th Degrees: Mr. Lacy, Mr. Conway, Mr. Strickland, Mr. Davis, and Mr. Nelson. This blog is the fourth in our series entitled “What National Testing Means to Me” in recognition of this very special event.
Special Guest Blogger: Mr. Frederico Tonete
If I had to sum up National Testing in one word it would be focus. Everything in my workout and lifestyle changes. I train harder, eat better, and think smarter. This means my workouts get more intense and more frequent. My cardio increases, my weight training becomes more consistent, and I attend more Taekwondo classes. When hunger strikes burgers, pizza, and ice cream are always on my mind; however, this is not the food that’s going to fuel my body to train. Thinking smarter is probably the hardest out of the three for me. When practicing my form, are all my toes in the right direction? Are my hands where they need to be? Am I in the right stance? These are just SOME of the questions I ask myself. Plus I can’t forget about sparring. Am I blocking? Using control? The right combinations? Last but certainly not least there’s board breaking. The whole time I’m thinking, am I doing the correct technique? Hitting the wood hard enough? Hitting in the middle of the board? If I can honestly answer yes to all these questions I know I’m ready for National Testing.
This September Mrs. Julee Peck will be testing for her 7th Degree, and you will see a high level of focus when she gets on the floor to perform. Every minute detail will be carefully planned. Her kicks, blocks, and strikes will be done with a precision that only a professional with that kind of expertise can execute. That’s what I’m most looking forward to seeing.
What National Testing Means to Me
Posted by admin in 7th Degree, Black Belt, National Testing, Taekwondo, Uncategorized on August 13th, 2009
In just 5 short weeks Mrs. Julee Peck will become the first female 7th Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo America, joining the elite ranks with the five current 7th Degrees: Mr. Lacy, Mr. Conway, Mr. Strickland, Mr. Davis, and Mr. Nelson. This blog is the third in our series entitled “What National Testing Means to Me” in recognition of this very special event.
By: Ms. Tiffany Lacy
When I was six years-old my mom and dad loaded me and all of our worldly possessions into a U-Haul and moved us almost 800 miles to a place I’d never even heard of where we didn’t know a single soul. In my lifetime I have seen about fifty national testings and hundreds of regional testings. I once witnessed a national testing where every single student from one school didn’t pass. I’ve seen hundreds of students no change and thousands of students pass. I’ve seen students break their ribs and keep sparring. I’ve also seen students fail to break their boards and walk out before testing was even over. I’ve seen people cry because they didn’t pass testing and people cry because they finally did. When I got my black belt I was lucky enough to have my dad hand me my certificate and give me a hug. When my dad got his 7th Degree he was lucky enough to have HIS dad hand him a certificate and give him a hug. I’ve seen students and school owners come and go, the curriculum change more than twice, and witnessed the formation of a new Taekwondo organization. I remember when Pluto was a planet, students sparred without gear, and Taekwondo first became an Olympic sport. I’ve seen people lose control, lose faith in themselves, lose consciousness, and lose the right to be part of this organization. I saw a mother who vowed to never be a higher rank than a white belt test for her 3rd Degree. I saw my own mother pick up Taekwondo because she was sick of how much time my father spent at the school without her, though I was too young to actually remember it. I’ve seen 6 year-olds get their black belt and 60 year-olds still coming to class twice a week. I’ve seen students leave for years then eventually come back and open their own Taekwondo schools. I’ve seen Mr. Lacy elbow strike bricks lit on fire, fail to break them the first hit, set his uniform on fire, and hit them again without even stopping to put out the flames first. In all my years around this sport, and I’ve been around it since before I could crawl, I’ve seen people change Taekwondo and Taekwondo change people. I’ve never seen a female 7th Degree. That’s something really special, and I plan on being there in September when Mrs. Peck becomes the first.
What National Testing Means to Me
Posted by admin in 7th Degree, Fitness, National Testing, Taekwondo on August 4th, 2009
In just 7 short weeks Mrs. Julee Peck will become the first female 7th Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo America, joining the elite ranks with the five current 7th Degrees: Mr. Lacy, Mr. Conway, Mr. Strickland, Mr. Davis, and Mr. Nelson. This blog is the second in our series entitled “What National Testing Means to Me” in recognition of this very special event.
Special Guest Blogger: Mr. Bobby Lacy
National testing means a great deal to me. I remember my first National Testing four years ago during Black Belt Camp. It was so hot at Black Belt Camp that they could not do testing in the usual gymnasium because it did not have a working air conditioning system, so they were forced to have testing outside in order for it to be a few degrees cooler. I did everything right in that testing except for my final task, that dreadful board breaking. I ended up failing that testing, but it made me want to get stronger, faster, , and better for the next testing so I could finally earn that third bar. That time period between the two testings I could hear one word buzzing in my ear: perseverance. That word made me a better martial artist. Looking at myself as a mere 3rd Decided Black Belt and then looking at Mrs. Peck, a soon to be 7th Degree Black Belt, I see that I cannot comprehend true perseverance. The obstacles required to overcome in order to achieve that rank are unthinkable. That and having the privilege of knowing her as an ordinary person is truly remarkable and makes me have a greater admiration for her. It will be a great honor to see her succeed at such a high level.
What National Testing Means to Me
Posted by admin in 7th Degree, Fitness, National Testing, Taekwondo on July 31st, 2009
In just 7 short weeks Ms. Julee Peck will become the first female 7th Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo America, joining the elite ranks with the five current 7th Degrees: Mr. Lacy, Mr. Conway, Mr. Strickland, Mr. Davis, and Mr. Nelson. In recognition of this very special event we will have a number of guest bloggers share what is so special about National Testing to them. Check back regularly for more updates in our “What National Testing Means to Me” series.
Special Guest Blogger: Mr. Alex Smith
Mr. Smith just recently completed his first National Testing in May 2009. Here he shares what it was like and why he can’t wait for September.
National testing is one of the most stressful things I have ever done. Even the name is scary. I found it nerve racking to stand up in front of the judges for forms, I was scared of my sparring opponents, and I was so afraid that my boards wouldn’t break. It was terrifying to be the center of attention for so many people that I didn’t even know. It wasn’t until after I completed my first national testing that I realized it is the same as any other testing, except you are able to meet people you might never know if you only had to participate in regional testings. My favorite part of the whole night was shaking Mr. Lacy’s hand and being told that I was going to be receiving my 3rd Degree Black Belt. I find it unbelievable that Mrs. Peck has stuck with Taekwondo for so many years and is getting ready to become the first female 7th Degree Black Belt. She is obviously extremely dedicated I hope that I and many others will one day follow in her footsteps.