Friday, April 25, 2008

Black Belts

THEY DID IT!
Bill, Alex and Johnny got their Black Belts in Tae Kwon Do! Will got his last year.
It was such a beautiful ceremony!
My Mama and I catered it with Pasta, meatballs, and garlic bread and her famous cinnamon crumble cake.
Now we wait for their certificates, their embroidered Black Belts and all that good stuff to come from Korea.
I have video and pictures, but just haven't downloaded them yet...
Alex and Johhny had to do flying side kicks as one of their tests. They spared the poor soul that got Bill as their subject from his doing any flying. He would have knocked them into the next county. My Hercules.
You know... a long time ago, when you got your black belt, you had to be legally registered as a leathal weapon. Nowadays, they just do a lot of training to help the students know that they have a responsibility to use their skills for the greater good and only when absolutely necessary. There are skills learned that can REALLY harm someone. So at our Dojo, emphasis on respect and necessity is key.
Tae Kwon Do is often prescribed by pediatricians to increase a students performance in school, for focus, increased coordination, concentration etc...
Since the men started 3 years ago, Alex's reading has really increased, flexibilty is unreal now, and their stamina is doubled. I'm sold.
Martial Arts, in any form, I believe, is nothing but beneficial to the whole person.
Our dojo does a lot of work with children in wheelchairs. They take them out of it, lay them on the ground, and do lots of stretching and strength training exercises with the student.
Then the student is placed back in the wheelchair, and they participate in all the hand motions if they are able. It is truly beautiful to watch.
It is an individual sport with team atmosphere. We love our Master Kit, his instructors and his Dojo.
He is the current highest ranking non oriental in the United States. Only Koreans can reach 10th degree, and Master Kit is 8th degree.
He is kind, masterful, genuine, funny and quite a salesman.
You can walk into that Dojo feeling badly, and walk out feeling like a million bucks. They just have that way about them.
Congratulations Shaver Men...
You were always Black Belts, Level 10 in my book, and now you have a belt to prove it.
Love you all
Mama

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