5th Kyu Here I Come

Look out 5th Kyu here I come. I am getting pumped, psyched, excited about December. Yes Christmas but also Grading is upon me. I am nearing to 100 %. I am at 79% feeling ready. I know I know I said that I was going to wait and decide mid November but after Saturday's Class and the Friday Night Session I feel that I will be ready. Just have a few kinks to iron out and I am good to go.It's great that they hold Friday Night Sessions, they do help. Well it's late and this Karateka needs her sleep so I will close here and say OYASUMINASAI.

To Grade Or Not To Grade

To Grade or Not To Grade
That is the question

Grading is once again coming around again in December. I feel a tad ready and a tad not. Who knows maybe I will feel differently in a week or two. The Gradings are getting tougher and harder. And as we progress Higher in Rank we are heavily scrutinized. Not in a bad way. Just more is expected from us as we Advance.

Some of the Techniques that we do are very alien to me still, have yet to do Pair Works 7/8, have worked on 7 a little in Class but not enough and not on 8 at all. Not that I am complaining. As for my Sparring Skill, that is coming along, sort of, slowly. I still have no idea what I am doing. But I am sure one day it will all click and make sense. As for Kata, Pinan Shodan and Pinan Sandan, I have them down, just need to polish those two up a bit.

I would say that I am about 45% sure of myself with 5th Kyu Grading. 55% unsure about it.

Come back to me in two weeks time, then I'll know for sure. I'll give myself until mid November to make the final decision.

Everybody Was Kung Fu Fighting

I watched a great movie. I know I do not do Kung Fu I just like this Video. The kids are cute. It has a great beat.

6th Kyu The Forgotten Lone Karateka

Life at 6th Kyu is interesting. It's getting a tad harder. But hey I am always up for a challenge. At White Belt each level is recognized by the number of stripes on one's Belt. That is not the case for 6th Kyu. All us Green Belts look the same we cannot be distinguished from one another.

6th Kyu is a challenge at times. It can get a tad overwhelming and down right frustrating at times. I do not mind being shown new things and trying things that will eventually come up for me when I advance a little more into the Green Belt Class. Sometimes I feel a tad in over my head. But like the trooper that I am I dive right in and muddle through the best I can.

Being the lone 6th Kyu in Class is lonely at times and they have no idea what to do with me. And with Pair Works me being the only 6th I either get put with a White Belt and do their stuff or I get placed with a Higher Green Belt and do their stuff. I am not complaining as doing White Belt Pair Works keeps it fresh in my mind and doing the Advance Green Belt things I will eventually be there. Which leaves my Ippon Kumite 7/8 on the back burner for awhile.

Finally this week we are touching on the Renraku Waza in the Saturday Class (which is a shorter class), and I did manage to do No. 7 finally this week. But as for Grading in December I will not be ready. My Kata is the only thing that I can do. Even if I work solid on 5th Kyu Grading Stuff I doubt if I will be ready.

We'll just wait and see.

4 Months @ Green Belt Report

Here I am almost at 4 Months into being a 6th Kyu. How is it going so far?

Well let's see it's definitely harder. More Physical. More demanding. With a touch of confusion thrown into the mix. At this Level and here on out a lot is expected from me. There is a High Level of expectation expected out of me. I only hope I can exceed and live up to it.

I am slowly being introduced to my next Grading and what I will be tested on. As for Kata I will be doing Pinan Shodan again and also Pinan Sandan. Those I do believe that I have down, there could be room for some improvement though. I am slowly getting a handle on my 5th Kyu Grading all it needs is a bit of polish and I am good to go.

One minor problem. I have done Pair Works 9/10 with Higher Green Belts, and I have done 1-4 with White Belts. Now that is all fine and good if I was Grading for those but I am not. I am Grading on Pair Works 7/8.Sometimes I am the forgotten Kyu. I've been shown and have worked on the Pair Works that comes after 10. I do not mind doing White Belt Pair Works to help them learn it and to help me review it and keep it in my head. And doing Higher Advanced Green Belt and Brown Belt stuff is okay. Because I will be at THAT LEVEL SOMEDAY. But today I am at THIS Level and really ought to be working on MY STUFF, the things that I NEED TO KNOW FOR MY NEXT GRADING.

