Spring 2026 Black Belt Cycle

Candidate Journals

King Tiger Tae Kwon Do Black Belt candidates blog daily about their journey: their thoughts and feelings, their struggles and successes; their pain and their encouragement. Follow along on their journey; words of encouragement are always welcome!

2/14/26

Today was a okay day. I woke up and my leg was still hurting so I decided it would be best to take off this Saturday black belt class so I don't get further injured. I then did some of my physical requirements that didnt cause strain on my leg. After I studied the black belt test then wrote a essay for Taekwondo.

  7 Hits

2/13/26

Today was a decent day. I made oreo pancakes in food and nutrition which was good. After I went to the gym and did all my physical requirements although I went lighter because my leg was hurting.

  10 Hits

2/12/26

Today was a decent day. I went to school where there was nothing out of the usual then came home and did all my physical requirements, ran 1 mile, and worked on forms and self defence. After I went to taekwondo where I assisted the 6:15-7:00 class then got a mentor session in.

  32 Hits

2/11/26

Today was a good day. I made handmade cinnamon rolls in foods and nutrition class for part of my new skills. After I went to the gym where I did all my physical requirements then the Greenway where I ran two miles. After I went to taekwondo where I had a mentee session then attended sparring then went to the weekday BBC.

  21 Hits

2/10/26

Today was a good day. School was pretty easy for the most part. After school I went home and ran 3 miles since it was feeling nice outside today then I did all my physical requirements. After I went to taekwondo where I assisted the 6:15-7:00 class then attended the teen/adult class and got a mentor session in after.

  44 Hits

2/9/26

Today was a good day. Im finally back to a full week of school after all of that ice so I was pretty tired. After school I went down to the Greenway and ran 4 miles. I then went to Taekwondo where I was able to get a mentee session in before class then attend that teen/adult class.

  40 Hits

2/8/26

Today was a good day. I did some volunteering for the elderly then went to the gym and got all my physical requirements done. After I went home and practiced my forms, self defence, and kicks. Then I watched the Super Bowl.

  43 Hits

2/7/26

Today was a good day. I woke up early, started warming up, and practicing for the weekend black belt class which I attended. After I went home and did all my physical requirements for the day. Then went to an escape room.

  50 Hits

2/6/26

Today was more of a relaxed day. I had a full day of school after about a week. After that I went home got my physical requirements done, studied taekwondo black belt questions, and did some stretching.

  47 Hits

2/5/26

Today was a pretty good day. I was finally back in school although with a 2-hour delay. After me and my dad went to the gym but I went out back to the green way and ran 3 miles. We then came home and I did alot of physical requirements and practicing techniques. After I went to Teakwando where I was able to assist the 6:15 class and get a mentee and mentor credit.

  57 Hits

2/4/26

Today was a good day. It was a remote day agian at school so I finished all my work then got to work on my physical requirements, poomsaes, and self defence. After I was able to do a mentee session before sparring class, I then attended sparring class and BBC.

  112 Hits

2/3/26

Today was a good day. I had a remote day agian so I got all of that done and eas able to go to the gym all before lunch where I ran a mile. After I did my physical requirements and worked on poomsaes and self defence for a while. After I went to the modified 6:15 class where I helped out.

  74 Hits

2/2/26

Today was a decent day. Although Monday was canceled agian which isn't ideal because my mentee is only able to come Mondays. Besides from that though It was pretty good, I worked on my physical requirements for a bit and did some more stretching but it's still to icy to run a mile outside so I'll have to get back on that soon.

  34 Hits

2/1/26

Today was a good day. It was more of a recovery day, although I still did all my requirements just not the mile. After I went out in the snow the came back and did some stretching.

  48 Hits

1/31/26

Today was a good day. I woke up then recorded my Poomsae and self defence for BBC credit. After I did my physical requirements and practiced some more on my Poomsae and self defence then stretched.

  42 Hits

1/30/26

Today was a good day. It was pretty relaxed not going to taekwondo although after school I did go to the gym where I ran 2 miles and got all my physical requirements done. After I went home and did some stretching.

  62 Hits

1/29/26

Today was a good day. I was back to school today although with a 2 hour delay. After I did a lot of physical requirements and finally went back out and running today where I was able to get 3 miles. After I went to taekwondo and was able to get a mentee session.

  46 Hits

1/28/26

Today was a remote learning so most of the day I was completing assignments online which took a good bit. Then I volunteered from 1-3 at the crisis assistance ministry with my family in uptown charlotte. After I came home and worked on forms, self defence, and physical requirements. I then went to sparring class and BBC.

  67 Hits

1/27/26

Today was a good day. I felt good finally getting out of the house although I still dont have school tomorrow. I practiced Taekwondo most of the day and got my physical requirements done although still not the mile. After I went to help out with the 6:15-7:00 class where I was able to lead warm ups.

  46 Hits

1/26/26

Today was a decent day. School was canceled as well as Taekwondo so I mostly just did a lot of physical requirements, forms, and self defence to make up for that class I was missing. Its not ideal because two Mondays have been canceled now which is the only day my mentee is able to come however I asked someone else to come Wednesday which should set me back up on track.

  63 Hits

1/25/26

Today was a pretty good day. It felt more of a rest day not being able to leave the house and not going to taekwondo. I got my physical requirements done pretty early on and worked on all of my weapons forms. Unfortunately I dont have a treadmill at my house so I didnt run a mile today but thats okay because I had made sure I was fine on miles before the storm.

