Can She Earn a Black Belt in 90 days? (black belt reacts)

[@kamron_thurmond]

Her progression in 90 days makes the Karate Kid and Cobra Kai Beginners to Blackbelt level training timelines a lot more realistic.

[@gerekgerek9042]

With the best teachers basically doing private lessons 8+ hours a day would fast track anyone with commitment, I never really had a problem with Karate Kids timeline myself.

[@kevind3974]

and remember those take place over about six months to a year. that's an exstra 92 -275 days of training if you already have some fundamentals, basic combat experience or are naturally good at fighting. ya getting to black belt is much more believable in a short period of time then i initially thought.

[@kamron_thurmond]

@kevind3974 In the original Karate Kid from 1984 Daniel only had two months to get ready for the tournament. Before that he did have some mediocre classes at a YMCA in New Jersey though. So it wasn't exactly like Miguel who literally had no concept of martial arts before learning from Johnny. Still he went from basically beginner to black belt level in 2 months. Which is not normally done.

[@kamenwaticlients]

@@kamron_thurmond I chalked it up to youthful athleticism and dedication especially considering they trained for speed, agility, and control rather than for power, endurance, technique or accuracy.

[@kevind3974]

@@kamron_thurmond true but in the first movie you couldn’t really call Daniel a black belt. At best he was probably green to max brown. Like he was good but not that good (plus he won thru and illegal kick). He was the underdog for a reason after all. Later movies. Different story. Black belt to atleast dan level by the end. Plus by the end of the initial run only 4ish years had passed. Thus reaching a level that would take most people a decade plus to reach in less then half the time.

[@SonGoku-tz9vt]

Spoiler: For anyone interested, she finally managed to break the brick and achieve her blackbelt on day 264

[@DB-zp9un]

Yep!! Finally tracked it down.. and OMG the emotions I bet everyone felt when they saw her video!!!

[@rajic3397]

Where did you see this? I don't see any updates

[@DB-zp9un]

@@rajic3397 think I saw it on insta

[@thembanitheone]

​@@rajic3397I saw she was sporting it in a short on her channel

[@tubiflex27]

Seth, please, I really need to go to bed right now. A 1:30 hour video? There goes my sleep. Thanks a lot

[@senseisethreacts]

Sorry 😫

[@GermanSausagesAreTheWurst]

Yea, it's almost 11 here, and I was like "I already watched Michelle's video, do I need to watch Seth's reaction video?" And I guess I do.

[@EliVoorhees-jb1fe]

Me tooooooo... thx a lot Seth u good for nothing wanna be Jesse Enkamp😡

[@skatergirl429]

Frrr I just wanted to watch a vid before bedddd

[@J.LTaekwondo]

I’m excited to watch a long video it’s a good change I think

[@RibbidyJamGames]

"The belt don't define you. You define the belt" I like that quote Seth. Especially that I often see black belts who doesn't act like black belts. So you can either see a white belt with a skill level of a green belt or a black belt with a skill level of a yellow belt. The color doesn't defy your skills but you yourself does and how much effort you put into earning that belt

[@MiklosHajma]

But with the rigidity of the system (at least what we have here), where's there only 2 tests per year, I can as many hours as I can, still can't progress faster. In my case, I've became pretty enthusiastic with tkd in the last two years, and I'm still at 7th gup because there's literally no way to test - and I'm training 6-7 classes per week. I'm gonna stay regardless because I love the training part (as I did all my life in other sports), but it's just a system tailored to people who's attending 2-3 times per week.

[@cubiczirconiabeard5366]

fun to start over at a new school, they assume I have no training, because I never trained there, and then doing the kicks better that the clown that they have teaching me.

[@kingsman8475]

I am old enough to remember Korean Karate did not have that many belt colors or stripes. Japanese and Okinawan have styles have remained the same. American karate started more color, etc. I thought it was just to make more money.

[@NOxSPLOOSHxPLANE]

Michelle needs to be Protected an all cost 😅 She really is one of the gems of youtube. She went from youtube creator to straight up making movies now lol

[@Raul-ju3in]

I'm pretty sure she can protect herself lmao

[@SuperSeytan666]

@@Raul-ju3in Against women her size...

[@DoubleDOwnage]

​@@Raul-ju3in ...at all times.

[@ajwall1]

Just a fun fact, in the South Korean military around the time of the vietnam war, American and korean military personnel could move up the ranks VERY quickly based on how many HOURS they put in to achieve their rank. Some Americans came back with master level rankings in a few years because they could sometimes put in eight hours a day instead of 2 or 3 per week which we do as civilians. There used to be a graph that explained the required amount of hours within a year needed to reach a specific rank including a format that is closer to what most people do to get their first black belt in around 3 or 4 years nowadays

[@doublep1980]

Joe Lewis earned his black belt in 7 months, while serving in the Marines at Okinawa. He explained in an interview that he was spending pretty much all his off-duty free time in the dojo and that's how he was able to do it.

