July 3, 2009

Black Belt Means Starting All Over

Tonight was my first night back in the dojo since annual training and testing. There was a sea of black belts in attendance. I now know why people say when you get to black belt, then you're really ready to learn. 

We wasted no time getting into black belt kata territory. I spent a lot of time being extremely lost. I kind of felt like a white belt all over again. In addition to several new open hand kata, we also worked a kama kata. For those who don't know what kama are, they kind of look like sickles, you know, those crazy hacking things for fields? Yeah those. 

Experienced black belts often use bladed kama. Hanshi handed me wooden ones and I was grateful. I think I would have taken foam if available. I wasted no time dropping one of them. When you have to swing them around between thumb and pinky finger, it gets a little overwhelming, especially when you're also trying to get your feet and hands in the right location and direction.

Hanshi made a joke and had us all drop our right kama to the floor so we could get it out of our system. Then another black belt dropped his and I felt a little better. It's amazing how much less it bothers you when you drop a weapon when it's not black belt testing.

At the end of the night, we lined up to rei out. It was such a thrill to line up where the yudansha stand, on the side. There are three more of us now and I think I can speak for us when I say we're pretty excited to be there.

Tomorrow morning, I'm meeting one of the other new Shodans who will now be known on BBM as "Tree Trunk." "Tree Trunk" makes working wrist locks especially challenging, which is how he got his name. His wrists are about five times the size of mine and they just don't bend. It's really not fair, but that's another story. We're meeting at an embroidery place to have the kanji put on our gi jackets. Then we'll officially look like we belong in black.

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Posted by on July 3, 2009 in Tales from the dojo | 16 Comments

Comments

16 Comments on Black Belt Means Starting All Over

  1. Lizzie on Fri, 3rd Jul 2009 1:13 pm

    2. Congratulations BBM!!!! How long have you been training since you’ve been a white belt? Which style is this again?

  2. Black Belt Mama on Fri, 3rd Jul 2009 1:38 pm

    3. Hi Lizzie,
     
    Thanks. Ive been training for I believe 5 years now, maybe a bit longer. Style is Okinawan Kenpo and Kobudo.

  3. Mister Robert on Fri, 3rd Jul 2009 9:19 pm

    4. Kobudo has become our obsession- my wife and I. The feel of the weapon as it flows through your hand is amazing- simply put, Kobudo is the essence of innovative warfare.
    My Kobudo consists of the: Bo, Sai, Kama, Tonfa, Nunchaku and the Eku- Which all weapons do you train with and are you ranked in Kobudo? Our Open hand ranking is seperate from our Kobudo ranking.
    Best Regards,
    Robert

  4. Black Belt Mama on Sat, 4th Jul 2009 12:55 am

    5. Hi Robert,
     
    Our open hand is also separate from our kobudo. Being an Okinawan Kenpo practitioner, kobudo is part of what we do, but when we test, we get our ranking in both styles, but separately. For Shodan there are three bo kata, two tunfa, two sai and one nunchaku. Once a black belt, there are kama, tekkos, eku, and nintai bo as well (I hope Im not forgetting any).
     
    And I agree. Theres nothing quite like holding a weapon and knowing what to do with it.

  5. Avitable on Sat, 4th Jul 2009 10:23 am

    6. Such a cool journey for you.

  6. Mister Robert on Sat, 4th Jul 2009 11:30 am

    7. Your affiliated web page lists the Naginata
    (http://www.ikkf.org/article3Q99.html) that is a brutally effective weapon with a great history!
    Kobudo is awesome, it really adds great definition to the Karateka-
    Of all the Kobudo you are skilled in, which is your favorite weapon and or which is your favorite Kata?
    Regards,
    Robert

  7. Black Belt Mama on Sat, 4th Jul 2009 11:36 am

    8. Wow-tough question. I guess if I had to pick one so far, I would say that I like sai the best. The sai katas are really cool and full of interesting bunkai possibilities. My favorite one is Odo No Sai Ichi. I dont know the entire thing well enough to do on my own yet, as its a Nidan level kata, but it has some really wicked moves in it that I just love.

