I just came back from my grading and I passed for my green belt (5th Kyu). I had to go without sleep because of my nightshift at McDonalds and the grading started this morning. :bang: Needless to say I was bummed out that I couldn't get some proper rest before the grading, but a bit of willpower pulled me through it. I couldn't find someone to cover for my shift because they kept rescheduling the grading, so I was left with this challenge and I'm happy with myself for not letting it stop me. And so I am now one step closer to my goal, which is the blackbelt. The grading was divided in 5 parts. 1. Kihon tsuki & geri 2. Renraku waza 3. Sanbon kumite 4. Kata 5. Jiyu kumite I had to get an okay in each part from 1-4, otherwise I would have to redo the part I failed in a re-examination. The 5 examiners had nothing to say about my performance in any of the parts, so I accepted it as having done a good job. The lack of sleep caused me some trouble in the first and second parts, because they just call out the Japanese name of the techniques without any explanation. Translating that into movements was pretty difficult, but somehow I pulled it off without having to look to the guys beside me. In fact, they were watching me instead. I planned from the start that I would start to compete in Jiyu Kumite competitions when I got to green belt, but I'm still debating if I want to participate in a Kyokushin tourney or a Wado tourney. I wish to compete in kumite, because I want to learn what I am capable of and to become worthy of the belts I've earned and will earn in the future. I hate the idea of earning my blackbelt without having the fighting skills to back it up. Anyway, for now I am simply happy that I am progressing forward. :love:
Very well done. Green belt was (and still is) a significant milestone in our group as it meant you were an intermediate grade and no longer a novice . Keep it up.
Congratulations! Also, nice job of pushing through and performing up to par with no sleep! I have been there before and I believe that sort of thing is really good for you(on occasion).
Congratulations!!! Now back to train harder for the next. And do that kumite, you are young, you can.
Congrats. I remember when I got to green belt, one of the black belts said to me, "Now we get to hit you."
Well done on your grading, espescially under duress through lack of sleep! Enjoy the 'new' material for your next grade!
Isn't there a Japanese term for exhausting yourself as a sort of rite of passage? Whatever that's called, I think you inadvertently did it. Well done, Zinowor.
Thanks. I feel more of a man because of it, in fact my arms got a little hairier since the grading and my beard is coming along nicely as well. I might start doing the gradings this way all the way up to black belt, so I can be proud and hairy like the rest of my family.