Nidan test

 Martial Arts, testing  No Responses »
Mar 192010
 

On February 28th, 2010, I took the test to become a second-degree black belt.

Here is a summary of what I had to do, besides the calisthenics:

  • All my empty-hand forms, opposite side. There are eight of them. This meant that if the first step was with the left foot, I had to do it with the right foot. I suppose you could also call that ‘mirror’. The names are : seisan, seiuchin, naihanchi, wonsu, chinto, kusanku, sunsu, and sanchin. I admit we did not do sanchin opposite side, but that’s not too surprising. It’s not a complex form, but there’s nothing to be gained from being able to do it regular and opposite side.
  • My first weapon form, opposite side. This is a bo (long staff) form. The name is tokumine no kun.
  • My third weapon form. This is a bo form. The name is urashi bo (sometimes called urashi no kun).
  • My fourth weapon form. This is a sai form. the name is chatan yara no sai.
  • The fifth weapon form. Note that I said “The” and not “My” … Because I hadn’t learned it. I was told to stay with the group and keep up. I did. That is my proud moment. :) It is a tonfa form. The name is hamahiga no tonfa.
  • Self-defense, including bunkai (analysis) from the various empty-hand forms.
  • Knife defenses
  • Sparring. This was actually rather fun, about thirty people in line and we (everyone testing for nidan) fought them one after another.

It was tough, but it was mostly a mind exercise. I must admit not remembering any thoughts or feelings during the test; I heard the instructions and executed them, and waited for the next instructions.

I passed.

Phew.

Alright, let’s work towards the next steps.

Teaching kusanku to sankyu

 Martial Arts, teaching  No Responses »
Mar 112010
 

Last night, after some kicking drills and sparring, sensei entrusted the adult class to me and told us to work on kusanku. The ‘adult class’ yesterday consisted of three sankyu.
I looked at the clock, rubbed my hands together and said “Alright everyone, we have twenty-five minutes’ worth of kusanku. Let me know if you have questions or doubts.”
When we had finished walking through it, I looked at the clock. I’d spent twenty minutes on the form, and they all looked happy. I don’t think I really stood still for more than a few seconds at a time during those twenty minutes.
It reminded me of the first time I led the adult class, and I spent twenty-five minutes on seisan kata. I distinctly remember that it did not go quite as smoothly. It is usually hard to convince ranks under shodan that seisan is a very important, subtle kata, full of knowledge to be examined ;-) It’s a realization they must come to by themselves.

My favorite moment of those twenty minutes (besides the part where they all had a big smile, at the end), was one of the signature kusanku moves (koza dachi, right hand shuto to the throat, left hand behind your head like in seiuchin). I knelt by each one, adjusted the position of their rear foot with my hands, then stood up and watched their faces light up as the lesson sank in – in the proper stance, the legs and hips are looser, and thus the hips can turn more and still be more comfortable!

I _like_ teaching.