Blackbelt party!

The folks at work threw a little office party for me for receiving my black belt. I was totaly taken back and I thank them all for it....the cake was just cool.

Was asked yesterday what I thought about "the black belt". I told them that it weights on you. You are now an example. You are the one they are going to watch. You have to lead. You have big shoes to fill. You must keep your ego in check. In other words it is a lot of work. The darker the belt..the more humble the karateka.

Black Belt!

Well, I got the results of the testing and I passed! Am now officially a Shodan...cool. But seriously this is just the begining. I had someone ask me what I was going to do now that I had my black belt...I said continue learning. A black belt signifies that you have the ability to learn and now are ready to do more work learning the art of karate. It is a life long journey that most folks who start out in karate never even get close to...why? Well if it was easy anybody would do it. It takes many hours of practice and sweat to get there. Would I do it again..yes...that is why I am going to continue.

Congratulations to all the others who tested...we had 3 other for Shodan and 2 for Nidan. Time to get back to the dojo and learn some more good stuff. My next goal...in 2 to 3 years be ready to test for Nidan...got 4 kata to learn and more perfecting of all the rest of the stuff to work on. That may not sound like much for 3 years...but it is.

My wife said I looked like I was concentrating....I was.

Karate is a way of life....seriously

The other week I went to Coral Springs, Fl to the South Atlantic Karate (SAKA) Summer Camp. This was the 38th camp they have held there. We missed having our chief instructor Sensie Takashina there, but Arizona Karate chief instructor Sensei Koyama did a wonderful job as guest instructor for the camp. He emphasized that Karate was not just for defense, but was for life...a way of life.  He pointed out the health benefits of karate, which are numerous...but also the spiritual/mental benefits. The development of a sound mind and body thus can lead to a long healthy life. He challenged us to seek to follow the dojo kun and exercise/physical development of karate to help us maintain ourselves.

-seek perfection of character
-be faithful
-endeavor
-respect others
-refrain from violent behavior

I enjoyed my time at the camp and agree that karate is a lifelong journey. You don't just get a black belt and quit....you continue on training... Sensei Takashina made a comment at a camp I went to several years ago. He said life is like a swan dive...the object of karate is to make it into a glide. Makes sence.

sho dan test...Coral Springs

Well went to Coral Springs for the 38th South Atlantic Karate camp. Sensie Takashina was not there. He is still not feeling well...missed seeing him. Sensie Koyama was there from Arizona. I enjoyed his teaching and we all had a really fun time. Camp lasted Friday thru Sunday. Sunday I tested Sho Dan. I do not know the results of the test yet...but I felt I had a good test. If I passed great...if I didn't then I will go back and test again at the next camp. Either way I have learned a great deal about myself and karate over the last couple of years. I plan to keep it up at any rate....seeking to learn more about myself and the art.

Swim season is apon us.....summer time is here...so between karate, swimming and church..I believe I will be plenty busy.

Well we must wait again....

In Novemeber I posted that I was going to wait to test for black belt till febuary....well i will have to wait again. Sensei is in the hospital and even though he is doing better he probably won't be doing any testing at the febuary camp in Tampa. So I guess I will wait till May and test in Coral Spring. Only disheartening thing is I will miss out annual Memorial day fishing trip...or at least most of it. I will miss my guys...but you got to do what has to be done.

I am confident that all things happen for a reason. There is a reason I am missing this chance to test...I do get to go to the Father Daughter dance with my girl. And if I get to at least go spend one day with my guys...yeah it will be ok. There is a reason....I just don't know what it is yet. But I am confident that all things will work out in the end.

more training....

More training. I decided, after a talk with my Sensi that I would wait till Feb 13 to test for my black belt. So many new things I am learning and fixing...the little things...those are the things that make the difference. Did compete in a tourney while at camp. Got 3rd in kata and 3rd in sparing in my age group. Fun stuff...had fun..learned a lot. Now back to more training. Want to make all my other karate friends proud when I do test...we shall see....

It is friday

Friday is a good thing. I have to work a swim meet tomorrow in Talley. My son is doing a local karate contest at the Y tomorrow...wish I was gonna be there to compete too.
Have been training a good bit...hope to be ready to test for black belt in November. Training is hard. The more you work on things the more you criticise yourself. The more you criticise yourself the more you doubt yourself. But then you have a breakthrough and you feel good about what you are doing. I am stuck at that in between phase right now. Nit picking myself to death I guess. But I am determined NOT to give up.

Wife is still dieting...down 59 pounds.  She hasn't been feeling well last couple of weeks...so she has plataued a little. Hope she can get these last few pounds off soon. Proud of her.