Black Belt Essay

Some people have asked to see my black belt essay. Posting it here for your reading enjoyment. :)

My Journey to Black Belt and Beyond
By Andi Campbell

The truth hurts. Sometimes it smacks you right in the face and the pain is unexpected, unparalleled and, quite frankly, unwelcome. You do what you can to avoid it. You deny its existence. But, at some point, we all have to face an awful truth in our lives. In my case, it led me to Tang Soo Do. In this essay, I will share why I joined the United States Karate Academy (USKA), what I have experienced during my training for Black Belt and then what I plan to do as a Black Belt in Tang Soo Do.

In an effort to help you understand how monumental and life-changing my training has been, I have to provide a foundation for what led me to Tang Soo Do. I experienced an unwelcome and awful situation that ultimately led me to find Mr. Convento and USKA. When it happened, I was smacked in the face by this truth: I had no support or community of friends. I was insecure, unhappy and feeling isolated.

During this time, I went to a business conference in Atlanta, GA and met an Aikido master, Thomas Crum. Mr. Crum takes the principles of Aikido and applies them to resolving conflict at work. He has written several books and is a world-renown motivational speaker. His conference session was riveting and I realized that I wanted to be just like him. He was calm and so connected with the people around him.

After the conference, I mentioned to several colleagues that I wanted to study martial arts. One of those people was a FedEx driver who delivered packages to Mr. Convento and USKA. I initially wanted to study Aikido, but I was researching all martial arts studios in my neighborhood. So, on this FedEx driver’s recommendation, I went to USKA. From the moment I met Mr. Convento, I was impressed. At the time, I didn’t even realize that I would be one of his first students in San Diego! He inspired me (and still inspires me) with his persistence and dedication to building a sustainable Tang Soo Do studio.

Since I began my journey at USKA, nothing in my life has been the same. I was immediately part of a community, making friends, meeting people who share my interests. The changes in me started with things physical, like feeling more confident walking to my car alone after work. Then, I began standing up for myself more often, assertively communicating my needs and taking ownership of my problems. I was practicing humility at work and listening to other people before speaking.

If you fast forward this story to present day, my list of personal and professional accomplishments is longer than I ever imagined. I can barely remember what it felt like to be the person who joined USKA! When I feel pain or heartache, I go to the dojang to practice Tang Soo Do and to be with my martial arts community. The energy in the dojang pumps hope into my heart and peace into my soul.

I have had the unique opportunity to train with Mr. Convento privately, as well as with my fellow students in classes. There is no question that I am a better, stronger, more precise martial artist as a result of the one-on-one time I have spent with my instructor. We repeat techniques until it hurts my ears to hear him say “do it again, Andi.” Mr. Convento and I joke that he has to ‘break things down’ more for me that he ever thought possible. But, I have watched him use something we discovered together during a private lesson in a group class and it feels gratifying to know that he is sharing something that he learned from working with me. It makes me feel hopeful, knowing that despite rank and experience, you never stop learning as a Tang Soo Do practitioner.

Mr. Convento would agree that I am incredibly intelligent. He would also agree that I lack coordination, but that I definitely don’t lack determination. Despite my ‘book smarts,’ I struggle with some of the more advanced techniques. But, I have spent the last three years pushing past my limits and challenging myself to do things that are uncomfortable. I am proud to say that I can jump higher, block harder and reach deeper than I expected I would when I started Tang Soo Do.

I have a distinct memory of the day that I learned my first form. Mr. Convento was showing me how to go from a front stance to a fighting stance, preparing for the first three front kicks in the form. I remember thinking, “wow, this guy is amazing! Look at the way he transitions between the moves!” He might even remember me saying to him, “why doesn’t mine look like that, Mr. C?” He said with a smirk, “Andi, you haven’t been training for 20 years.” This story is the preface to the last part of my essay, the part about my plans once I earn my Black Belt in Tang Soo Do.

On that day, during that class, I told myself that I will look like Mr. Convento when I do my form. Well, although he is just a few years older than I am, he has a pretty big head start, a world championship trophy and years of practice! So, what will I do once I earn the rank of first dan? The answer is easy: keep training. On that day, I made a promise to myself that I would stay committed until my techniques matched the precision and strength of the amazing Mr. C. At the time, I thought that meant until I earned my Black Belt. But, one of the biggest lessons that I have learned during my training is that Black Belt does not mean training has finished. Not only has it only just begun for me, but also, if I am going to match Mr. C’s strength and precision, I might just be training for the rest of my life!

An unwelcome, painful situation caused me to acknowledge the truth: that I was alone. And that truth hurt. I tried to avoid, I tried to deny. But, when I finally accepted the truth, it led me to Mr. Convento and my USKA community. I am grateful that the truth has set me free.