BLITZ INTERVIEW INSTRUCTOR ROBERT PEARSON Friday, 19 January 2007 “Black Belt Journey” Part 2 Blitz Magazine Interview with Instructor Robert Pearson July 2008 edition Volume 22 No 7 NAME; Robert Pearson RANK; 1st Dan Black Belt (Shim jang Taekwondo) AGE; 32 BLITZ. What do you think a “Black Belt” assessment should look for in a student ? ROBERT PEARSON. “SPIRIT” During our Shim Jang coloured belt gradings we are well educated in the art of Taekwondo and our technique is constantly being scrutinised and fine tuned but Master Hicks makes it quite clear that he is looking for something more in a Black Belt student and for this he makes no apology. In many ways Shim Jang TKD reflects a military style philosophy in its approach training and development so in Les’s mind his Black belts are his soldiers and without discipline, spirit and conviction an army will never win a war. If you are planning on applying for Black Belt in this art then the exam must be approached with the correct mindset, “Technique is of course extremely important but technique alone will not get you through” BLITZ. How do you think your Black Belt rates against those of other schools (in terms of difficulty to achieve, skills etc) ROBERT PEARSON. I have heard many stories of super human feats ie; (“my Black Belt grading went for 8 hours non stop” or “my grading went for 2 full days”) and although this may be true commonsense tells us that there is no way you could safely work as hard as our Black belt applicants do for this extended amount of time. Any athlete trains long and hard for months or even years to compete in an event that usually only lasts a few minutes (sometimes even seconds), during this time they put their heart and soul into their performance drawing on all their acquired skill and energy. Master Hicks is very insistent in that he doesn’t want anyone to “Pace” themselves during an exam, he wants to see the “real you” In Les’s mind he would rather see you perform at your maximum for reasonable period of time than slow down and pace it out all day, to survive a self defence situation he believes you need to perform in a dynamic, explosive manner so this is how we approach our training. With this in mind an average Black Belt Grading would usually last around one hour during which time the student would demonstrate not just their best technique, strength and power but their internal “spirit” and willingness to succeed against all odds by performing numerous bouts of sparring against fresh spirited instructors and Black Belts who will not take a backward step (if you turn your back, you fail !!). BLITZ. Is Black Belt as important a milestone as it is generally seen to be ? ROBERT PEARSON. I guess it depends on the attitude and commitment of the applicant, for me it was just that “a milestone” and of course if you plan on devoting your life to an art as in my case it is, of course, a very important milestone. The “Black Belt” to me represents the start of an exciting future as an instructor and a unique opportunity to help people learn the art and perhaps change their lives in a healthier, more positive way. BLITZ. Did earning your Black Belt Change you ? How ? ROBERT PEARSON. Until I joined Shim jang Taekwondo I had done many sports and activities but never really followed anything through, earning my Black Belt was a humbling experience and I guess the main thing I took away from the experience was a sense of achievement, pride and satisfaction in the fact that was able to focus on a goal and follow it through. Since then I have achieved many things both within the art and in life, I contribute much of that success to what the art has taught me and I can never repay the art for the lessons I have learnt and opportunity it has given me. BLITZ. Was the process difficult ? How does it rate among the hardest things you have ever done ? ROBERT PEARSON. Of course, it was very difficult, at the time I thought it was the hardest thing I had ever done but like anything if you continue to study/practice hard, listen carefully to your instructors and approach it with the correct mental attitude things do become second nature and eventually get a little easier. You never really stop learning though, to some I guess that could be frustrating but to a martial artist continually learning and gaining valuable experience represents another challenge or hurdle, confronting and overcoming these challenges is what ultimately makes us martial artists. BLITZ. How long and often had you been training before you got your Black Belt ? ROBERT PEARSON. On average, 3 evenings a week for 3 years, at Shim Jang Taekwondo we are fortunate to have numerous centres located throughout most regions so if I missed some training I always caught up by attending 1 or more of our other local classes. BLITZ. Do you think you “earned” your Black Belt” ? ROBERT PEARSON. Yes… I paid for it with gallons of sweat over many years, in fact I am still paying !! BLITZ. What essentially does “Black Belt” represent to you ? ROBERT PEARSON. The future !! It is an achievement, a confidence building achievement that will stand me in good stead and well placed to grasp any opportunity that may come my way in the future, it also represents to me a healthy lifestyle and although we are not required to constantly train like athletes I am confident that my fitness will serve me well in the future…. for that I will be eternally grateful.

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