I am the only Adult 6th Kyu in Class. There is Ian but he does the Parent Class. It's so lonely at 6th Kyu sometimes.

How I Found Karate?

My Karate Story

It all started two years ago. When for my Birthday my family gave me the YMCA Membership. I wanted to get back into shape and do something active. I started swimming and working out in the weight room. One day I was reading the notices on the Bulletin Board in the Change Room when I saw the Poster for the Women's Self Defense Course being taught by Sensei Alex and the Female Karate Students. I tried it out. It is there that I met Heather. I enjoyed the Self Defense Class. I fired question after question at Heather about Karate and Sensei Alex talked to us about the Karate Program. My interest in Karate started right then and there. I would swing by at night, walk up the stairs and peer through the small window of the Gym Doors watching The Karate Class in action. My interest in the Art started to grow and grow.

I had mixed feelings about my ability to do Karate. I always wanted to do a Martial Art but felt that it was only for Kids and only guys do it. While looking through the window I saw the males out number the females. I ran the Pro and Cons of doing it over and over in my mind.

February 2008 is when I decided to join. I walked up the stairs, all set to try it out but stopped. My fears and shyness kicked in and I talked myself out of doing it. I kicked myself all the way home for chickening out. Then the next Karate Class rolled around and I was all pumped and ready to try it again. Again my nerves kicked in and lost my nerve. I stood in the hall, peering through the small window watching the Class. Again I talked myself right out of trying the Class out.

February 28, 2008. I remember that day well. It was a Thursday. I arrived at the YMCA early and did my usual Weight Room Workout. I kept my eye on the Clock. The time was 7:30PM when I walked up the stairs and waited for 7:45PM and for the start of the Adult Karate Class to begin. I was bound and determined not to chicken out this time. I stood waiting as my anxiousness, shyness, and fears came flying at me. I tried to hold on and keep these feelings from over powering me, I almost did let them take me. I started to make my way down the stairs, only I could not make it down. As all these Adults in Karate Gi began climbing the stairs. I was trapped. I took that as a sign. Swallowing all my fears I took a deep breath and marched myself inside the gym. I found a corner and stood there, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible. I was approached by Charlotte who smiled at me, greeted me and told me to just follow along as best as I could.

I stood there near the crowd, my fears, shyness, and anxiety were hard to keep in control. I started to look for my escape, the EXIT SIGN. Too late as a tall slender Asian man approached the group, clapping his hands saying "Warm Ups". He noticed me and approached me, smiled at me and told me his name was Sempai Harvey. Then he asked me, "Is this your first day? Try and follow along the best you can."

After the Warm Ups came the Bowing Procedure. I just followed along and copied what others were doing. I stood in the back row among other non Karate Gi wearers. Sensei Alex was not there. The Class were divided into Groups. I stood there with the other Beginners, trying to keep a handle on my anxiety. Sempai Harvey approached us and took us over to the corner of the Gym and began teaching us. I felt a calm come over me as I began to settle and relax. Within minutes my passion for Wado Ryu began to grow.

Here I am 18 months later. A 6th Kyu, First Green Belt. My passion for Wado Ryu is still as strong as ever. Our Dojo is a very positive and happy place. It's a nurturing environment, where the Higher Belts look after the Lower Belts. It's a fun place to be. My fellow Karateka are all terrific people.

I've participated in one Kigami Biraki Class, and two Shiomitsu Sensei Clinics. I train very hard, practice at home, and I see my Techniques improving with every Class. I am glad that I did not allow my fears, nerves, and anxiety over power me.

Today's Basic Class

Today's Karate Class was all about "The Basics". Sempai Victor drilled us hard today, and corrected us like a fiend. We began Class at 2:20PM and went hard until 3:30. We started with the normal routine of Basic Punches from various stances, Jigo Tai, going up and down with punches, then doing the kicks. And then we worked on Kata. Pinan Nidan and Pinan Shodan. It's in preparation for Shiomitsu Sensei Clinic next weekend.

It was a good class. I enjoy doing the Basics. But I do need to improve my Cardio.