It was double Chop Chop this morning, Kumite and then an hour assisting the Sensei in the biggest karate class of the week. Nice little work out on the basics in Kumite before running a mini competition where I shadowed Stuey’s Refereeing.
Second class was large, and Sensei Sean placed strategic buckets round the Dojo for his brown belts, it promised to be a hard one for the lucky few. The pace was frantic even for the white belts, but the 3rd Kyu and above had lots of lovely burpees in between the drills. Then they started the up and down the dojo, with burpees in between each length, followed by all Kata’s, more hands and legs up and down the hall, more burpees, more kata, more drills, more up and down, then more up and down, then the order to “Pad Up” for a bit of sparring.
It looked tough, but I remember from this time last year the classes leading up the Dan grading. It seems ridiculously hard at the time and very frustrating as its just impossible to please the Sensei, but it is all for a reason.
Train hard, grade easy.
Today I was very thankful it wasnt me being pushed hard but I did remember the same punishment last year with great fondness. It teaches you a lot about yourself when you are almost crawling up and down the hall in front of everyone, dripping in sweat, snot hanging out both nostrils, hardly able to stand let alone keep in proper stance. with Sensei Sean shouting in your ear the whole way like a drill sergeant.
Great effort today by Mia, Josh, Luka, Andy, maintain that attitude and you will be getting a Black Belt for Christmas. Oh and Stirling work today 2nd Dan Nigel Hutchinson.
And after a spot of lunch in the Energyze cafe a face (and a big gut) from the past turned up threatening to come back to training. No one believed him of course
