Students train for four years to test for black belts; instructor has coached 300 black belts in 34 years

By: Michael Mayday

Posted: 4/23/09

Ten columns of white bodies sat, watching juniors Priscilla Motley and Theodore Gregory kick the air near each other with bare feet at the Roche Sports Complex Saturday. Motley, Gregory and eight other students passed their first test for a black belt.

Senior Master Brian Anderson, instructor of the Anderson Institute and founder of the Tae Kwon Do program at Hillsdale College, said judges tested each student in three categories: focus, technique and overall performance.

In the first test, judges focused on form, watching students recite two practiced fight sequences called Pal-Chil and Pal-Pal.

"In one form you maim at least seven other people," senior Julia Hofman said.

Anderson said Hillsdale started its martial arts program in 1974 when Anderson began teaching Tae Kwon Do as a sophomore. Anderson said Grand Master Tae Z. Park watched over his instruction and appointed him the head instructor at Hillsdale in 1977. Since then, he has coached over 300 black belts over his 34 years of instruction.

Those 34 years have given Anderson a lot of athletes and students seeking help with focus and a competitive edge.

"For a lot of people it's a confidence thing," Anderson said. "Parents bring [children] in for their discipline problems or focusing problems. Martial arts is designed to help you focus and build your self-esteem. You find people who are great athletes in sports. I've had a few athletes become All-Americans after taking my class because they needed that little edge in focusing and concentration."

Each student performs the two forms with slow, heavy, movements and puffs of breath. Occasionally a yelp or a thumb on the ground replaced the breathing.

The second test is sparring. The caller, senior David Stehlik, shouted orders from the corner of the judge's table where 21 instructors, including Grand Master Tae Z. Park, sit and watch. The orders are simple: bow to the judges, bow to each other, then spar.

The sparring is limited to kicks, but combatants are allowed to block with their arms. Students are instructed to make sure their kicks do not connect because their opponents don't wear full body armor, but it's also for another reason.

"In black belts they want to see more control," Gregory said. "They want to see you be able to throw a kick without hurting your opponent."

The final test is the most ubiquitous to martial arts: breaking inch-thick wooden boards.

Mark Moreno, son of Associate Professor of History Paul Moreno, did a flying side-kick over three other students lying on the ground to break a board held up by his peers. After four attempts, he succeeded.

Despite all of the physical activity and punching hard objects, Anderson said his students rarely get injured.

"Usually they just get scratches," Anderson said. "Whenever they actually get hurt, it's usually a fluke."

Anderson said his students practice three times a week, except for college students, who practice only on Saturday. He said the martial arts program holds its tests every two months in order to coordinate with college midterms and finals.

"It takes a hell of a lot of effort," Hofman said. "We actually have fights in class when we get in Saturday morning and start beating the crap out of each other. It's fun."

The students will participate in their second and final test for black belt in October at a major martial arts tournament in Grand Rapids, Mich.