This fall we had three jr blackbelts promote to 1st Dan and two 1st gup students promote to jr blackbelt. This particular set of promotions was very difficult, given that months of preparation were needed – and were accomplished – under difficult conditions including remote-learning, mask-restrictions, temperature checks, extensive cleaning and rotating training times. Training began remotely in the late spring and these students were able to get back into the studio in the summer, training diligently to be prepared for their exams.
Mr Eddie Lin, Mr Logan King and Mr Justin Lafavor all tested for their 1st Dan adult blackbelt ranks after many years of study. Ms Dyllan Heidt and Mr Kristofer Huck both tested for 1st Poom jr blackbelt. Mr Eddie Lin has been training with Alliance for well over eight years, training since he was six years old. Mr Logan King has been with Alliance for nearly seven years, and trained Taekwondo in Nebraska before moving here. Mr Justin has also been with Alliance since 2013, starting out as a no belt seven year ago. All three candidates have completed the requirements for adult blackbelt. Ms Dyllan Heidt has been training with Alliance for almost five years. Mr Kristofer Huck has been training for almost four years. Both have been active and hard working in the gym and in competition; both students set a high bar for themselves, worked hard and completed the requirements for jr blackbelt rank. All of these students are a credit to our training hall.
All five candidates undertook the exam on September 12th, 2020. Blackbelt testing is demanding, requiring the candidates to be accomplished in empty-hand technique and requiring the candidates to be able to perform under pressure. The adult blackbelt exam took about two hours, wherein the candidates displayed ten patterns and one hundred fifteen empty hand techniques, displayed additional self defense techniques and action sequences, and performed nearly twenty breaking and candle techniques. The jr blackbelt exam took about an hour and a half, wherein the candidates displayed nine patterns and one hundred empty hand techniques, displayed additional self defense techniques and action sequences, and performed nearly twenty breaking and candle techniques.
Testing for blackbelt ranks is a privilege and an honor. It requires years of practice and dedication, and comes only after a student has accepted and done well with added responsibility, and has the recommendation of their instructors and Masters.