[@ajwall1]

@doublep1980 I met a couple of vets who got 3rd or 4th degree the same way in Korea but they were there for several years

[@gregdesouza17]

If she put 6 hours a day in this for 90 days (excluding sundays) she had the equivalent of 200 2 hour classes. That's like 4 years of bi-weekly classes for a common folk.

[@cubiczirconiabeard5366]

@@gregdesouza17 6 hours a day 6 days a week? the body needs rest to recover, and to rebuild.

[@SuperSeytan666]

@@cubiczirconiabeard5366 No real sparring and damage, just hydrate and sleep/eat... when we had a comp coming in sambo or boxing in Russia, it was 4hx2 a day for 60 days... warmup 100 pushups, 100 pullups, while other hits your abs.. etc...

[@Ran_rx]

In regards to the Kihap adding strength to an attack, don't you have a PowerKube? Surely you could do a video on that with the gang.

[@danielmccarten4357]

Great idea

[@TheElbowMerchant]

Great suggestion, dude!

[@aaronhelmsman]

Yeah but what if they just subconsciously try harder on the Kihap? You have to tell half of them that the Kihap has been shown to reduce power and half that it increases power.

[@Fella_friend]

It does the same thing as bracing your core. The reason it’s taught in martial arts is it’s bracing your core but also quite intimidating

[@Ullish1989]

​@@aaronhelmsman or casually tell them not to kihap like "maybe just try without? " Telling them it reduces power might make them subconsciously hit harder without

[@xCopyninjax]

As a Taekwondo black belt and a purple/brown shotokan black belt I very much enjoyed this video and her process as well. She showed so much understanding of the beauty of martial arts and the journey. I do feel it was fast but also agree with you sensei seth that she has crammed so much into the 90 days but also that she has the understanding of what shes doing and like you said. Some people who have done this for years still struggle to have the understanding and knowledge shes obtained in 90 days.

[@cubiczirconiabeard5366]

She was already trained. An olympic gymnast could make black belt in a week because they already had the physical ability. Question is why would someone want a black belt?

[@Rhyze83]

@@cubiczirconiabeard5366 A week is a stretch but ok

[@DesCoutinho]

@@cubiczirconiabeard5366 for KZbin content

[@Muffln]

​@@cubiczirconiabeard5366 "An olympic gymnast could make black belt in a week because they already had the physical ability." That's just not true. If you literally throw the entirety of technique, sparring, self defense, and kata out of the window then maybe. "Question is why would someone want a black belt?" As long as you're not in a McDojo, a black belt is generally pretty prestigious. The belt system is useful as an assessment of skill assuming it's used correctly.

[@cubiczirconiabeard5366]

@@dofunthingswitharchit way to go oh so reverent one with your Ad Hominem attack. I bet you are the kind of black belt that lectures endlessly about character, self discipline, self control, the spirit yell, and how superior Asian everything is. But in an open tournament, point fighting you can't do squat.

[@SgtDan]

When I did my 1st Dan test, the brick break was the scariest thing to me. But when the moment came, I figured the only thing between me and earning my black belt was the brick so either it would break or my hand would. There really is a big mental aspect to it. Now I can break multiple bricks no problem.

[@shinaikouka]

That's one of the biggest points that was brought up whenever we would break boards in karate. It isn't entirely about doing whatever move you're going to do (punch, kick, etc.) to break the board, but also having the confidence in yourself. I mean... if you sit there thinking, "Ah, there's no way I can do this. It's so hard. My hand/foot is going to break!", then you're likely going to pull back prior to impact (i.e., wince).

[@mrcstravels]

Well said. We wouldnt even have a student try breaking bricks until at least there second year. It does take time for the training and mental focus to make it happen. I was very very impressed with her to reach that rank for someone who never trained in the martial arts is amazing.

[@jimphillipsmusic8524]

Absolutely loved this. Loved watching her video before I saw your reaction video and I still feel this has been 3 hours of my life well spent. Thank you both.

[@robertsvoboda3508]

Michelle's stuff is definitely great, I enjoyed this one a lot, it does have its merits, thank you for taking is through it, Seth! However, your videos are also great, especially since they are less cinematic, way more casual and natural. I'm a big fan of the way you handle your topics, your attitude and your collaborations with your expert friends Icy Mike, Kevin Lee, Jesse Enkamp, Wonderboy Thompson, etc. Earning a black belt in 90 days feels like a weird experiment, while you and your mates live martial arts and fighting sports to the fullest in your everyday lives. Your content is top-notch and appreciated. Best wishes!

[@allanelder1696]

In a study at Japan University in 1986, they found that *kiai* during a punch resulted in 10% more power. Interestingly, they found that using *kiai* after the arm/elbow had been extended, rather than before, gave the greatest results. It seems *intention* to *kiai* activates the motor neurons. - 📚 Source: [I Investigated If The "Karate Shout" Is Really Necessary｜Kiai 気合](kzbin.info/www/bejne/bmrKcmCPZrGAo9E)

[@thegamingkiwi9847]

This hit so hard bro, im 25 years old and am on my own journey at the moment in BJJ I’m a 3 stripe white belt that can only train once a week but give it my all, but I’m constantly ill and struggle with back issues. I struggle with mental health and this video has inspired me massively and i know that all i can do is try my best

[@scottmcrawford]

Just do your best, friend. That's all you can do. Stick with it and you'll improve.

