March 2025 Grading
WOW! What a day...
We got started about 1pm. We couldn't get into our hall until 2 pm. Sensei Michael started their warm ups with runs and push ups and squats and all manner of torture that we call exercise. 😂
He finished it off with a nice 10 minute run. Safe to say the kids were pretty much knackered (that's a technical term) before they started.
At 2pm, we entered the hall giving the students a few minutes to change into their Gi and grab a quick drink. Then, we had a.... warm up. 😮 We got through the warm ups and when we were sure they were nice and warm, the grading began.
We started off with Kihon and ran them through various techniques moving forward and back. Then combinations of those techniques moving forward and back. We led them through Sanchin Kata, then let them show us how good their Jo Chu Ge Kata was.
A few more Kihon techniques and we had ourselves 9 new Yellow belts, with only one not getting their full yellow. That student still did enough to get her Junior Yellow, and at her next grading she will be testing for full yellow belt.
Our brand new yellows got a round of applause from all the parents and senior students, before moving outside for photos etc.
While that was taking place the remainder of students, going for their Orange and Red belts were doing warm ups again. Running on the spot, star jumps, push ups, crunches, and various other things we do as part of our regular warm ups.
Then it was onto more Kihon, but this time we made them work hard. Not only did we speed them up but we also added in combos that they'd never seen before. Next was Kata, starting with Sanchin with no leader. We just counted and watched... Jo Chu Ge done at a faster pace than we normally do it in class. Gekisai Ichi and Geckisai Ni were the kata needed for Yellow belts to go Orange. Then we had some one on one drills like sticky hands and trapping hands. Working against each other as well as Michael and myself.
Now it was their turn to go for photos and we had 4 brand new Orange belts. It was great to see these kids turn it on while under pressure and succeed like they did. Now it was time to give these final 3 Orange belts a really good reason to go home and sleep. Sensei Michael took his time coming back so I ran the warm ups in his absence.
More running on the spot, star jumps, squats, push ups, crunches, and squat kicks... Then came Kihon! Moving back and forth according to the count. Initially moving backward for the "Blocks" and forward for the "Strikes" then we reversed it, so they were "blocking" forward and "striking" moving backward.
Now it's Kata time. Jo Chu Ge, Chu Chu Ge, Ge Ge Ge and Chu Shuto Ge for Kihon, then we moved onto Gekisai Ichi and Gekisai Ni. Following up with Saifa and the first of the Meibuken Kata Tenshi.
After that we got into drills working with each other and with Michael and myself. We pushed them extra hard, then tested their skills against an aggressive attack. Finally, when I was as knackered(there's that technical term again 🤣) as they were we agreed they had done enough. Michael being the machine that he is would have been happy to punish them for another hour, but we had to vacate the hall before the next hirers were due to come in.
And just like that... We had three new Red belts. We have a bucket load of photos over at our gallery if you want to check them out. https://www.meibukangojyuryu.com/gallery#67e80868a13ff