This Weekend’s Black Belt Test

This past weekend, we celebrated two students’ determination as they followed a path that many don’t ever reach: Black Belt. It’s not an easy task to stay consistent along this path that takes multiple years to reach. It takes heart, fire, and desire, followed by determination and dedication.

This weekend, after three days of testing, we saw Mr. Dominic earn his 1st Degree Tiger Youth Black Belt, and Mr. Lou make history by earning the second-ever 2nd Degree Tiger Youth Black Belt. Often people ask, how is it that a nine-year-old or a sixteen-year-old can earn a Black Belt, much less a second degree? Our Tigers Youth curriculum is extremely dense for their age groups and often, at certain levels, far more in-depth and harder than our adult curriculum. It is designed so that our Youth Black Belt is worth about one third of our Adult Black Belt, making our Youth 2nd Degree Black Belt worth around two thirds! Our Tigers start learning Kickboxing, Grappling, and some traditional forms during their first degree, which only opens the floodgates for more Muay Thai, Jeet Kune Do, Filipino Martial Arts, and Submission Grappling at the second degree level.

Black Belt Testing weekend starts on Friday, where they complete their personal written demonstrations, fitness rounds on the pads, and fitness evaluations. Then, on Saturday, they walk in and begin the long journey of reworking all their material from first level to Black Belt for our seal of approval. This process takes all day and often some of the night to complete. After 12.5 hours with minimal breaks, they completed the memory and skills recall to move to their next day of testing. Finally, on Sunday afternoon, every candidate comes in beat up, bruised, tired, and sore only to face a line-up of fresh sparring and wrestling partners ready to help them with their final push. The support from these training partners, instructors, friends, and family is so loud and wonderful during our last day. You can hear and feel the love that everyone has for the candidates, which is the most amazing thing on the face of the earth.

After completing all their requirements across these three days, they are awarded their Black Belts, Certificates, and some extra gifts to help them along the way on their next journey in life and training. Then there is only one thing to do: celebrate over a plate of delicious food with everyone who has come to support them through this wonderful moment in their lives.

Special thank you to all the instructors, students past and present, friends, and family who came to help over the weekend. This type of event is a monster and requires so many helpers, hour after hour. Without your support, it would not be nearly as smooth an event for the candidates.

If you are looking to help yourself or your child develop more self-confidence, coordination, fitness, stress relief, or self-defense, you’ve come to the right place. Let us know how we can help you today.

#ComingForYou2026
#YearOfTheHorse
#FightTheGoodFight

——

Guro Larry, Sonja, Lauren & Tori St. Clair
Martial Way Legacy
"A Compass to the Preservation of Bruce Lee’s Philosophy and Legacy"
http://www.martialwaylegacy.com
512-821-3637