What has been the biggest challenge at graduation? Right now it is actually putting words to the process. 🙂
My journey towards graduation to 2nd kyu started in the autumn. Yes, it actually started a good 9 years ago, when I accompanied my son to karate training for the first time, but let's stay in the present. Jens Hanshi-dai asked in the autumn if I was prepared to work towards graduation to 2nd kyu for the summer meeting 2023. I was in doubt as to whether I was ready, because I was actually still a little mentally tired after graduation just before the summer vacation . But I signed up for the gross team. If nothing else, I could enjoy that the gross registration meant extra focused training on the black and brown belt training with Kimu Sensei.
The autumn passed with usual training and some weekend training with the black and brown belts. And the level of training has been really high this year - we have trained many of the exercises we "usually", but we have added a lot of details. For me it has been like opening the door to a whole new world, and in many ways I have felt that I have started a bit from scratch. It has been the classic – the more you know, the more you know you DON'T know – or “can” in this case.
And as the season progressed, the table "caught up". Now I had signed up for graduation, and then I had better take it seriously. For me, the physical demands always feel the most difficult; high fitness level and a KataFIT with many more push-ups than my (flabby) arms like. The push-ups have therefore been on a daily to-do list for most of the season. And for once, I've had relatively peace of mind in relation to the fact that I should probably manage the KataFIT 10, which is the requirement for the 2nd kyu.
More difficult was the fitness requirement. It shouldn't be something you have to train for - we already train. But I can reveal that my fitness level is basically not high, so I had to train! And the first months of the year went well. But then one after another hit "good reason" and poor excuse for not getting much training on the exercise bike. And suddenly it started to look really difficult. I've had quite a few days in the gym where I've almost tried to talk myself out of the project. "Then it's not more important to pass that graduation...". I really considered throwing in the towel, but luckily self-pity didn't get the better of me and I managed to use the gym membership just enough to pass the fitness test as well.
But KataFIT and fitness tests are the easy tests according to Kimu Sensei. And when you dive into the tests, it's absolutely true. KataFIT and fitness tests are relatively objective requirements. You can train yourself and implement - it is measurable. The other tests are more abstract – it's about attitude and endurance, and that has been at play all year.
As I said, I have been challenged by the much higher nieau we were presented with this year. It has become really difficult to do even seemingly simple things. I myself think that I have improved significantly, and I have had a lot of great days. But I also feel that I have become "worse" - or to put it another way; At least I can see many more points of improvement in what I do.
And that's really what the status is for me now. Of course, the graduation to 2nd kyu has been passed - and I'm really proud of that - but it's also just a step on the way forward. And so I'm actually on my way to answer a question I got very shortly after the summer meeting ended: Are you ready for another graduation next year? …. Right now I'm still tired, but I'd like to continue the development anyway. 🙂
And then I haven't written at all about how difficult I've had it all year with the idea that I might have to do freestyle in connection with graduation. Fortunately, I escaped that this time, but then there is a little more to think about in the run-up to the next graduation....!