[@nightsmock8715]

Don't expect to fly through the ranks in bjj like this, they are completely different arts and BJJ requires clear demonstration of techniques on a regular basis when rolling you will also need to be able to hang with the majority of those in your aspiring rank of similar age, size, gender etc

[@lenonkitchens7727]

I've been training BJJ for 5 years my friend. I'm a no stripe blue belt. Like you, my body keeps betraying me and forcing me to take breaks for months at a time. I'm on a break right now due to shoulder surgery. Train for the love of the art and the promotions will come.

[@Jlocke2024]

Bro, get a good bed to sleep on. Strength training will help your back. Stretch daily. Lift weights. I've been doing this for 38 years.

[@lenonkitchens7727]

@@Jlocke2024 Good advice. I have a good bed, the rest would probably help with the rest of my problems as well. I do have some unique challenges though. You'd be surprised how many problems I have with my left knee and left hip due to the lack of toes on my left foot.

[@Machina03exe]

To answer your question at 3:39, this is the Korean Friendship Bell in San Pedro, just west of Long Beach, on the south end of Los Angeles County. I live here, and I love visiting that spot just to show friends, take pictures, and throw some kicks in front of it.

[@sliderx1897]

Used to go there as a kid with my dad

[@NoNicheGuy]

Been there once, but didn’t realize what it was. Good to see it in the video and now know.

[@loganhowlette7223]

Funny story about my yellow belt test. A few black belts were in attendance, helping judge the tests. They had brought a few bricks, with a couple left over afterwards. The black belts were all taking turns trying to break on one try, and none of them did. I'm pretty cocky at the time, having just passed my test, and half-heartedly jokingly asked if I could try. They said ok. I broke that friggin brick with a hammer fist my first attempt. After the initial shock, my teacher started taking my training a lot more serious, private lessons, and overall grooming to become a teacher myself. I am currently president of our federation. My point being, confidence is key. My teacher always said repetition builds confidence, practice does make perfect. And stick with it! Don't give up because its difficult.

[@Alex13751]

If this is true good for you dude!

[@LiteDisc]

fake it till you make it is a saying for a reason, psychological studies have shown that if you fake being confident you'll eventually just become genuinely confident.

[@tribalman9668]

Iam under the impression that just attaining the physical attributes to be a black belt in an striking art is half of the battle.. so a flexible, smart, athletic person will go through the ranks fast.. I think

[@michaelm9710]

That is generally true. I studied Wushu in my 20s. A D1 gymnast started training around the same time I started. He was a black belt and winning competitions within 3 years. Our coach told me that I could never achieve a high level belt because I did not start flexibility training young enough. However, in sparring, I could win comps. Martial arts is different than fighting arts

[@kamenwaticlients]

Indeed. It reminds me of something I heard growing up, it was essentially that a black belt just means you have completed basic training. Its like getting your bachelors degree in a major sure you understand it but you need grad school to master it.

[@josephthornton8560]

I studied TKD at Denver Karate Academy under Master Stefanie Flowers- Delameter. Master Stefanie had some connection in her past to Master Jhoon Rhee. When Master Jhoon Rhee died in 2018, Master Stefanie was very emotional and performed a "form" for the class in his honor. As her students, we didn't really realize the significance of this family, but we took time to reflect on watching a World Champion form competitor express a tribute. I think these men in this video are his grandsons or nephews. WTG Michele, I cried several times watching your impressive experience.

[@phoenix4495]

For the record yes she has incredible commitment however I just wanna point out how impressive her main instructor’s commitment to train her is. All I gotta say is I’ve never seen an instructor get down on the floor with us when he says to do pushups lol

[@sludgiebear]

I think this is the best production and journey Michelle has gone through. I love the poetic tale of the journey, and the culminating message remains resonating. I feel a collaboration between Seth and Michelle could be a goal for 2025! It would definitely be one for my fan service anyway! 😆What a warrior!

[@Soul-Of-Wisdom]

The way to go with popcorn is to take handfuls but then always eat it piece by piece out of the hand

[@joachim847]

I like to pinch it out one piece at a time, but then fill up my mouth before chewing.

[@Soul-Of-Wisdom]

@joachim847 yeah thats also a good way 🤔

[@tkshillinz9334]

this guy popcorns

[@Soul-Of-Wisdom]

@@tkshillinz9334 ?

[@samuraiartguy]

Just to be contray, fill up a rice bowl with popcorn and eat the one at a time with chopsticks. Will straight up make you pace yourself!

[@camiloiribarren1450]

I saw this video and saw how much effort she put in each technique and form but I knew the result. I can tell that this TKD is not like the Olympic style, it feels and looks more serious and concentrated. Happy to see you break this down based on your experience.

