What I've Learned While Earning a Yellow Belt in Taekwondo

This last quarter was a tough one.

 I was super motivated while earning my white/yellow belt.  Had really good attendance.  Etc, etc.  But these last few months hit me pretty hard, and attending class became a struggle.  I only attended one of technique sections, and completely missed the poomsea and self defense section.  A week before testing I only had 9 attendance days in 3 months, a minimum of 16 attendance days is required to test, so in a week I made up those final 7 hours and passed off each section.

I was so close to quitting.

Both my Mom and my brother Robbie dropped out.  Taekwondo isn't a good fit for my Mom.  She prefers other sports.  My brother Robbie is getting married in a few months, so his priorities have shifted.  Now it's just my brother Michael and I.  He's loving it, so it's a fun activity we both enjoy.

I'm glad I fought through the feelings of quitting.  Quitting is never worth it.  I wouldn't know what could have been if I didn't follow through.  Earning a black belt isn't easy.  Man, all those mental blocks I'm working through.  There's so many.  Ehhhh, and I worry about injury.  I've heard so many stories of getting injured in Taekowndo from my classmates.  I don't want to brake a toe.  Or bust a knee.  Got to remember the proper way of doing all those various kicks.  And remember the proper techniques.

Oh!  And I got Best Tester again!

Ha!

The power of sticking it through!

And now I've started board braking.  Wow, oh wow.

What I've Learned So Far in Taekwondo: Earning My White/Yellow Belt

 I received my white/yellow belt in my Taekwondo class yesterday.  There was an awards ceremony of sorts last Friday, but I was up in Park City helping set up the Utah State Odyssey of the Mind tournament that night, so I didn't know I had earned a special award: Outstanding Basic Tester.  This award is given to an individual in each age category and level bracket, so I earned this award for the adult category (teenage+) and basic level (white though yellow/green).

For the Outstanding Basic Tester adult award, it was between myself and a teenage girl who is seriously fierce and has such a wonderful, friendly personality.  We both ended up getting the adult award, the only tie, because the black belts who tested us couldn't come to an agreement.  Mainly we both had the same intensity, but I had better technique and she had better mobility.  Yeah, the mobility is something I'm working on.  There's so many ways I can grow.  Great motivation :0)

But still, I was so worried last week!  Thinking I may not even advance!  Goodness, I worry over things I shouldn't worry about. Got to stop that.  At the same time worrying kept me focused and passionate over what I was doing, and making sure I was doing it right.  So there's room for worrying, just within reason and sanity.

I also completed the testing last week in pain.  On my left big-toe, doing the first kicking pass in the beginning of testing, a couple layers of skin peeled off, reveling a raw under-layer.  Technically I should have asked for a band-aid, since everything is done bare foot, but I didn't.  I completed every skill in testing regardless of how I felt.

Maybe that was stupid.  Maybe I should have said something, but I never did.  And I didn't just survive, I scored really high on all the components.

It's been awhile since I've fought through pain like that, but I'm actually glad for it, because the experience reminded me of who I am and what I'm capable of.  It feels good completing a difficult task and facing fears.

 Mainly I'm learning to trust and push myself.  I feared the dive roll during testing, but I didn't just perform the task, I did so with good technique, rolling along my shoulder just as I'm supposed to.  I am nervous, though, for when I'm expected to dive roll over objects, which I believe is around the green belt.

Another thing I've learned?  Doing Taekwondo isn't going to help me lose any weight.  In these three months I've lost 0 pounds, for realzies.  It's my eating.  You can't lose weight without combining healthy exercise with healthy eating.

But I'm realizing how much my focus shouldn't be about weight loss.  I tell myself it's not my focus, but it is.  My focus has got to be health.  Plain, simple health: Energy, strength, positivity, endurance, flexibility, feeling good, etc.

Yesterday my Taekwondo master brought her 83 year old Mom to class.  She has really bad sclerosis of the spine, and yet she's able to stand up straight.  Technically, according to her Doctor, most people with her condition are confined to a wheelchair.  I worked with her on blocks, taking turns, and I was really inspired.

I have goals like fitting into smaller jeans and so forth, but I realized what my main goal is: when I'm 83 years old I want to be healthy, have vitality, and be strong.  I don't like where I physically am at 32, but starting now, focusing on positive and proper health goals, I can totally be rocking it as I venture into age 33 and beyond.  Health starts now, no matter where I am or what I've done.  Health starts now. 

