Favorite grading that you have ever had?

[sensei8]

My nidan

Wait until your Godan! You'll wish you were a Shodan, again!! I did, wish, that is.

[Nidan Melbourne]

did you have an insanely hard grading for your godan sensei8?

[sensei8]

did you have an insanely hard grading for your godan sensei8?

Oh yeah!! Hardest grading that I ever had. I failed it twice. Godan is a pinnacle test for a karateka. How so? It's the Master level. Therefore, that grading puts one through the paces even more so than any other preceding ranks. When I did pass finally, I barely passed. I was exhausted; I went through a lot of emotional changes when I failed it the first time, as well as when I finally passed it the second time around. It drained me!!

Were the ranks after Godan hard? Yes, but not as grueling as Godan for some reason. However, Greg, our Kancho, said that his Nanadan testing cycle nearly killed him emotionally as well as mentally: Greg passed it the first time out!!

[CredoTe]

My nidan

Wait until your Godan! You'll wish you were a Shodan, again!! I did, wish, that is.

The only reason I didn't say my Sandan is because my two instructors (CI & Ti) graded me in secret over several weeks. So, I didn't perform an excruciating performance test for Sandan in the "traditional" sense of a test. I think my Yondan test in a couple of years will make up for it, though. I don't even want to think of my Godan test...

[sensei8]

My nidan

Wait until your Godan! You'll wish you were a Shodan, again!! I did, wish, that is.

The only reason I didn't say my Sandan is because my two instructors (CI & Ti) graded me in secret over several weeks. So, I didn't perform an excruciating performance test for Sandan in the "traditional" sense of a test. I think my Yondan test in a couple of years will make up for it, though. I don't even want to think of my Godan test...

The beauty about any testing cycle, not just Godan, is that no test is the same, and not all styles of the MA test in the same manner. Some are very hard, while others are easier; that, the level of said test, also varies on the individual as well.

Greg said his Nanadan was his hardest, but for me, it was a walk in the park. Different impressions; same test! I've learned this along time ago, and I've mentioned it here many times...don't worry about any testing cycle because the test will take care of itself. Either you'll pass or you'll fail; do your best, and what happens, happens. It's natural to worry, but once you learn the trick of letting the cycle take care of itself, well, it'll be one less thing to worry about. Beside, you can't control the outcome of said test because you're Sensei/instructor is in charge of that.

Do your best!!