Update: Red Belt and Progress Thoughts
So I’ve had a pretty cruddy week. I’ve been sick for the better part of a week, not getting enough sleep, have fallen way behind on schoolwork which has made me need to do two summer classes instead of just one so I can graduate in December. Meh.
However, there have been a couple upswings: My girlfriend and I are still pretty much crazy about each other, and I got my red belt.
Yes friends, it’s true, I now have a Red Belt in Cu Ke Tae Kwon Do. And not for kicking higher or good technique. No, I was awarded the belt for being a model student. I haven’t done Tae Kwon Do in about a year and a half, but my teacher knew about what I’ve been doing because we’re pretty damned good friends on top of his teaching me.
To list it, here’s what he said that I’ve made improvements on in the year and a half since I got my blue:
-Fighting Stance greatly improved/Not backing down anymore
-Learned Basic Boxing
-Learned Ground Defense and fighting
-Integrated into knowledge of TKD
-Driver’s Liscense (Joking)
-Approached training on own terms
-Never stopped needing to learn
-Willingness to help others
I told him when he handed me the belt that I couldn’t take it in good conscience. He told me to shut up or he’d kick me into next week (He won that argument).
Then we talked about what to do about me getting to black. Obviously, there’s only two ways to reach that now would be to pull him back into training, then manage to get a certified black belt (Why waste my time on one that’s not confirmed by the WTF?).
Or the other option, find a WTF school in Springfield or wherever I land a job at. The only reason I’m dead set on WTF is knowing three of the eight forms already (The fourth sounds rather familliar). However, it seems that it’s dying out in Missouri, and I don’t know what to do about that.
So likely, I’ll be learning on my own to Black Belt. Perhaps some day I’ll actually be there, but for now, I am at red, and damned nervous about that last belt.
