West Seattle's martial arts school and training center, Alki Taekwondo, founded in 1982 by Master Steve Coates, tested 10 of its students for their first black belt May 25. The school has 50 to 60 students and is located in the basement of Alki Congregational Church, across the hall from Alki Kid's Place summer and after school care, 6115 Southwest Hinds St.

We covered an Alki Taekwando demonstration last year when Master Chin Ho Lee came to visit, here:

The first three years the students learn about courage, respect and honor," said Coates, whose daughter Amber, 14, and son, Tim, have earned black belts. Amber is going for her 4th degree black belt and part of her training to get it is to run some of the black belt training.

"They memorize forms and master techniques," Coates continued. "They learn basic self-defense, how to respect yourself, your parents, and how to focus, and be socially OK with other kids..That's a big thing for kids, with ADD, Aspergers disease, things like that. When you see the black belt tests here, their techniques are not going to look like what you'd expect from black belts. As they continue into adult years you see that. We don't push that hard at first, a lot of physical exercise, stretching, marshall technique, not until they get old enough for their joints to handle it. Your growth plates, such as knees and arms, are really hard on you when you're younger."

Coates instructed the kids in his class, some as young as six, on how to stand up to a larger adversary, and to split a board.

"Look through him like he's a pane of glass," he said. "Look for his weaknesses, knees, groin, throat, nose. Usually your own mind is what keeps you from doing things. It creates the barrier. When you see somebody who is big, husky, and strong you see 'that' instead of in reality what you can do to defend yourself against that. it's all that decoration that can really scare you.

"That's why we practice braking a board. Put your mind through it. Don't think about it, don't look at it. Just look once to focus on one point on it. This is called 'intentional mind'. Everything else is gone, thinking about dinner tonight, video games. This is the key in all martial arts, imagine like a daydream that you broke that board. You take a deep breath and get your technique right and go through it, put your body into it. Imagination is everything, whether you're in marketing, sales, priest, or warrior on the battle field, your imagination is what helps your mind become focused, your intent."

For information on Alki Taekwondo and summer specials offered, go to: www.alkitkd.com