Karate Testing

Good evening to everyone out there! How are you tonight? I am sore and wiped out, but great!

I woke up at 5:45 this morning so I could wake up Jordan and Aaron to feed the chickens and chicks before we left for karate testing today.

Brown belt clinic started at 8:00, but we had to be there by 7:45. We learned about balancing, unbalancing and off-balancing. We also learned about fixed stance and unfixed stance. Then clinic started at 9:30. We worked on more of the same stuff with the lower colored belts. I got to work with Sommi. She is a very sweet girl from our East Mountain dojo. She is from India and has been adopted into a really nice family. Sommi is such an inspiration for me. Sommi has no arms. She is a very courageous young lady and I truly admire her.

Testing started around 11:10. Aaron was testing for 1st kyu which is a 3rd degree brown belt. I am already 1st kyu, but I earned a B, so I had to retest today to take the B off before I can test for a black belt. Aaron was absolutely amazing! Even Sensei Nagatomo said so!!! I did very well. I made a few mistakes on the some of the basics, but I did very well on kata. My sparring was ok, but I did make one very small mistake (my foot slipped on the flooring when I went to counter-attack). My sparring partner did not spar very well, so it made my sparring very difficult. Like I said, Aaron did fabulously! I bet you can't tell that I am a wee bit proud!!!


I am very proud of myself. It wasn't my best testing, but I am proud that I tried my best. I made quite a few changes to my kata and remembered most of them! I attempted to do more than I thought I could do. I am really beginning to enjoy the process as Sensei Caesar said it. We need to enjoy every minute of what we experience. No matter if we pass or fail, we need to savor the moment and learn from each experience. It used to really bother me if I didn't feel like I did "perfectly". Today was my first testing that I didn't feel bummed about all the mistakes I made. I am learning!

Well, I am going to bed now. I hope I sleep well tonight! Sleep well my friends. God bless!