Your first grading!

[BDPulver]

I can go on bout all my rank gradings but the one that will always stay ingrained in my memory is my shodan. was July 89.

there was 4 of us being tested. We had kinda did it the old fashion way. it was a 48 hour test with a guest black belt i think he was a 4th or 5th dan. But it was alot of running, working in the river (stream to you southern boys ) and doing alot of mental activity.

Occassionally being taken to the side by one of the black belts to work on kata and/or kumite.

mental activity was working on the stairs of awareness. started it with us building the foundation (i think the next group filled it in).

After all that was done, we were given each a paper and to write an essay (my sensei was a english teacher still at this time ) and to write what we thought being a black belt ment and if we thought we where ready for it. I even remember saying I had doubts if I was ready for that.

After we were done with that then we grouped together to do a kata together then seperate along with forming a self defense drill with just 2 of us then all 4 of us.

Ceremony with speech from sensei and presented with our belts by the respected black belts that wore them.

that was pretty much it.

[Lupin1]

I was only 8, so I don't remember it all that well, but I remember it a bit. We don't do formal tests at my school, but the instructors watch you every single class to see if you're ready. I knew I was getting close to being ready because I felt I had mastered the white belt material and was feeling good about it. One night I noticed the teachers watching me and whispering to eachother so I kicked it into high gear and started making my movements as hard and sharp as an 8-year-old girl white belt can. Then when we were lining up I was very nervous because I thought maybe I'd be promoted and then the instructor called me up to the front and had my purple belt behind his back. It felt great.

[BDPulver]

Lupin1 that vaguely sounds like how my sensei does promotions.

[perhaps]

Well, yesterday was my first grading and all went well. I'm now officially a yellow belt! Yippi!

It was a little stressful, but there were 5 of us doing the grading, and I think we were all well prepared. There were a few minor thing to work on but overall was good.

I'm also new to this forum and it's interesting because of all the different style input.

Cheers

[Patrick]

Congrats perhaps! Welcome aboard.

Patrick

[Elizabeth]

Congrats Perhaps!

My first grading is on Friday, there's only me and one other white belt (plus all the coloured belts). I'm a little worried because the other white belt is my partner for the bunkai and self-defense techniques and he likes to show off his power, even though sensei has told him he's not supposed to try to pull me over when demonstrating the defense techniques...

[Lupin1]

Congrats Perhaps!

My first grading is on Friday, there's only me and one other white belt (plus all the coloured belts). I'm a little worried because the other white belt is my partner for the bunkai and self-defense techniques and he likes to show off his power, even though sensei has told him he's not supposed to try to pull me over when demonstrating the defense techniques...

That sounds dangerous. A white belt doing techniques at full power while working with another white belt could have some very scary results. You should ask your instructor if maybe he could partner you up with someone with more control and put that guy with a more advanced student until he learns to reign himself in.

[Elizabeth]

He's OK with the punches and kicks, though at white belt level we are still not making contact in most cases so it may be interesting when we ARE supposed to make contact with the kicks. (Actually he's more concerned with me front-kicking HIM incorrectly, which keeps him in check there, lol.)

It's mostly bellowing kiais in my ear (which I can bear) and if he thinks I'm leaning too much in the wrist escape self defense techniques he'll pull my arms forward (or in one case behind me), which then means I can't do the technique as well. But his doing that is what MAKES me lean, and I can't demonstrate the technique properly if he's pinioned my arms. I can still get out doing other things, which I have demonstrated to him, but doing other things won't pass the grading.

We've got two more classes before the grading, and normally I'd ask the white-belt sensei to keep an eye on him, but two new white belts just joined us so he's off with them and the other sensei is prepping everyone for the tests. Maybe I'll try to have a word with that sensei before class tomorrow to make him aware of my concerns.

[Wastelander]

He's OK with the punches and kicks, though at white belt level we are still not making contact in most cases so it may be interesting when we ARE supposed to make contact with the kicks. (Actually he's more concerned with me front-kicking HIM incorrectly, which keeps him in check there, lol.)

It's mostly bellowing kiais in my ear (which I can bear) and if he thinks I'm leaning too much in the wrist escape self defense techniques he'll pull my arms forward (or in one case behind me), which then means I can't do the technique as well. But his doing that is what MAKES me lean, and I can't demonstrate the technique properly if he's pinioned my arms. I can still get out doing other things, which I have demonstrated to him, but doing other things won't pass the grading.

We've got two more classes before the grading, and normally I'd ask the white-belt sensei to keep an eye on him, but two new white belts just joined us so he's off with them and the other sensei is prepping everyone for the tests. Maybe I'll try to have a word with that sensei before class tomorrow to make him aware of my concerns.

I have never practiced your style of karate, but I don't believe I have ever met an instructor who will not pass you on self defenses if you try to do what they taught, fail, and do something else that succeeds. I think you should definitely talk to your instructor about this situation, however, because a white belt trying to show off strength and bellowing kiai is not going to be detrimental to both partners.

As for my first time grading, it was not very interesting. I knew my material, I knew that I knew my material, and I treated the review as if it was a normal class (it was really just everyone lined up as normal performing their material and breaking off into smaller groups when certain students needed to work on something in particular, so it was pretty much like normal class). At the end of it I was double-promoted from white through orange to gold belt in Shuri-Ryu (the orange and gold belts are pretty much in there for the kids, so most adults end up being double-promoted through orange).

My first grading in Judo was a little more nerve-wracking because even though I knew my stuff, I was afraid I would mix up the names or have a partner that was a little too resistant. I ended up mixing up one technique, but after I was sent to another area of the mat to work on it for a while and I was called back up I passed and earned my yellow belt.

My first grading in iaijutsu was one that concerned me quite a bit because it is a very precise art and I was worried about dipping the tip of my sword in kata or stepping to the wrong angles, but I did end up passing and earned the right to wear a hakama (we didn't do belt ranks, we just went from wearing a gi, to a hakama and gi top, to a hakama and keikogi).

[Elizabeth]

I spoke to my sensei last night before class and he was glad that I told him about the deafening kiais and excessive force. He integrated some lessons about both of these things into our class, and also managed to directly address the force issue with my partner without making it look like it was ONLY him that he was talking to. I was really impressed and hopefully the lessons will stick. We have one more practice tomorrow and then testing on Friday.