Test for 1st Degree Black Belt


It was one week ago that Ray took his test for his 1st degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do.  I have to admit that for a couple of weeks prior to the test I was very concerned and ready to stop him from testing.  Every belt test he’s had to date, up through his nominal black belt were run by Master Mark.  Master Mark knows Ray and all of his limitations.  He understands that if Ray starts turning blue he needs to stop and breath.  He also knows about all of Ray’s implanted devices; a femoral port and a g-tube/mic-key button.  This test was to be at OMAA in Arlington, the affiliate school to Clifton’s.  This meant that Mark wouldn’t be the one actually running the test.  What worried me the most wasn’t the test itself, but the preliminary portion of the test.  The first hour of the test the parents are not allowed to stay.  This is the endurance portion of the test and I know how little endurance Ray has.  If pushed to where he looks spent, he’s not only worn out, but can stay that way for a couple of days.  I feared that after pushing himself for the endurance portion that he wouldn’t have anything left for the formal part of the test.  For a week prior to the test Master Mark tried to reach the OMAA instructor who would be running the test, but they were never able to connect and talk.  I wanted to be sure how it would be run.  I wanted to know how they would know when to back off pushing Ray.  Finally, Master Mark confirmed that he would be able to be at the test to keep on eye on Ray.  So, even though we’d never gotten a real answer on what he’d be expected to do, I at least felt better knowing that someone there would recognize if Ray were being pushed beyond what he could handle.  Ray’s best friend, Alex, who had earned his 1st degree black belt six months earlier, was allowed to be in the hall during the endurance portion of the test as well.

When we were finally allowed back in the hall, Ray looked pretty tired and sweaty, but everyone said that he’d done an amazing job and had held out next to the longest.  Apparently, he and another boy had even been encouraging one another on, even though they didn’t really know each other.

During the formal portion of the test he was expected to show his knowledge and abilities.  He had to perform all of his forms.  There was a sparring portion, but Ray was allowed to spar against Master Mark with the understanding that Ray should attack him full force, but that Master Mark would not attack back.  Ray can’t perform full contact sparring because of the implanted devices.  The final portion of the test was board breaking.  Usually meant to be a confidence builder for the students, I was really concerned.  Ray hadn’t broken boards since before starting on steroids almost 2 years ago.  During that time he did break 2 bones (when he wasn’t trying to break anything).  So, you can see my reason for concern.  So, fastforwarding to the board breaking portion of the test.  He had 4 boards to break using: a back kick, a side kick, a palm thrust, and an elbow strike.    He broke them all and only missed once.