#2nd dan

Yesterday was my final bit for 2nd Dan grading for Kickboxing and I am proud of how well I did. It was awesome and scary and I could feel everyone’s support as I pushed myself. One small downside though is that it is hell on the feet - that flooring gives you massive blisters with one step and rips off that top layer of skin with the next... I am in so much pain walking this morning!

But I am now a 2nd Dan Blackbelt Kickboxer and closer to achieving my Xena Warrior dreams!

I know I have pushed myself so hard for this and without a select group of friends who are treading the same path or have already trodden it, I wouldn’t have managed this much. My training has been worked in to help with my OCR training too so I’ve been aiming for all round styrengthening and endurance. And I do feel it helped me a LOT through the gradings.

Can you lose your status as a black belt?

I’ve been thinking about my own, and how crap I’ve become on the mat. That I’m not performing at a black belt level.

https://talkingtoavoidcalledtheinternet.wordpress.com/2024/04/27/a-severe-lack-of-polish/

2nd Degree Black Belt

Mr. Lustgraaf started training in March 2000 under Ray Luongo at Mendota Elementary School in Madison, Wisconsin. In November 2004 Mr. Lustgraaf became the first UTF Madison student to attain the rank of 1st Degree Black Belt. He then spent two and a half years teaching under guidance of UTF Madison founders, Mr. Luongo and Carolyne Haycraft. In 2010 Mr. Lustgraaf was promoted to 2nd Degree Black Belt. 

In late 2006 Mr. Lustgraaf became the Program Leader (With assistance of close junior belts and parents) of UTF Madison, where he continued to teach at multiple locations until December 2014.

Since 2004 Mr. Lustgraaf has had the opportunity to train under Masters Langlas, Irvin, and Helman. As well as instructors, Augenlicht and Copeland. Along with training with many others. Mr. Lustgraaf frequents the Pathways Dojang in Chicago, from time to time.

Program Leader, II Degree Black Belt

Carolyne is currently the Director of GirlStrength, a city wide violence prevention program operated through the Portland Police Bureau. She is a licensed teacher with over twenty years of teaching experience in theatre, martial arts and violence prevention. She holds two 2nd Degree Black Belts; one with the UTF and the other with Shotokan Karate of America.

Prior to moving to Portland, she was the Director of University Theatre at the University of Wisconsin-Rock County; and a cofounder of the Universal Taekwon-Do Federation in Madison, Wisconsin, an organization dedicated to bringing martial arts to children from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Also, she was a drama instructor for the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Continuing Education and Outreach Program and Children’s Theatre of Madison.