Grading

I've posted lots of information about the summer camp below but missed out the grading. Yesterday I was tested for promotion to blue belt. I performed the pattern Yul-gok (not without a wobble in bending stance still) but with snappier kicks and reasonable height I think. Pauline also performed her red belt pattern, very snappy and smart it was. We did some two step and one step sparring and then free sparring and then finished with theory and breaking.

Despite working on my breaking all weekend I failed to brake with either turning kicks and reverse turning kick. I was given the opportunity to choose my technique and broke with a side kick. I chose a hand technique (elbow strike) and broke a green board with that too and then the examining instructor suddenly left the room. He returned with a pile of wooden boards which were brought down onto the top of the breaking horse with a dramatic force that threw out a cloud of wood dust into the faces of the two assisting blackbelts. One board was fitted to the holder and Master Cutler simply said 'reverse turning kick, your choice of leg'. So I lined up and smashed right through it... phew! Three breaks = good result.

The grading examiner was Senior Master Paul Cutler VIII degree.

Blue belt is a time when I'm told that many people give up training. I'm going to put on the breaks and focus on conditioning and technique now and not grading for a while so that everything feels really solid before putting red on the belt.