  8. Mister Robert on Sat, 4th Jul 2009 12:25 pm

    9. I know the feeling! I love the Kama Dai Ichi kata that we have in our system. So whicked- the evisorating moves, the throat slashes, the jugular rips, the jabs and diaphram piercing punctures. That is mean.
    I was doing some googling of your style’s Kobudo and Kata- we’re very similar (at least it appears: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seikichi_Odo)in open hand and some of your Suiyoshi Bo kata we do as it adds depth to our traditional Honbo Dojo Shorinkan Bo Kata- our style does inlcude the Sakagawa Dai Ichi and Ni kata’s.
    I hate to sound like a ranting pest, I am just facinated with the variations in the styles and admire the perseverance of other dedicated Karateka. Does your style have a minimum time in Obi before you can be considered for your Nidan? And when you reach your Sondan, do you have dreams of opening your own dojo? I think you would be a very passionate and dedicated Sensei of your own Dojo.
    Best Regards,
    Robet

  9. Kim on Sat, 4th Jul 2009 10:00 pm

    10. I have to tell you how much insight I got out of all of your ACL posts. I had ACL surgery 1 week ago, and stumbled on your site. You have helped me…And BTW, I share your karate fever (have my own studio).

  10. John on Sat, 4th Jul 2009 11:00 pm

    11. “Several” new open-hand kata? You have your work cut out for you. I was lucky, in Isshinryu there are no karate kata taught after shodan, but three kobudo.
    I really liked your breakdown of Choun no kun. Somebody started teaching me that one years ago, but I’ve forgotten it. I just remember it had an interesting intro.
    Let’s see you doing some karate kata! Seisan, Wansu, your style covers those, right? I’d like to check out Okinawa Kenpo’s versions of those.

  11. Black Belt Mama on Sun, 5th Jul 2009 2:09 am

    12. Coming right up John. Ill put those up this week. 😉

  12. Black Belt Mama on Sun, 5th Jul 2009 12:56 pm

    13. Hi Kim, Im glad Ive been able to help you. The first two weeks were really rough for me. Just know that it does get better. ACL recovery seems to make time slow down.

  13. Black Belt Mama on Sun, 5th Jul 2009 1:00 pm

    14. Youre not a pest at all! Once a Shodan, I believe on paper its a two year wait until you can test for your Nidan. As far as having my own dojo, I feel Im nowhere near ready for that and am part of such a special dojo right now that I just wouldnt even think about it at this point.  (Also, not even thinking about the Nidan test. Im just so happy right now to be able to just train for the sake of training.) 😉

  14. Kim on Thu, 9th Jul 2009 4:23 pm

    15. I have spent too much time on my butt, it hurts worse than the ACL. It is two weeks today, and I am already back part time at the dojo doing front desk and making verbal corrections to the students on the floor (much to the chagrin of my sub, I am sure). Something magical happens every time I step into the dojo, and this break has made me appreciate my students, my family, and my life! Reading about your journey was empowering, and provided validation for all the many feelings I have had. I had to postpone my own next rank test which was to occur this fall, but now will be next year. You are right about the patience. And the odd thing is, the rank seems much less important now than before. I have spent a good deal of time wondering about the person whose ACL I received. It is a complex thing, isn’t it?

  15. Kelly Gisonda on Mon, 13th Jul 2009 4:41 pm

    16. I always laugh when I read your blog! I too am a work at home mother with two daughters. I race road bicycles and I am a shodan in Okinawan Goju Ryu. Everytime I read your posts I feel like I too have been there and done that!! I even cracked up when I read pajamas were the new “business casual”. I am also the only one with a blonde ponytail in all the videos and class pictures… one of the main differences between us is that I am forever 39 (ahem 41) years old!!

  16. Black Belt Mama on Mon, 13th Jul 2009 5:20 pm

    17. Yeah, Im glad to hear that. Sometimes I think people stumble in and take me too seriously. Goju Ryu is a tough style! I did a Sanchin session during our annual training with an amazing woman named Carla Molinero (sp?). I was super sore, but I really liked the goju style.

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