[@chacquito1862]

It’s the ITF style

[@alpachinko9154]

Looks like a hybrid between WTF and ITF in my opinion Edit: Did not see a single chang hon ryu Tul/Poomsae/Kata/Hyung, so unlikely to be much ITF influence

[@realsocratease]

Putting in an abnormal level of hours and having some martial arts background (boxing counts) you can absolutely progress very quickly. It would be interesting to check back in a month and see how many forms she remembers ;) It's rough seeing the forms with WTF stances, the very short front stance in particular. If she'd like to repeat, I'd love to see her training to get an ITF black belt! Appreciated your analysis as well from a lifelong martial arts perspective.

[@nucklechutz9933]

Good choice, this vod was amazing.

[@DonLee-pv2kq]

Kihap's do indeed add more power as you are drawing in not just voice & strike, but inner Chi into the strike. Michelle making it to Red belt 2nd stripe, just 1 under the Blackbelt in 90 days was amazing. She was well determined & focused. Even if she didn't grab the black belt, she was close. I give her amazing credit to reaching Red belt just under black in 90 days time.

[@christopher-johnbompas9729]

What a thrilling reaction video! I loved every minute. Michelle is an exceptional human being. I could never emulate what she did. At first, I thought it was a stunt to get views, but it was a real journey. Obviously, she came from years of prior experience, an excellent ability to memorise and absorb information, and excellent coordination; nevertheless, her commitment was superhuman. I hope she inspires countless prospective, new, and experienced students for the rest of her days. Wow! For the integrity of the sport, I am happy that they didn't pass her based on sentiment but she has black belt heart.

[@jaimeflor4181]

I failed my 1st degree black belt test and it was pretty disappointing at first, because my friend that I started Taekwondo lessons w/ passed it. Still, it was nice when I did pass. My first board break was a front kick, but it wasn't for a test. I had taken private lessons for my first 2-3 belts. Our master told us to sleep w/ our boards until we broke them w/ a front kick, so we spent an afternoon attempting to break them until we did. My first board break for a test was also a hammer fist. I don't recall hitting my wrist like she did, but her angle looks odd to me. The hammer first & elbow were the easiest for me.

[@AngryLemon19]

THE REAL BLACK BELT WAS THE FRIENDS WE MADE ALONG THE WAY

[@NXG_HQ]

As a lifetime Taekwondo practitioner, this appears to be a hybrid of old kwan, and modern Kukkiwon forms. Also, the sparring is not the Official WT, but rather a more functional based free sparring rule set, more related to self defense.

[@gabriellara1069]

I watch both your's and Michelle's channels very consistently and the part where you say that when you watch her stuff you think to yourself "i gotta start making better videos" pisses me off. On your own way both of you leave me inspired and thinking "thats some good stuff that i just watched" and thats a lot considering i consume youtube content like if i got paid to do so lol. PS: You trying sumo "just for fun" and being now a national US champion really makes me wanna try boxing. Keep inspiring people dude !

[@TheIronMoose]

Seeing Seth in a suit jacket is the least comfortable part of this video

[@DoomGoy88]

And knowing he's wearing a suit jacket and no pants just makes it hilarious 😂

[@JanieMeiser]

I love Benny The Jett, he is such a great man and so much knowledge to take away from. We sat for hours talking, about everything and anything while we sat at the MEGA event in Atlantic City.

[@MrMarcusTKD]

17:39 I just took a black belt test this past November and I can speak from experience, what Sensei Seth said is accurate. You go in with nerves and energy and it tires you out quickly. By the end of belt testing, I was a sweaty mess

[@scottmcrawford]

It's been years since I took my karate black belt test, but that started with 15 - 20 minutes of rolls to get eve lrypne sweaty and exhausted before the testing started.

[@jasonorourke1787]

Me too! Congrats. I took my black belt test in September just gone. I went in so nervous. Practised with some lovely people I didn’t know in London just before our test started. I really enjoyed the test and there was 5 masters and a grandmaster grading us with 3 other instructors too as our grading examiners. So you can imagine the pressure we were under. After patterns, 14 people to spar, 2 on one sparring, breaking and our set combinations we were well and truly exhausted. Most hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. Was so proud when I finished and loved every moment of it. I’m really excited for my second degree exam in a few years. Congratulations on getting your black belt too 😊

[@Stu_Murph]

This woman is amazing. After watching a few of her videos she 100% commits herself to everything she does.

