Mudansha Celebrations!!

[sensei8]

Before one can earn a Yudansha, one must first earn a plethora's of Mudansha, ones without dan, and for that...

What did you do to celebrate?

My family and I enjoyed many different activities. We'd either go to the beach or to a movie or out to eat or bowling or miniture golfing or hiking or whatever else we loved. One time, for my 3rd kyu, my dad took us all out to Colorado River for a week to water ski and camp, that wasn't really new to us because we went every summer when I was growing up, but...that's when my dad taught me to slalom ski and that was a blast.

Ok...it's your turn....

[bushido_man96]

Back when I lived at home, many times we would go out as a group to eat after testings, often times with the guest judges along. One summer, we had a testing in the local park and did a BBQ afterwards. That was a good time for kids and adults both.

[Shizentai]

Man! All of that sounds like so much fun!!!

When I was a kid, my reward was when my parents would watch me test... well, sometimes. Haha! Actually, once or twice my mom dropped me off and then forgot to pick me up afterwards so my senpai and I waited around for three hours talking about technique. Those were the days.

Though now that I'm an adult, I've made it my tradition to take my kohai out to dinner at the best sushi place in town when they pass.

[MasterPain]

When I was a kid, my reward was when my parents would watch me test...

I wouldn't have wanted my parents at my tests. I have fond memories of beatfests, but my Mommy wouldn't have liked to see them.

[Shizentai]

I wouldn't have wanted my parents at my tests. I have fond memories of beatfests, but my Mommy wouldn't have liked to see them.

This is why mine didn't like showing up actually! I still liked knowing they were there though.

You have to understand, before I started training, my ankles and wrists and knees were in a constant rotation of stability braces. Basic things like stepping off a bus and walking across a street quickly were actions that I sometimes couldn't do without hyperextending and hurting myself. I wanted to show my parents that karate was helping, and that I wasn't their frail daughter that they had to worry about anymore.

When I was a beginner we didn't do free sparing or self defense or randori or anything like that so they came then, but nowadays they just show up to watch kata and then go home. It's probably for the best considering how close I was to being unconscious on the floor on my last test (granted, my last test was as a yudansha not mudansha as the topic suggests).

[Rateh]

I don't remember doing anything special for my color belt tests. My mom did come and watch them, but she watched nearly every class from the time I started at 12 until I turned 18.

[sensei8]

I don't remember doing anything special for my color belt tests. My mom did come and watch them, but she watched nearly every class from the time I started at 12 until I turned 18.

For me, sometimes I was allowed a weeks break in taking from taking the trash out, and for me, that was major. My brother, who's 7 years older than me, hated that, but oh well.

Sometimes, I'd be allowed to stay up an extra hour at bedtime, which, I loved that.

[Jeffrey]

This is such a tough question for me. Through out my life I have accomplished much and celebrated little. My mom used to keep a scrap book of ribbons and awards for various things but it never really meant much to me. After a swim meet or diving competition we would sometimes go out for pizza but I think it was more because we were all hungry. For the first set coloured belts in kempo I was on my own and didn’t really have anyone to celebrate with.

Over the past few years in karate I celebrate the achievements of my kids with a dinner of their choice. They like it and it helps to work hard for next time. I was just awarded my brown belt a couple of weeks ago and a few people came over after class to share a beer and talk about the grading. I enjoyed that but I still rather keep it simple.