And I'm going to put God first in this process.  I haven't yet, depending entirely on myself.  I have a health journal and on the cover are the words: "Love God and live with joy!"  Isn't that wonderful?  I love it.  Everyday as I cursive my thoughts I'm going to see this phrase, and it will remind me what's really important.  Of what my priorities should be.  Loving God and living with joy.

What I Fear Most About Today's Taekwondo Belt Test

(Each color represents a different section I've tested for and passed)

The Taekwondo studio I attend belt tests every three months, which means if I don't pass my belt test tonight I'll be a white belt for 6 months!

Six-Whole-Months.

Not an appealing thought, whatsoever.

But if I pass I'll become a white/yellow belt.  (In Taekwondo the progression is White, White/Yellow, Yellow, Yellow/Green, Green, Green/Blue, Blue, Blue/Red, several red belts I have yet to memorize, and then 10 degrees of black belt.)

I've discovered in these last three months that I really love the kicking segments, kicking combos, and poomsae (forms).  I don't care so much for self defense, which is one of the main reasons I'm working towards a black belt.  Maybe once I start sparring (at green belt) I'll change my mind, or maybe when the techniques save my life one day I'll appreciate them.

But what I REALLY don't like is the dive roll. 

The dive roll!

What's sad is that a couple weeks ago I was doing a pretty good dive roll, then last Thursday I landed funny and some psychological stuff started happening in my brain, and every dive roll after that was messed up, hurting my hand, hitting my head, etc.

Well, got to focus and have confidence.

Wish me luck!!

(Edit:  I passed!  Yippie!!  And my dive rolls were pretty good :0)

(The video by PROJECTMARTiALYOU I've been watching for mental practice, since I don't have a mat at home to practice on.)

I'm a White Belt!

 This week I took one step closer to realizing a childhood dream: getting a black belt.  This is something I'm wanted since I was in elementary school watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and other martial art movies, but with dance, piano, clubs, community theater, and the price tag, the black belt goal wasn't practical at that point in my life.

But now it is.

When I received my belt at the beginning of class this week I was told there's two things you have to do to earn a black belt: Get a white belt and don't give up.

I've got my white belt.

Now I just have to not give up and persevere.

Goodness, and I need this more then ever, being as out of shape as I am.  I'm competitive by nature, though I've lost some personal drive as of late, but I like goals and working towards milestones, and the path to black belt has many, many milestones.

One milestone I have to achieve is flexibility, which terrifies me because I'm naturally inflexible!!!  No joke.  When I did dance back in my younger days, despite attending ballet, jazz, and tap (you don't need to do the splits to excel at tap, which is why it was my strongest dance genre, that and my awesome rhythm skills . . . ), I tried to do the splits, practiced night after night for months, and one night in the 7th grade I did it.  I did a full side split!  It was amazing.  The next day, despite warming up, etc, I was an inch from the ground.  I was so discouraged I gave up.

Well, now that I'm older and in my 30's, I've just put myself in a situation where I have to attempt this flexibility giant.  It's a process, but I'm not getting younger, and I want to feel good.  I'm tired of the word "never".  I'm going to believe I can grow and accomplish these goals and milestones.

And I can't wait to learn the staff weapon.  That's going to be fun.

If I don't quit, and advance in belt ranks each quarterly test, I can earn a black belt in 3-4 years.

And even though I'm learning Japanese, I actually choose the Korean martial art of Taekwondo.  I like how there's an international standard to the belt testing, and that it's an official Olympic sport.  I also like the style.

You guys, I'm going to get healthy and fit!!  And learn self defense and great skills in the process.

And achieve a childhood dream.

I've already attended two classes.  It's overwhelming.  I'm nervous and intimidated.  But I will do this.

And I've decided to stop focusing on the number on the scale, my weight, as a representation of my health.  Instead of making my New Years resolution to lose this or that amount of weight, my goal is to get into a size 10 pant.  Since I got some Christmas money, I went to Costco and bought several pants in different sizes from the same brand.  (Size 10, in different brands, don't mean the same thing.  Sometimes a size 10 in the same brand doesn't mean the same thing.)   I'm currently a size 16, but with these changes I've made in my life, this is a very attainable, realistic goal.

I can, and will, do this!!! :0)