[@sirpibble]

Love how they give the entire plot away in the intro

[@NOxSPLOOSHxPLANE]

All youtube videos do so Sometimes I don't like when they do that lol Same thing when I watch reactors on youtube They will put In the? Beginning of the video of where they are laughing or something so d*** hard It's like I want to wait to see that 😅

[@kamenwaticlients]

yeah its a weird new thing they do these days no attention span

[@Fl4shback]

Well you don't know at this point which test she failed

[@alpachinko9154]

The plot is in the title.....kinda worried you had to see video evidence before realising what the video was about 😅

[@The-Determined-Ninja]

Ngl, I completely dismissed the intro when I first watched it thinking they might just be clips recorded _for_ the intro Lol I only see them for what they are seeing it again, and that _probably_ was the design philosophy the editor had ┐(^～^;)┌

[@lestertan0326]

I think the difference between doing it the traditional way versus the express way is that, even though I stopped training in karate over five years ago after earning my black belt, I still remember the kata and movements. The constant drilling and repetition left such a strong imprint that it’s ingrained in me to react naturally. Well kudos for the effort~osu

[@tatumergo3931]

Doing kata is fine, being able to perform all sorts of techniques is also fine, but at the end of the day is whether you have the confidence to fight anyone and know you will win.....

[@DesCoutinho]

​@@tatumergo3931that's more boxing and mma. The only belt a boxer holds is for winning competitions

[@TheGrapplingYeti]

Coming from grappling background, the testing is interesting to me, i was handed my bjj blue belt on a random thursday and my purple a couple days after i won an advanced tournament. The concept of testing the techniques makes alot of sense, but with the only sports ive earned belts in being based on performance, and all others not having them at all i just find this fascinating.

[@MrCmon113]

Everything to avoid actually fighting. At least breaking boards is more fun and useful than katas.

[@TH3L0LF4C3]

loved every second of this Seth. Thanks for showing Michelle to me. How awesome is she?!

[@theyluvglitch5706]

please do more long form content like this, i’m sure it’s probably not too enjoyable to make considering the length but god it’s amazing

[@ryanwatkins5484]

Thank you for reacting to this amazing woman! She pushes herself 1000% with every challenge!

[@brsnight]

Thanks for doing this, Seth, I really appreciate your comments on her video because your expertise brings light into some aspects that for some of us might not be that clear. I’ve been watching your videos for a while and you too have great content, very entertaining and I’m learning a lot from it, from you and the usual suspects :) who have similar channels. I feel too that Michelle has top content, this video especially seems to be have been done by top quality documentary making people, nothing to envy to the big production companies. Watching it again with you has made me realise how hard this girl works towards her objectives and it really inspires people around the globe. Very cool to see your honest reaction at the end. I felt the same.

[@JonathanKvitky]

Correct. Philip Rhee. He taught me Tae Kwon Do at Jun Chong's dojo in the early 90's. One of the only martial artists who looks less amazing in their movies than they do in real life. He was a fantastic teacher.

[@IRLand713]

Sensei Seth. Thank you for sharing this video. I have been working on my Blue belt in Kajukenbo, 4th belt (not counting white), and it has proven to be very challenging. I have taken a bit of a hiatus while I have been training BJJ but this video inspired me to start working towards that Blue belt again. I see some similarities in her techniques, so that is pretty cool. Thanks again for sharing!

[@IRLand713]

Thank you as well www.youtube.com/@MichelleKhare

[@afadingdream9675]

Why don't you do a test with that power cube to see how strong your attacks are with and without the kiai? Free video idea. You're welcome.

[@Dan_Hill43]

This is a great video I know a lot of people are apprehensive of the time it took her to accelerate through ranks , but her time is pretty equal to others as far as time spent. She already has great athletic abilities so she should be able to accelerate through the ranks. If you’re going to 2 to 3 one hour classes a week it would take a few years. Most people aren’t spending 24/7 to an art. Most people practicing get roughly 100 to 150 hours a year training at a school. A lot of people don’t really practice outside of class. She spent more time in 90 days preparing like this, the only thing she needed longer was to conditioning her hands. It takes time to build the small fractures and recover to harden the hands.

[@gatocles99]

If one is already skilled at another style of martial art, then it is not improbable to be black belt qualified in 90 days or less. There are stories of many masters granting certificates to people who understood their art, in weeks. But again, they were already skilled warriors. Conversely... McDojos like to give many unqualified black belts...

[@TheKoldfusion7]

That was, by far, some of the best KZbin content I've seen in ages. Beautiful! Going to watch her original now.

[@casualliyt7490]

Yes when you scream or exhale while throwing a kick. It dose add power, cause you tightens up your ab which a little bit tighter and harder kicks.

[@manuelzapata1192]

Now I gotta go watch it again on her channel. Great story very captivating.

[@loriherrington9999]

As a martial artist, I’m crying and in awe!! Her fortitude is incredible!!

[@CarlySB]

She is simply dancing about a little bit. She is not a martial artist. Perhaps you are and perhaps you are not.

[@loriherrington9999]

@ I am. But the fact that she put so much effort in and seems to want to continue in the martial arts is awesome. Whether she is a martial artist or not it doesn’t change the fact that her persistence and fortitude is commendable. We should all be pushing like that.

[@The-Determined-Ninja]

@CarlySB Any real martial artist can see the insane improvement in her form at every level, not to mention so many other facets to what's happening here If you know anything about Michelle, or even watch this documentary _for what it is,_ you will know Michelle is a strong (and honestly borderline crazy/obsessive {in a good way}) woman when it comes to these challenges and giving them her all. You can be skeptical all you want, but the fact remains, that reputations are on the line, and she *looks* good by the end of it, they all did incredibly.

