Getting ready to start the testing

The U.S. Tae Kwon Do Center

My daughter is testing for her black belt starting tonight 4/25/08. The test lasts all weekend long! They do kicks all night Friday and keep the kids up super late. They get a little sleep and then they wake them up at 6am to do poomsaes. Want to know more about Poomsaes? Click here to read more!

The games have begun...

Still going at it!

They've been kicking over 2 hours now...

Still going at 12 20 am!

Final kicks of the night...after 1am

Go Annie Go!

Annelise sparring on day 2 of her blackbelt test. She is pretty tired but hanging in there.

Saturday, Day 2

Annelise is still going at it on day 2 of her testing. She is sparring against other blackbelts and getting pretty tired but still going at it. We have a big cheering section for her here and we are all so proud of her!

Me and my Blackberry...

Most of my blogs about the taekwondo testing were sent AS THEY WERE HAPPENING(!) from my T-Mobile Blackberry phone directly to Blogger. Now is that cool or what??

(note to self: be careful when sending text messages that I don't click "blogger" by mistake!!! lol)

<---click on the Blackberry to find out more!

Annelise working on breaking her boards...it's pretty tough!

It's Board Breaking Time!

The big "pep" talk before they get to break their boards...yikes!

History of Taekwondo

Tae means “to strike with the feet.”
Kwon means “destroying with the hand or the fist.”
Do means “way” or “method.”

Taekwondo is believed to be one of the oldest Oriental arts of unarmed self-defense. Taekwondo is purely Korean in origin as the beginnings of true Korean culture are believed to have developed in 2332 B.C. with the establishment of the Ancient Korean State. Since then, the Korean people were forced to fight to protect or regain their independence from the Chinese, the Scytho-Siberians of Central Asia, the Mongol Hordes, the Marauders, and the armies of Japan. As a result, characteristics that serve as the source of Taekwondo were created in the Korean people. These consisted of a fierce warrior spirit, an intense national loyalty, and an indominable will to survive. Click here to read more.

Board Breaking 101

She Made It!!

Now the only thing left to do tomorrow is-

1. Run across the Golden Gate Bridge
2. Do more kicks and poomsaes at the Palace of Fine Arts
3. Run on the beach at Crissy Field plus more kicks and whatever else we find out!

Tune in tomorrow for the final black belt update!

The fun run!

Getting ready to run across the golden gate bridge, the last day of their test.

She crosses the bridge in 18 mins!

It is about an 1.85 mile run across the bridge. Way to go Annie!!

Sit ups and push ups!

After crossing the bridge, the kids have to do as many sit ups and push ups as they can in 3 mins, as well as more kicking.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Ivy

Annelise


Dalton


Dean


Doing more kicks at the Palace of Fine Arts in SF

Run Annie run!

After testing at the palace, the kids have to run about a mile on the beach...ugh! Its hard enough just walking in the sand!

Tom and Christian at the beach

Uh oh...dad got cut out!

Next up...digging in the sand

Now the kids have to dig a hole in the sand, using only their feet! When the hole is finished, it has to be up to their knee when they step in it.

Dig Annie, Dig!

Annie found that doing the twist worked pretty well to dig the hole using only her feet. They were allowed to use their hands for the finishing touches.

Jump Annie, Jump!

Next the kids have to jump in and out of their hole 100 times!

I heart you

Christian shows his love and support for his sister by drawing a heart in the sand around her hole.

Cover your tracks!

After the jumping is complete, they have to fill in the holes with no trace that they were ever there.

A New Poomsae

Lastly, the candidates learn a special Poomsae just for Black belts.

Free at Last!

The end of the 3rd grueling day of the Black Belt test for Annelise.

Fisherman's Wharf, then home!

First we take a break and catch a break dancing show!



Wow, those guys are amazing!!


Annie and the Robot-dude!



Lunch at Boudin's Bakery...



Finally time to rest in the car.



Goodbye SF!

My daughter is testing for her blackbelt starting tonight. The test lasts all weekend long! They do kicks all night Friday and keep the kids up super late. They get a little sleep and then they wake them up at 6am to do poomsies.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

An Engineer's Guide to Cats!

This is freakin' awesome!! You gotta watch it. LOVE IT!!!!

Diana, Tom, Annelise and Christian :-)