I participated in the rank test today and was awarded 1st kyu. All of the immediate feedback was positive, the various seniors all felt I was well within the rank and tested very well.
Tag: test
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Sal, Sabrina and I traveled to the Half Moon Bay dojo today and I had my 20 minutes non-stop battle with six opponents (Sabrina, Beth, Sal, Vea, Blight, and Gad). Risa logged and a friend of Blight recorded the video. By initial tally, there were just short of 250 opponents, with my win ratio about 20%. It was exhausting, but I stuck to my preferred two handed sword. Truly the worst part was simply being unable to hold my arms out or make an effective and timely swing, the rest of my body was more or less able to continue.
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Special session with Jeremiah Sensei, who was on travel in California and came to visit us. Hiroko, Ivan and myself were in attendance. Some others were invited, but none made it. We reviewed Standing Iai 1 – 8, One Steps 1 – 10, Free Fighting 1 – 2, and he instructed on Free Fighting 3 – 5 and the Jo Staff Kata, as well as the partner drills. At the end of the session, he granted Ivan his Green Belt rank, and surprised Hiroko and I with a rank of Brown Belt.
Partner Drills are a scenario based set of progressional attacks and counters. First the two partners determine the setting (against a wall or cliff, low ceilings, beach, etc), then they start with (step 1) a single (unblocked) technique, (step 2) an attack with evasion, (step 3) and attack with evasion and second attack, (step 4) an attack with evasion, and a second attack with a preemptive counter, and (step 5) an attack with evasion, followed by the start of a second attack with an attempt at preemptive counter that is its self blocked or preempted and a successful attack completed.
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This evening I tested for and earned the rank of Red Rope with the Western Circle of Swordfighters. Upon receiving my new rank, I requested the right to start my own WCoS dojo in Redding and was granted a limited Kaidenship to train a maximum of five students up to the rank of White Rope.
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GREEN BELT TEST
Tonight was my test for the rank of Green Belt, the first rank in the Myo Sim Kendo organization that I train with. The requirements that we went through were; kneeling iai one through five, standing iai one through three, fighting techniques one through six and the shooting star technique, plus a verbal test of our knowledge of the Japanese terms for different parts of the katana and saya. The test was taped for further review by Master Shaw, however Black Sensei granted me the rank of Green Belt upon completion of the test.
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SKA Rank Test today. There were quite a few non-regulars present. I was awarded my next rank for my training efforts. Having been 4th kyu, I am now 3rd kyu, making me a brown belt in the SKA organization. I am happy and honored that my seniors have seen fit to grant me this rank. In commenting on my new rank, they mentioned that I am now of a rank that I may assist with the instruction. However that also means that I need to ensure my techniques follow the SKA tenents, rather than those of my previous (PCKD) organization. I understand this, and I will train to do this as best I can. To be certain, I will always question and seek the purest, most effective methodology, but at the same time, when in an instructional position with the SKA, I will do my utmost to teach withing the SKA confines.
Regarding teaching on a more general note, I have always been pleased to be in a position to pass on skills and knowledge to others. I look forward to these new opportunities.
I will be editing this with additional notes from the feedback regarding my test once/if I receive the grading sheet.