[@coachdanhall]

Master Rhee "we need a brick that can't be broken" 😅 I hope she continues and eventually gets it at some point.

[@davefletch3063]

For the breaking, she should have been conditioning her hand from the beginning

[@AidenDombrowski-k7f]

Great video!! Love the longer reactions too. Love the content on both channels! Keep it up man, thank you for all you do in the martial arts!

[@EliVoorhees-jb1fe]

That came outa nowhere 😂😂🤣🤣 31:58

[@fireeaglefitnessmartialart935]

This was cool to watch. The editing with the black belt form was cinematic. The video was emotional to watch.

[@kathryn8462]

i got goosebumps from this video of hers. teary eyed too

[@i.aladdin]

I feel the Kiai holds a similar thing to that test you and Icy Mike did, where swearing helped people fight, the Kiai helps amp you up and exert more, I think it helps connect mind and muscle for better exertion. That would be my rationale at least.

[@theaikidoka]

OK, my opinion is that no matter what any of us think, the people who know the truth behind the video are the Rhees and her training partners. They know what level of skill and effort Michelle showed, day by day. That testing panel had 200+ years combined martial arts experience at world-class level, and several of them thought she deserved it despite the technical failing on the break. It doesn't matter what we think, we didn't train Michelle or award her - their opinion matters. We have no idea how much she will or won't remember down the line, and I really don't care how good you are (or how good you SAY you are). Most of you know that the belt isn't awarded for mastery of a system, it's awarded to a student who has completed the fundamentals and shown they are ready to BEGIN their journey to mastery. Looks to me like Michelle is well on her way to doing that.

[@Shinbusan]

awesome - I was smiling when she broke the first real board. She is so full of positive energy.

[@RealAllain]

Thanks!

[@senseisethreacts]

Thank you!

[@Lord_Ralph]

The kia tenses up the core muscles, and when practised well and done correctly, certainly adds stability and power to the technique.

[@Lord_Ralph]

(and the school where I practised TKD never had purple or orange belts)

[@SKULLKR3W]

the reason taekwondo looks like karate is cause it was based on it

[@keungchris4871]

I think this is a KZbin challenge show, not represent the real one. Her learning style is ATA style taekwondo, which is the style split from the ITF style taekwondo. She is very hard working to learn it within a short period of time, but she doesn't do pretty well compared with the same color belt level students such as forms, theory of power, some taekwondo spirit, etc. After this show, if she really like the Taekwondo, you need to spend more time to learn it from the beginning. In fact, I have a black belt 3rd degree of ITF North Korea Taekwondo, I took near 8 years to earn the black belt 1st degree. And then, I also learn the Kyokushin Karate from white belt after ITF black belt 1st degree, I used over 6 years to get the green strip color belt (level 3). In fact, how long or how quick to get the black belt is not important. The important is what you learn and you get in this learning period. Everyday, I act as the white belt student, I learn each technique and skill set from the beginning. Trying to use the heart to learn it if you are very like the Taekwondo and Karate.

[@TheOrignalCarpe]

Total respect to this ladies dedication and commitment to her project. As someone who has earned the tee shirt, but in a different style, I would make a few comments. I felt on numerous occasions, usually within her sparing bouts, I felt she looked off balance, which removes the ability to correctly transition to your next position, plus it costs power in strikes and kicks. When it came to her breaking with all the respect in the world what was costing her, was she was afraid of hurting herself, probably meaning she hurt herself far more, it seemed evident she was hitting her targets, rather than hitting through them which is essential in breaking. On the 90 day thing I am very sceptical, not because you can't teach the positions and forms in 90 days but because martial arts are a state of mind first and a physical ability second, which is why I was surprised to hear two different people state get angry on their breaks, if my Sensei had heard that you would not even have got the chance to do it, he would have said that anger has no place in martial arts, it is all about control and technique. I still have to admire this young lady though at not only attempting this, but all her remarkable other previous achievements.

[@blakejones409]

The ads are so well timed! Lol. Brilliant vid. I've subbed to you and Michelle just from this 1 vid. And am thinking of re-joining Goju Ryu. I wana break that bloody brick!

[@mrcstravels]

As a Black belt in Tae kwon Do as you said this was put together wonderfully and Michelle is an amazing athlete. She did amazing to get where she did as a Red Belt. I hope she keeps with it she is very close to breaking the brick. i was impressed she took in not just the physical aspects but the philosophy and meaning of Tae Kwon Do. I was curious why they didnt have her do the palm strike earlier as she did in the 2nd attempt for Black belt at the first testing. Her second attempt she had better form and using her weight more if you notice she jumped on the day 110 attempt to focus more power. I really believe with a little more training and just learning to focus which does take time she can get it. I love her attitude even after a failure. Its funny in our class the new students would often ask me " how long does it take to become a Blackbelt" . We would say at least 3 years and if you rush and try real hard 4 years. She learned it is about the journey and being a blackbelt is just the start of a new journey. I was worried they were really thinking about giving her the black belt. Glad they didnt though like the instructor says it would not be fair to others. Plus obstacles make you stronger and push you to overcome them and I think she will. However in todays world many standards are lessened which is a shame glad they stuck to what is required. One other thing as a Black belt you are an instructor. She does have the technique of a Blackbelt but you need to be able to take all you learned and teach others. That does really take more time to do. Again wonderful show I was very impressed.

