Finally did it!

[jaypo]

Guys, I haven't posted in a while because I've been training for my Shodan exam. Well, as of Saturday, I am a Shorin Ryu Shodan!!

It was the hardest (total of) 7.5 hours of my life, but every second was worth it. I'll post the story tomorrow.

[Evil Dave]

It's supposed to be one of the hardest times in your life! Now that your done ~ congratulations!!! Welcome to the club.

[sensei8]

Congrats on earning your Shodan...feels good huh?!!

[DWx]

Congrats jaypo

[tallgeese]

'Grats! Nice work!

[blacknebula]

Congratulations!

[Dobbersky]

OSU, my warmest respects and congratulations to you on your Yudansha grading.

I hope you will continue your journey now that you have made the first step

OSU

[Tempest]

Congratulations.

[jaypo]

Thanks for the well wishes, guys! I appreciate it!

So the story. I was told I'd be grading about 3 weeks before the test, and he gave me the breakdown of what I'd be doing. So 2 days before the test, he tells me that I'd be testing Saturday with 1 group, and a smaller group would be testing the day before because his dishi was testing with that group and he needed my help with that test. So we got there at 5:00 and the test lasted almost 4 hours. I did the entire test and kumite at the end. I was exhausted, and I tweaked my surgically repaired knee.

Saturday arrives. I'm exhausted from the "pre test", and my knee hurts (it's still full of fluid even today!) But I got in the zone, and I decided that I was either gonna pass or my body was going to expire!! We did about 2 hours of ippon kumite and bunkai. Then came Katas. I went thru 5 heian's, 5 pinans, 5 of my sensei's forms, 3 naihanchis, and Bassai and Passai Dai. In naihanchi sandan, I did an incorrect move, so I asked to start over. I did it perfectly after. I also did an incorrect block in one of his own forms, so I asked to start over and did it perfectly also.

Then sparring. First, I had to spar 4 on one. It ended when I eliminated everybody. It took longer than it should have, but I did it. Then I had to spar with each student. Although the 1 guy that I guage myself against did better against me than I wanted him to, I dispatched everyone else pretty handily.

Grading time. I was last. My Sensei said that he hasn't given any 10's in years, and he almost always talks for about 15 minutes for each student, but he said "I have no comments, suggestions, or complaints. Just keep everything tight!" And presented me with the rank of Shodan.

Somebody asked me "So now, you can beat anybody up, huh?" My response was that I didn't know anything more than the day before when I was a brown belt. But what I had just accomplished was that all the hard work that I had put in for the few cumulative years of training that I took on finally came together on a near perfect test. I proved to myself that I had the mental fortitude, the physical strength, and the desire to accomplish that goal. And I'm a better man for it!

Thanks again for all of the compliments. It's an honor to finally hold the rank of Shodan!

[Patrick]

Congrats jaypo!