Black Belt World, Inc.

09/15/2026

It is our great pleasure to introduce Grandmaster Mike Nelsen, who has lived Taekwondo as a true way of life for more than 50 years.

Through many stages of his professional life—including serving as a middle school mathematics teacher and working in information technology with the U.S. Postal Service in the Raleigh area—Taekwondo has always remained an important part of his life.

At 76, GM Nelsen is still active, healthy, and continues to share his knowledge and experience with students at GTTF Black Belt World. More than teaching techniques, he helps guide our students to become disciplined, responsible, and valuable members of society.

We feel fortunate simply to have GM Nelsen beside us. His experience, wisdom, and lifelong dedication are truly invaluable.

Black Belt World is proud to have dedicated leaders like Grandmaster Mike Nelsen who continue to lead by example and inspire the next generation.

09/15/2026

We are currently repainting the exterior of our dojang. Since we are keeping the same color, the change may not be very noticeable, but I believe it will give our B*W members a fresh and renewed feeling when they come to the dojang.

09/13/2026

09/12/2026

Black Belt World is proud to have many outstanding leaders, and today, we are pleased to introduce Master Casey Oakley.

Master Casey is one of those leaders you can truly depend on—strong, dedicated, and trustworthy. A former U.S. Marine, he brings exceptional strength and discipline to his teaching, with a special talent for intensive training and physical conditioning. At the same time, he is a caring and compassionate teacher who genuinely cares about his students.

What makes his story even more special is that his journey began right here at Black Belt World when he was just eight years old. From a young student to the respected Master he is today, he represents the tradition and spirit of Black Belt World.

We are very proud to have Master Casey Oakley as part of the Black Belt World family and leadership team.

09/12/2026

Congratulations to all of our Black Belt World students who successfully passed today’s Geup promotion test!

We are very proud of your hard work and dedication.

A special thank you to our GTTF Black Belt World instructors for their dedication and hard work in preparing our students for today’s test.

Congratulations to everyone!

09/08/2026

We are proud to introduce Master Hannah Miller, a talented and dynamic second-generation Taekwondo practitioner who has been part of Black Belt World since childhood.
Master Hannah is an outstanding leader who combines strong technical skills with natural leadership ability. Her positive energy, dedication, and ability to connect with students have made her highly respected and popular among students of all ages.
She takes great pride in being a leader at Black Belt World and is deeply committed to helping each student grow, improve, and succeed.
We are very proud to have Master Hannah Miller as one of the exceptional leaders of Black Belt World.

09/06/2026

Meet Master Phillip Miller of Black Belt World

We are proud to introduce Master Phillip Miller, who has been an important part of the Black Belt World family for more than 30 years.

Throughout those many years, Master Phillip has demonstrated a strong sense of commitment and responsibility as a Master and as one of B*W’s respected leaders. He takes great pride in Black Belt World and is deeply dedicated to teaching, guiding, and helping our students grow—not only in Taekwondo, but also in character and confidence.

Master Phillip is here with you five days a week, sharing his experience, leadership, and passion for Taekwondo with our students and families.

We are truly grateful to have Master Phillip as part of the Black Belt World family.

09/06/2026

Hope everyone has a safe and restful Labor Day weekend!

09/05/2026

Is a Vertical Side Kick Really What Poomsae Is About?

Poomsae competition is growing, and that is good for Taekwondo.

But as a Traditional Taekwondo practitioner, there is one trend that I find difficult to understand.

Why are so many Taekwondo practitioners trying so hard to perform a vertical side kick?

A side kick may sometimes need to be high. There may be a need to kick an opponent’s face, or to respond to an opponent who jumps high while attacking.

But that is very different from trying to make the leg almost completely vertical simply because higher is considered better.

When practitioners spend countless hours forcing flexibility, struggling to raise the leg higher and higher, and even risking injury just to achieve a vertical position, I have to ask:

What are we really trying to develop?

A side kick is a martial arts technique.

Its purpose is not to show how far the leg can be raised.

A proper side kick should have accuracy, power, balance, speed, control, and effectiveness.

The height of the kick should be determined by the target and the situation.

It should not become a goal by itself.

When the vertical position becomes more important than power, balance, proper body alignment, and effectiveness, the original meaning of the technique begins to change.

That is what concerns me as a Traditional Taekwondo practitioner.

Poomsae is not gymnastics.

Poomsae is not a flexibility contest.

Poomsae should represent Taekwondo.

Poomsae should demonstrate real Taekwondo technique—its power, precision, balance, control, spirit, and martial purpose.

If the situation requires a high side kick, then the kick should be high.

But if there is no martial purpose behind making the side kick almost vertical, we should seriously ask why so much effort is being put into doing it.

The question is simple:

Are we practicing the side kick as a Taekwondo technique—or simply trying to see how high we can lift the leg?

06/13/2026

Congratulations to those tested today.