[@MartialartsfitnessUSA]

I watched her video a few weeks ago, subscribed to her because of this video she did. I had never heard of her but this video was excellent

[@MMarbleroller]

regarding the yell... "Can anybody verify if that is true...?" I thought you had all those gizmos for measuring punching/kicking/striking power. Sounds like a Sensei Seth video topic.

[@tar2i3]

As am watch watching by 11:48 minutes into the video. Kiai definitely give you more power. It makes that adrenaline pump work and puts you in a fight or flight mode. I love your work Seth, definitely gonna watch the video till the end.

[@serrademers6047]

This was great content, though I should have watched Michelle's video first, then come here for your commentary. I loved that you did this even though it was not your norm.

[@chrisblanchard4938]

She is going to get her black belt before her fallowed by your laugh had me cracking up. I watched it twice 😂

[@TheIronMoose]

On the brick break. She didn't have enough time to heal and harden the bone and push through the brick. She also needs to put her whole body into the strike, she isn't dropping her body into the strike.

[@Suchega_Uber]

I am glad I got recommended this so I could watch it again. I loved that video. It's just fun to watch professional athletes do professional athlete shit.

[@daniellinzel1994]

A suit 'suits' you really, really well, Seth! Looks amazing!

[@miqvPL]

I don't have a paper on kiai/kihap but yes it does increase your power, it tenses your midsection improving power transfer from the legs/hips upwards, makes it so less energy is lost along the way in your body so more is output. Not sure about percentage though, you should try it on the punchy measury thingy. Psychologically it also works for power generation depending on your mindset- I let my kihap make me angry for a brief moment, making sure I go forward with the punch without hesitation and not subconciously pull it. Since my kihap is particularily loud I also use it while taking the position in sparring, since it can shock some of the least experienced opponents (during kyokushin sparring)

[@potatosdesktop1084]

People don't realise what a black belt in 90 days means. It is completely insane even with the effort she puts in. For taekwondo, flexibility and strength are so important, and in 90 days it is physically impossible to get to the fitness level as a black belt. She must already have a solid background that would have helped her with her flexibility and strength. Kudos to her as what she did is really impressive. However, her next steps are the ones that she would find difficult. It's the long-term commitment that's the difficult part.

[@stillmattwest]

She's one hell of an athlete. Fitness would not be her problem in any challenge.

[@alexanderren1097]

It took my about 5 years to get to Shodan (1st degree black belt in Shotokan) but that was doing 2-3 training sessions per week, so probably an average of 2-3 hours per week of formal training, I have no idea how much “homework” outside of class time but let’s take 3 hours per week for 5 years comes out to 780 hours total formal training. If we take that and divide by her 90 days, that’s 8.6 hours per day so, it’s not going to be pleasant but definitely doable IF she’s focused, driven, and doesn’t get hurt. Assuming I didn’t flub the math too badly

[@zpaparrow6087]

Hey Seth I know you just did a video with Shintaro Higashi and his judo class but I love if some time you could do something on judo katas I also don’t know if people would love it like I would but all the kata talk and view here made me think about judo kata especially when you said about how karate kata and be a little too “drawn out” which I say the same but my point is judo kata is very quick you simply counter an attack with a throw. Anyways loved this video so far and love this channel man

[@Pawn007can]

Judo katas are interesting because it’s like a dance or synchronized swimming or akido… a good Uke can make you look like a rock star!

[@samuraiartguy]

So honto desu. "Kata" just means "Forms", does not imply "lenghty", while "waza" dennotes and individual technique. Judo Kata being quite short, Self-defense Kata have (or should have!) only a few moves, while things like "Hangetsu" or "Sanchin" can be positively epic.

[@southsider1973]

Louis Martin wrote a book a few years ago called “The True Believers” about escaping a martial arts cult (very good book) In it they did something like that to produce a black belt really quick with the hopes of selling it as a tv series

[@tusccountyjiujitsu]

I agree, the requirements are the requirements, so she failed to break the brick, she failed to earn the Black Belt. If you cater to her then you have to cater to everyone else. Kudos to her for giving it her best effort and congrats to her on the rank that she DID earn.

[@Ullish1989]

Omfg thank you for an epilepsy warning!!!!! Do you have any idea how many fits I've had because of random KZbin videos just smashing me with lights??? Also... big chunk of popcorn at a time

[@Steve-xo5pq]

I've always been curious how epileptic people watch stuff like this. You just risk it? Do you take any precautions? Also nice to see hear from someone who benefits from those warnings. You hear people complain having to sit through those at the beginning of a video game for example. It's good to be reminded of the other side of that!