  118 Hits

1/24/26

Today was a good day, I went to the Saturday BBC where we worked on Koryo. After I helped with the Jr. Tigers class where I was also able to lead warm ups. I normally wouldn't have assisted but I wanted to plan ahead in the event of cancelation aswell I stacked up on mileage.

  74 Hits

1/23/26

Today was a pretty good day for the most part. In school I tried some diffrent food in Food and Nutition. After school I went to the gym and did most of my physical requirements and was able to run on the treadmill because it's going to be to cold and icy to be running outside soon. After I went home and just worked on poomsaes and seld defense.

  130 Hits

1/21/26

Today was a good day. School was normal for the most part although I had a test in Food and Nutrition where I got a 94. After I went to Taekwondo where I took sparring class and then BBC.

  100 Hits

1/20/26

Today was a good day. I went to school which was tiring especially coming back from a 3 day break. After I got all of my physical requirements done for the day. I the went to taekwondo where I helped with the 6:15-7:00 class then attended the 7:05-7:50 class and was able to get a mentor session in.

  63 Hits

1/19/26

Today was a good day I got most of my physical requirements done pretty early in the morning. Then we went uptown and did some stuff there. I then went to the YMCA where I attended a yoga class.

  71 Hits

1/18/26

Today was a good day. I didnt attend any taekwondo today so I just knocked out my physical requirements for the day then did some stretching to recover. After I wrote an essay which was good to have another one down. Then we went to the library where I checked out a baking and soup cook book to help with my new skill of cooking.

  101 Hits

1/17/26

It was a good day, I woke up early for Saturday BBC where we worked on self defence. After that me and my mom went to go see the Venerable Monks' Walk For Peace. Where we were able to not only see them go by but see them eat lunch and give a blessing. After that I went home and finished up my requirements for the day.

  65 Hits

1/16/26

Today was a good day I got a 98 on my biology test and a 100 on my English quiz. In food and nutrition we made muffins and black-eyed pea brownies. I was able to go down to the Greenway near the gym and ran 3 miles as well as come back to the gym and get the rest of my taekwondo physical requirements done for that day.

  73 Hits

1/15/26

It was a good day, school was good and I got a 100 on a biology quiz. Then was able to checkout early to go to the dentist. At home I mostly just did alot of physical requirements trying to get ahead as well as a mile which was way to cold outside. After I went to taekwondo where I assisted and led warm-ups for the 6:15 class as well as getting a mentor session in after.

  93 Hits

1/14/26

It was a good day today. School was pretty good were mostly just wrapping up the basics and or introduction unit to whatever subject. I went to two classes today for Taekwondo, sparring class and black belt class. Often on these Wednesdays I find myself more tired because it's the middle of the week and have two classes for Taekwondo but nonetheless it was still a good day and am steel feeling good about the cycle.

  73 Hits

1/13/26

It was a good day today. School wasn't terrible I did a lab in biology which was entertaining. Then went to the gym where I got all my taekwondo requirements done. Afterwards I went and helped out with the 6:15 class.

  85 Hits

1/12/26

It was a pretty good day today. At school were now kind of past that first introduction week so I had some assignments to do. Then I was able to get another 3 mile run down at the Greenway. After I went to teakwando where I mentored my mentee before class took a teen class then was able to get a mentor session in after.

  67 Hits

1/11/26

I find myself often on these Sundays using them as a rest day which is just what I did. Although I was able to run 3 miles today which I felt good about and get all my requirements done before lunch. But the rest of the day I just stretched and watched football.

  90 Hits

1/10/26

I felt good on the pre-test, especially the mile I found myself being able to go much faster then usually. The poomsae portion was also good there wasn't anything major I messed up. Obviously there's still going to be tweaks and many more to come but it was still a good day.

  65 Hits

1/9/26

Today was a good day, school was pretty fun. After school I went to the gym where I got majority of my physical requirements for the day done except poomsaes, self defense, and kicks which I did when I got home.  

  73 Hits

1/8/26

Today was good, it's almost the weekend. Im preparing for the pre-test and was able to get a class where I assisted and lead warm ups. Then was able to get a mentor session in after class.

  67 Hits

Day 5

Today was a good day. I woke up for school still getting around since it is only the third day since schools started back. But thankfully I was able to get in a sparring class and a weekday BBC. Where I had already done most physical requirements for the day. I later came home and finished those requirements.

  59 Hits

Day 4

Today was pretty productive, although still easing back into the school schedule. After school however I was able to go to the gym where I was able to get some requirements done that being the pull ups, mile on the treadmill, and sit ups. Where i went home and finished up. After I went to a 6:15-7:00 class to help out with the class.

  70 Hits

Day 3

Today was the first day back in school although we didnt a whole lot im still falling back into routine. However thankfully I was able to get two Taekwondo classes in whilst completing all my physical requirements for the day at the gym. It was pretty productive and a good day.

  79 Hits

Day 2

Although I wasn't able to get any class credits done today I still felt good and even was able to knockout a 5K alongside a

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Cycle Beginning

The start of the cycle, I woke up and attended the black belt class which is nice to already have a weekend BBC credit marked off. Im feeling pretty good but have not yet experienced the hardships of the cycle. But I am ready for what's to come. 1/3/26

  84 Hits