Black Belt Board

This is a black belt board. It helps black belt candidates keep track of their practice for the test.

At our dojang, we're supposed to remember our past forms as we progress up through the belts. About a year ago, Ms. Pryor began having us keep track of our practice on boards. We write down our new forms and all the old ones, as well as other techniques: sparring, high kick, basic moves.

Eight times before the test, we're supposed to show black belts that we know how to do each of these techniques or forms. They then sign initials on our board. Eventually, we'll have 8 signatures for each one.

Black belts have to do even more. We do all our forms for 13 black belts over the course of 8 weeks. That's 16 forms x 13 or 208 forms. Justin can tell you how many movements all together--maybe he'll post the number as a comment here :-)

We also have to do all the step-sparring moves 13 times--they're written on the other side of the board. That's 28 step sparring combination x 13 or 364 step sparring combinations.

All of this is done before or after class. As we get closer to finishing, the black belts get pickier about our movements. Ms. Pryor or Master H. will watch us last. And we can count on doing all the forms--in some random order--at the test in February.

This board will help us be able to do that.