Riding the Whirlwind: The Week Before Belt Promotion Tests at IMAC NYC
By Grandmaster Andrew Hahn — Taekwondo, Hapkido & Self-Defense Expert
Some weeks move at a normal pace.
And then there are weeks like this — the kind every martial artist knows well. A week filled with energy, movement, discipline, and the quiet intensity that comes before major belt promotion tests.
At the International Martial Arts Center in Manhattan, we train across multiple disciplines — Taekwondo, Hapkido, Karate, Judo, Jiu-Jitsu, MMA fundamentals, and real-world self-defense. And this week, every single one of those arts felt alive in the dojang.
With children’s belt tests coming tomorrow and Saturday, teen and adult martial arts classes running at full speed, and private lessons packed with focus and effort, the atmosphere felt like standing in the center of a powerful martial arts whirlwind.
But inside that whirlwind?
There was growth. Discipline. And something truly beautiful.
—
1. The Children Rising — Building Confidence Through Martial Arts
Tomorrow and Saturday, our youngest martial artists step onto the mat for their kids’ Taekwondo and Hapkido promotion test.
For many, it’s the first time they’ll demonstrate combinations, forms, kicks, blocks, or self-defense techniques in front of instructors and parents. These tests aren’t just about Taekwondo or Karate-style forms. They’re about:
Confidence
Respect
Focus and discipline
Mind-body coordination
Real self-defense mindset
Children’s martial arts training teaches far more than kicking and punching. It develops character, emotional strength, and the ability to face challenges with courage — skills that matter far beyond the dojang.
And when they bow at the end with their new belts, you can see it clearly:
They grew.
—
2. Powerful Private Lessons — Jiu-Jitsu, Taekwondo & Hapkido Fundamentals
Today’s private lesson with Javi and Tom reminded me why I’ve been teaching for almost 30 years.
Whether we’re drilling:
Taekwondo kicking mechanics
Joint locks and breakfalls from Hapkido
Basic Judo throws
MMA-style striking flow
Jiu-Jitsu positional control
Or situational self-defense
…the goal is always the same:
Help the student grow from the inside out.
Javi brings heart.
Tom brings focus.
Together, the energy was incredible — the kind of session that energizes the entire school.
Teaching martial arts at this level is not a job.
It’s a responsibility.
A calling.
And a privilege.
—
3. The Weight of Leadership in a Multi-Discipline Martial Arts School
Running a real martial arts academy — not a commercial “belt factory” — requires balancing two worlds:
The Outer World
schedules
children’s tests
adult sparring classes
teen curriculum
trial students
parent communication
new enrollments
ongoing SEO and social presence
The Inner World
protecting students
preserving traditional Taekwondo and Hapkido values
integrating modern elements like MMA and Jiu-Jitsu responsibly
ensuring safety and proper progression
guiding students through fear, hesitation, and breakthroughs
This week felt like a marathon — but a meaningful one.
Because chaos isn’t chaos when it has purpose.
And purpose is the heartbeat of true martial arts.
—
4. This Week’s Lesson: Stay Centered in the Storm
As intense as this week has been — with belt tests, private lessons, and a flood of responsibilities — it reminded me of a truth every martial artist learns:
> A martial artist doesn’t fear the whirlwind.
A martial artist becomes the calm inside it.
That’s what Taekwondo teaches.
That’s what Hapkido teaches.
That’s what Karate, Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, and MMA all teach in their own ways:
Presence, control, clarity.
By the end of the weekend, dozens of children will tie new belts.
Parents will smile.
Students will feel stronger.
And the dojang will echo with the energy of growth.
And I walk away with something too:
Gratitude.
Gratitude for the trust, the community, and the privilege of shaping lives through martial arts.
Best regards.
Grandmaster Andrew Hahn