Owen's Maintenance

This past Saturday, my school held it's first junior Black Belt Maintenance Test for my student Owen Hagmaier, who had a very full year in Taekwondo. This past September, he took a three day junior Black Belt test for his Deputy Black Belt. You can read all about it HERE. What happens next is that there is a six to eight month probation period where the candidate trains before testing again for their 1st Degree Black Belt.

Between those eight months, Owen has not only received his Deputy Junior Black Belt, but he has competed in forms for five competitions, done point sparring in a traditional Taekwondo tournament, he had qualified in the 10 year old division at the AAU Adirondack Qualifying Championship, and got gold in forms AND in point sparring at the New Jersey AAU Qualifying Championship! He was also written up in the Bergen Record newspaper for his accomplishments.

The maintenance test is a one day test for junior Black Belts, and it's purpose is to see if the student has maintained what they have learned mentally and physically. Not only show what they maintained but perform at levels beyond that. This is not a level test like in Janaury where you just run through the curriculum and given feedback for the upcoming levels or tests. This is a BELT test and it does not matter how old you are, junior or adult, the test is designed to challenge you in every way.

A lot of people from the past have gained poor attitude on the maintenance test, thinking it is much easier and a breeze, thinking it should be much easier than the first. Well my adult maintenance tests are three days which is like the six day original test put into three, with judges and challenges at the end. The junior maintenance is one day which is like the original three days put together in one, which has judges and challenges as well. There are standards and expectations that must be met.

Owen's was the 35th Black Belt test I was a part of, and the seventh or eighth test I've done for TMAFC. Each one brings a new experience, and every test truly is different because the candidates are all different. My tests are notorious for being difficult, but not treacherous. So I do not know why people still get surprised to see what they see. But I will agree, a BLACK BELT test is never easy to see. But my clients whom I have worked with for over 5 years by this point, trust my judgment and trust how I manage my tests. Owen's went great, and Owen himself did magnificently.

Owen was nervous from the get-go, which of course is normal. But his nervousness can limit to what he can do if he does not conquer it. It now becomes A PART of the test. He had to perform all of his traditional forms, his Olympic forms, then his two Black Belt forms. HE demonstrated general knowledge of the history of his forms, and questions the judges has asked him, and then went on to physical challenges the judges had him perform, to see if he will continue to control his composure, focus, and purpose as he performed the challenge.

Sparring was next, I declared the rules from the beginning of the test, and then Owen did about five 1 min and 30 sec rounds of sparring. He kept holding his hogu (chest protector) while sparring and I told him every time he held his hogu, I would kick him. And I meant it. Every time his hand were not up and they held onto his chest protector, I threw a kick. Not enough to not him on his rear-end or to knock the wind out of him, but after four times, he felt the kick and the tears began. I thought of how Master DeJesus was kicking his student at the Krav Maga test. I was doing nothing like that, but at the level for a nine year old junior Black Belt, it was just right.

He had to spar against two people for a few rounds, and again for three. He made himself nervous, again it is part of the test, and at the very end, he threw up a little. It happens. Owen, got right back out on the mats to continue. He then had to perform all his escapes and then keep himself safe while doing rapid fire self-defense where three people attacked him at the same time. Owen knew what his objective was and did just what he needed to do. Then we ended with breaking. At this point his body was telling him no, but he needed to take control. I wrote a blog how breaking is mostly mental. Well by this point of the test a lot of people were cheering Owen on, throwing out advice, and even the judges.

Even earlier than this, I began to keep my mouth shut, because I was what was happening: NOISE. The thing about noise is that people think they are helping and encouraging and giving Owen what he needs to hear, BUT, when there's a lot of noise, you don't hear anything, therefore don't listen to what anyone is saying. You don't listen to the LOUDEST noise, and you go toward the silence where you might find the right answer. Once again, it becomes part of the test. How will Owen deal with the NOISE. He was challenged on each break, on top of being physically exhausted. But once he decided to get in there and do what he needed to do, he persevered. The last challenge, which was on his last test, was the five board sliding side kick. He took him several tries but he eventually succeeded!

Owen created a phenomenal standard to which all future junior Black Belts who will be maintenance testing in the future must uphold. I am very proud of him, and am so proud to have seen him grow up, from the little three year old who used to imitate me, to the state champion we saw last month, Owen has learned lessons that most adults cannot grasp. He is a true Black Belt in mind and spirit, and that is where the true essence of a Black Belt. Owen, you represent so well!

Yours in service,
ANDREW TRENTO