Blown Away

We recently held a junior black belt test at our school.  We hold them twice a year. Sometimes the number of junior black belt candidates varies from two juniors to as much as six. But this day, we had only one candidate ready, Lindsay. After the test, her mother sought me out, looking awestruck and proud. She had to tell me that she had no idea that this test was going to affect her and her husband is such a profound way. They were blown away.  

Mom had sat in on many a class while her daughter trained. She’s watched Lindsay train and thought the junior black belt test would be more or less the same thing she witnessed every week. She wasn’t prepared for the magnitude of the moment. Lindsay’s parents kept expressing their gratitude over and over.

It was one of those gratifying moments that affirm everything we strive for when training young people in the art of Wing Chun Do.  When parents tell me that they were blown away, I know we are doing something right.  I sometimes worry about what parents think of our teaching method.  I’m not worried about our method just sometimes their perception of what we are doing.  Lindsey’s parents’ outpouring of support and gratitude and the connection I felt really touched me. Even though some parents sit and watch during class, they sometimes don’t understand what the ultimate goal is.  They think and their children may think it’s the black belt. Full realization comes to them the day of the test. They begin to understand what Lindsay has accomplished and what she has gained.

The number of people there to watch and support Lindsay blew mom and dad away. Besides Lindsay’s family, every parent that had a child wearing a black belt was there.  Every black belt was there, and most of the children student body ages 5-14 and their parents.  Our children and adult classes are separate but many of the adults came to watch Lindsay test, too.  Everyone understood that this was special; a junior black belt in Wing Chun Do Gung Fu, an event that should not be missed.  

The poise and complete concentration they saw in their child’s face throughout the test, blew mom and dad away. The test can be up to two hours long. You can see that Lindsay is in the zone, complete focus on the task at hand and her concentration never waivers. She is listening intently to her instructor, Sibok, for his directions, when he works with her, and when he gives her a variety of opponents of different weights, ages, and gender.  Her focus is complete and this blows everyone away.

Her technique was quick, smooth, and powerful.  For a slight 11 year old, (she said she would be turning 12 in two weeks, thank you very much) she showed her superiority over all her opponents. Every take down, throw, or escape was fast and precise. Typically, during a test, you can see the wheels turning in the kids’ heads while they think a technique out. But Lindsay showed no hesitation in executing technique.  Her response was immediate, spontaneous and just flowed out of her. It blew everyone away.

By now she has demonstrated all her kicks, her striking and blocking skills, her break falls, her rolls, her bag work, her trapping skills, her grappling skills, her reading skills, and her conceptual knowledge of Wing Chun Do.  Now it’s time for kumite, which means she has to apply her skills in competitive situations against different opponents. She has to demonstrate kumite in two separate applications.   First is applying her grappling skills against her opponents. Second is applying her Wing Chun Do skills wearing headgear and gloves. Her ability to defend herself, to take advantage of openings, and the ability to use offensive skills precisely and effectively, blows everyone away.

What also blows everyone away is that throughout this process, we are all having fun. Lots of laughter, jokes, highlights, and awe further drive the exciting atmosphere.  The joy of what is happening starts to spread. The positive energy in the room grows. The respect of her teachers, parents, students and her peers, at what this little girl is accomplishing is immense. They begin to realize that this is more than just a black belt test.  This is a rite of passage.

Then Lindsay performed the Sil Lim Tao, a wing chun form that consists of a salutation and eight loops. The room falls silent, not a sound is heard while they watch every move she makes. Lindsay takes her time with each technique, and her precision and focus is beautiful to watch. Thunderous applause erupts when she finishes with her bow.

Finally her test is over.  The last thing she has to do is read her essay aloud. She reads what becoming a black belt means to her and what she has discovered about herself. 

Now for the symbol of all she has been working for, her black belt.  It is tradition and part of ceremony that her sifu (instructor) ties the black belt around his student’s waist for the first time. She watches intently while Sibok ties her belt.  I always liked this part of the ceremony, because every new black belt student watches just as intently. They don’t look up at family and friends until the knot is finally tied and Sibok gets up. Then Sibok presents Lindsay, our newest Wing Chun Do Junior Black Belt and everyone is blown away.