By Elisabet H. Bjarkmann, 1.Kyu Yakami Shinsei-ryu, 1.Dan Kodosoku-kai Gensei-ryu

Getting up to 1 kyu wasn't quite as easy as I thought. It reminded me of when I was up for the physical test for the first time; "Physical test, easily passed, just got on the treadmill and sprinted out", but I have become MUCH wiser! Now I know that it is MEGA hard if you have not prepared well enough.

For the physical test (for 1 kyu) I started running a distance of 5 km. with my mother once a week. It was for the first time in my life that I really understood how hard it is to run. Because running is not just like that. It actually started with my mother giving me rear wheels (which don't really suit me!).

But luckily it got much better with time. But I ended up realizing that once a week wasn't enough, so it was increased to 2 times a week. I have to admit that I really wanted the physical test to be over as soon as possible. I also realized that it wasn't "just" enough to run at your own pace, because on a treadmill you can't just slow down, you have to run at the same pace all the time.

I also had good experience with how important it is to practice before the applicable stop tests. Last time when I had to go up to 2 kyu, I was not optimally prepared for the demanding syllabus test. The result was that I almost caught a cold, as I hadn't planned optimally in the preparations nine months before graduation.

So before the syllabus test (for 1 kyu), I decided to practice kata every day and to approx. 3 times a week practice the katas inside my head just before I go to sleep (mental training). It resulted in many good things and many wonderful experiences that I have never experienced in my life before.

I remember one day when I was practicing Pinan 4, (I think I was about the middle of the kata), also all of a sudden I couldn't remember what comes after what I just did, but then it's like my legs and my arms did it all by themselves. As if my body is in one place and my brain in a completely different place. As if I was independent (mentally) and so was my body (physically). I could stand and look down at myself and see my legs and arms standing and doing the kata all by themselves, and that inside I scream in shock: "What is happening right here?".

It was the most strange and indescribable sensation I have ever experienced. But I think it was because I had become so experienced in that kata and that I had really practiced it so much that my body just knew it. I also experienced it later several times, and I was again and again shocked by it.

But practicing it inside your head is also an experience. I imagined myself standing and doing something on the syllabus. Ex. A shiho. Then I closed my eyes and pretended that I was making it myself. So it's hard to explain, but I wasn't inside myself, I was someone who "observed" what I was doing myself. I didn't do it perfectly every time, I actually made quite a lot of mistakes, which I took with me to the real training and practice training.

When I finally got to the physical test, I had to see if all my training had paid off. When I came I thought I would have to do the test alone (ie without anyone next to me and do the same thing since there were 2 treadmills). To my great joy, it was not this one. Jan was so kind that he had come, not only to try himself out, but also to support the rest of us. I was very happy about that.

When we finally started, my only thought was: Okay. Take this as an experience that probably not many have tried, or will experience this. So relax, make your parents and coach proud, and if you fail, just go through it again. I persisted in those thoughts, and then the 3 bronze Shindenkan circles were quickly gone (Ed. total time 6 min. 54 seconds).

But my biggest fruit was the treadmill. We got 6 min. Break, and I knew that if I didn't get my heart rate down in the 6 minutes, then it would have disastrous consequences. So I found a mat, hurried to lie down, take deep breaths and not talk or anything else that could get my heart rate up again.

I have to admit that the 6 min. Went pretty fast, but I could clearly feel myself relaxing more. Again I told myself the same things: relax, focus and do your best. When I finally got on the treadmill I focused on one particular point and kept at it. Because it is usually the case that the first 2-3 min. you think it's okay to run, and that you can easily do it. When you then get to 5-7 min. you can feel that it is now starting to get tough. When you get to the 8-9 min., you start feeling sorry for yourself and thereby also start making excuses for yourself, that it's too hard and that you can't do more, but when you reach the 10 min. , you think "well, now there are only 2 min. again, I can probably handle that" That's how I felt some of the time, but later I told myself that I should pull myself together, and then the time passed quickly. I ended up increasing the pace on the treadmill myself. I was not exactly proud of my own performance, but also happy that it was over. (Ed. Cooper's test. 2,760 m / 13.8 km/h). Now the Syllabus + tarsk-figthing test was just missing.

I knew deep down that I had prepared well and that I would probably make it, but you never knew what Kimu Sensei might come up with. Still, I looked at the syllabus until the last minute.

As we were going in there I could just feel my heart beating faster and faster. But deep down I thought: Do your best and give everything you have in you! And I gave everything I had in me.

In between, Kimu Sensei tried with a smile to get us the stress and confidence test, which always happens during brown belt tests. He said, for example "Are you giving up? Are you not good enough? Do you even think that what you are doing is good?” It is important to ignore him completely, because if you listen to him first, then things really go wrong. So I ignored him. I did not listen to his words. All I concentrated on was the things we had to do and give myself 100%.

Right up until the end. I also stopped looking at the clock because I knew it would take a long time before we would finish. We were on for 1 hour up in the syllabus and ½ hour up in Task-fighting (freestyle).

I knew I would end up facing an adult because there were no other Jokokidz but me to go up. Therefore, before then, I had carefully planned what it was that I could survive on. My speed. The fact that I was small was also to my advantage. So I had to quickly go in and hit, and go out again, otherwise I would get hit, as the adults hit much harder and are stronger than myself. The task-fighting went well, but as I gave blows myself, I also had to be hit myself, and was therefore somewhat sore afterwards.

I was told I passed with a very good result. I was proud of that and my constant preparations had borne fruit.

I also ended up passing the last stop test: training meet followed by the final graduation. Many were amazed at how I, as a 13-year-old girl (at the time - I turned 14 the day after J), could first go and kick and punch pillows, and give everything I have in me to total exhaustion while 300 people cheer , and just after cooling down 200 people, and clearly not suffering from any kind of nerves.

The answer is simple. I started to become an assistant coach on team 2 (Ballerup) under Jens Kyoshi since the summer of 2008., It has not only helped with the nerves, so that I am not nervous, but also helped me in everyday life to be a good leader, and not afraid to say anything. It has meant a lot to me, not just in my school education, but also in me as a person.

During the entire preparation process, my value set has gone under, among other things, these mottos: The future is created by your actions and not what you say, The optimal result is created by 80 % preparation and hard work, – 20% is talent and luck on the day. I was proud and happy with my result.