So its been a while since my last post, exams and everything have sort of gotten in the way.

Its been two weeks since my black belt test and it already seems like it was a while ago.  My belt came in on Thursday, I picked it up Friday! (Picture will come soon) Things are already starting to change at the school.  More and more leadership responsibilities, a more casual relationship with my mentors, and a new form already!  I'm looking forward to the new techniques that are coming my way as I enter first degree status.

As for my honors experience (which is why I'm writing this blog), the original deadline for my reflection was the 14th, which was only 3 days after my test.  However, if I'm really going to write a reflection of a leadership project, I'm going to need to experience my new leadership position first.  So instead, I'm going to be submitting for the June 16th deadline, and I can tie in my new role.  I'm already happy I've made this decision, because in the past two weeks I've gotten much more to talk about in my reflection!

The reflection will most likely be a combination/summary of all of my blog entries, so I'm going to keep blogging to keep my thoughts in order as I start writing the essay itself!

Before: 

After:

Success!

Last night was my test, I was going to do a before/after blog to get a better view but that didn't pan out, so this is going to be my after view.

I got to the test on time, but told my parents to get there late because black belts typically test last, but at 7 he decided that all the black belts were going to go first, so I had to raise my hand like a first grader and say that my parents weren't there yet.  So that was fun.  But Master Kim decided to do half the test then and half at the end, because he wanted to demonstrate us for the lower belts.  We did forms and step sparring, which is what the lower belts could relate more to.

In other news, I broke the brick, so that's pretty exciting!  It's in two pieces on my floor right now, will upload a picture soon.  My hand's not in bad shape either, a little bruise but no pain after the first minute, which is pretty impressive.  Now that know that I can do it I really want to do it again.  I'm looking for more things to break. It's really fun haha.

I think I'm going to keep this blog up even, even after my experience is over, because it's a good way to keep my thoughts in order.  We'll see how well that works, but I really like being able to reflect like this.

Test is over, black belt is ordered, and soon I'll be official and teaching, cant wait!

 Half Brick (for hand toughening and technique practice)

THE brick (one I'm breaking friday)
figured I'd need a before and after photo

Flying side kick from a few weeks back!

So, I guess now is a good a time as any to talk about the brick.

Last night I got the brick that I'm going to break on Friday.  I practiced with Catanzaro for a while after class, forms, knife, rolls, anything he could throw at me I wanted to know I could do.  Then we did a couple brick techniques on the sandbag for practice, and I walked out of the school with the brick.  Its sitting next to me now, I kind of want to psych it out or something. "You're going down brick".  My roommate says I should draw a face on it.

The reason I keep obsessing over this I think is that I'm feeling pretty good about the rest of the test. This is of course roughly 5 years in the making (my fault) and so I'm pretty solid on most of my knowledge, and forms, and I've got enough take-downs to feel confident.  The only thing that's unknown, the only thing I haven't done, is the brick.  I know I can do it.  My hand is going to destroy that brick.  Its just that I need something to obsess over, so that defaults to the thing I've never done before.

The idea behind breaking the brick is all physics, which works well for me as a Mech major.  Instead of just being a normal strike, you move your entire body an extreme amount, do a "windmill" motion with your arms, then drop your hips and tighten up just as you hit, concentrating all of your arm speed onto the knife edge of your hand, coupled with a twist motion of your other hand and a loud kiyap (yell), the brick should be blown apart.  I definitely weigh enough, I'm definitely fast enough, I'm definitely strong enough, and I definitely have the technique.  It really is just the fact that its all I'm worrying about.

This week in general has gotten hectic, I've got two co-op interviews, new position in my engineering group, and then black belt. Gonna be a good week!

Last night was black belt class at the main school, which happens on the first friday of each month.  It's one of the opportunities for me to learn from Grandmaster Kim, and it's usually a very good experience.  We spent about 15 minutes of warm ups doing kicking drills, then advanced 20 basics, then we spent about half an hour doing impact drills, which is when we practice getting punched in the stomach and kicked in the sides. Fun time.  So I'm still sore from that.  My sparring partner during the class had lots of good advice too, and I felt like learned a lot.
In other news, I'm confirmed to lead class on Monday, so I'm going to think ahead about what I want to do for the class, and then also for second class because I've never had to lead that.  Mondays are usually small though so its okay and I should definitely be able to handle.  Its nice to feel like I'm taking a real leadership role in the school.
Since this is my last week before my test, I plan to attend class 2 or 3 times (maybe not a full class because it doesn't fit in my schedule, but after is a good idea).  What still worries me is the brick, that's the biggest hill to climb for me so far. Still going to blog about that soon!

This past Monday, the instructor who usually teaches was unable to make it to class on time because of car troubles and problems at work, and since I'm the only other black belt who can make it on Mondays, it was my responsibility to lead class until Mr. Banzhaf arrived!  Its not the first time I've done this, occasionally the black belts have me lead for a day while they observe the students closer and my leadership skills.  But, this is one of the first times that I've lead for nearly a full class without "backup", and it was a nice taste of what I have to look forward to after my black belt test!  The class itself was small, only 7 students, and that let me study watch each student closer, and correct technique.  There was also a new white belt, who's has about 2 weeks of experience, but is very young.  I had to pay special attention to him during the first class (6-7pm) before Banzhaf arrived around 640.  This was an interesting balance, having to watch the entire class and keep authority, while also helping this one student individually.  I feel like I am actively learning how to lead the class, and it feels good!

Next week Mr. Banzhaf's schedule is most likely going to be similar, so I'm also going to be leading then.  Even though this is good experience, with only 9 days until my test, I'm feeling the pressure, and kind of want to be a student again, at least for this week, where I want to be sure that I know everything I need to.  Maybe that'll be my next blog, what I need to know for black belt test: EVERYTHING. This brick is also beginning to look more and more intimidating. I've been hand toughening more and more recently, until I actually hurt my hand and took a break, but now I'm rolling back into it. A lot of it is mental, and I'll probably do a before/after blog on what the brick feels like.  Because right now, it feels scary. 

That seems like a good ending note!