[@andrewzach1921]

I am glad they decided not to award her. She needs to earn it

[@duschendestroyer]

If you invest 10h a day you can get to 900h in 90 days. If you invest 3h a week you need 6 years to get to this number.

[@mpennn_2144]

Regardless of her breaking the break, I have respect for her!

[@azwolf0429]

The Dove commercials are a third degree black belt after this video. Can’t convince me otherwise 😂

[@thekid7362]

I just went on her instagram and she just finally got the brick, she will totally be a black belt soon and that’s sick

[@buildinsilence]

Not a huge fan of TKD but it makes sense for the challenge bc it’s the fastest black belt you can get.

[@HaroldBluetooth-uz1zz]

Yeah, a legit black belt in BJJ takes 10 to 15 years.

[@jasonooi4246]

The speed at which you can get a black belt depends on the school. For mine that followed WTF, it took about 7 years with 3 times advanced training a week to achieve. Even after achieving black belt, it only still felt like a start to an even bigger picture.

[@definitlynotbenlente7671]

​@@jasonooi4246it also depends on the skill level of the practitioner

[@VikingMale]

It was made before the Korean War as a self defence system that was fast to learn for the general population. It wasn’t mean to be a long winded style, just a quick and easy one.

[@buildinsilence]

@@VikingMale yeah same reason why military grappling is so bad bc it takes 10 years to really get good at it, so it’s really a bunch of spazzy 2 stripe white belts

[@Akira-jd2zr]

Just being at that ending location would inspire me to greatness

[@jayzsphotography6]

Thanks Seth for the great commentary. It was actually the movie "Best of the Best" that got me into TKD.

[@elliott_the_plant_wizard]

From my (brief) experience I think it's Jidokwon taekwondo forms. I'm not a Jidokwon practitioner, I got my 1st-3rd degree black belt in ITF with the Chang Hon form system and have trained in that for almost 10 years. Recently though, I trained at a Jidokwon school and learned the one form shown, Koryo.

[@WolfKingAka]

I’m really glad you looked over this! I thought this was a great watch when I saw it too.

[@OniBoiXD]

It's funny because I always saw black belt as the beginning not the end. I always saw the other belts as warming up to learn. Also I'll eat my popcorn in groups of 3 to 4 pieces😊

[@aviduke]

Never heard of her, 90 minutes of watching and i fully respect her effort.

[@turnttaco7661]

Seth desperately needs to get youtube premium 😂. The dove ads were hilarious tho

[@DrJadedragon]

In the style I practice (Chinese martial arts), we use different breathing and sounds to ”find” and ”engage” different muscle groups, directions within the body and affect a mindset. Even if a ”kiai” itself may or may not add power to your technique, repeatedly engaging your core with a kiai, might give you a solid struktured core When in a technique, perhaps letting you add more power without your strukture breaking (Wich would give a loss in power). But if you look at powerlifters, there might be some connection between certain grunts and shouts, and excertion of strenght.

[@barryhudson4238]

That knife defence side eye you gave was peak comedy!

[@peartree8338]

"Coz no one has gotten a black belt in this short amount of time.." McDojo TKD says "hold my credit card reader." 😂

[@peartree8338]

I'm aware he means from him and his school. I'm also quite aware of the Rhee brothers. Keeping it light while mocking TKD. 😎

[@salve8496]

I trained in Japan for two weeks, 3 times a day, with Shihan Ryu Narushima (KWU Senshi), he said he wanted me to have a year's worth of training experience in two weeks. That's 42 2 hour sessions, which is about the same as a lot of people's yearly training. Most people go only once a week really.

[@kevintse2870]

Ryu Narushima is a legend. That video where he knocked out the big kid?

[@DoubleDOwnage]

Hey Sensei Seth. Surely you and some of your boys can test your theory and figure it out pretty imperically by visiting your local PowerCube and measuring the difference between strikes with Kai-ha and without.

[@bjrnroarbjerke6551]

I recall during the pandemic I got very fascinated by karate, and in particular Wado Ryu karate. "Of course", I contracted Covid-19 and had to spend time in bed. I watched a lot of kata videos, and then got the idea - for fun - of trying to memorize different katas. After 11 days I could recall the moves of all the Pinan katas (1-5), Kushanku, Naihanchi, Seishan, and Chinto. Then to test myself, after I recovered, I visited a renown karate club and joined an open, intermediate kata class. The instructor asked if I was familiar with the Pinan katas, which I "confirmed", before they/we practiced all the Pinan katas as a warmup. Except from messing up one move in the Pinan yondan I managed to get through them all. Afterwards I was asked what I wanted to practice, and I got some personal instruction in the Naihanchi kata. All great fun! (chuckle)

[@gorantomic9514]

In Europe, it takes about 8 years to pass for black. When you train regularly and go to every test. In 3 years, you can't even get half way.