Chapter 58: I think I have had an epiphany moment about my training....

I have finally come to a decision- I have decided to finally try for my 1st Kyu (brown belt).

About a year ago, I really wasn't sure if I was any where near ready to even think about trying for my next grade. But now, I feel I am.

Certainly its been a gradual realisation- For the last two years, I have felt that I had almost platoed in my training. Its been three years since I last graded after all.

I believe that both blue and brown belts in most martial arts with a similar grading system to Aikido are called 'sticky grades', 'sticky' meaning that you stick at these levels for a while. Not a bad thing in my opinion, it should take you years of training to achieve 1st Dan.
No, I think I definitely ready, or as near as I will be at any rate. Training on the whole has been good, lots of things have come together all at the same time, my kata is improving, as is my free practice. So maybe the learning curve is shifting again rather than staying still.

I also feel 'different'. Not sure how to describe it really, more like a new harder shell has developed through consistent training and I could take anything thats thrown at me. I guess thats why I feel ready, ready to learn more at the next stage of training- my next grade.

Chapter 57: How long should you wait to grade? Are you ever truly 'ready'?

I found myself asking this question a few weeks ago when re-newing my PI (Personal Insurance) for the coming year. On the application, it asked me to fill in what grade I was currently at, where and when I graded. I got a bit of a shock when I realised that it was 2008 since I last graded- more or less two years ago.

Eep! That seems a long time ago, and the truth of the matter is I've not entered for the last two gradings because I felt it was too soon, I've moved clubs, changed styles-I just felt I wasn't good enough for 1st Kyu (Brown).

In the last few months, I've felt that I really should bite the bullet, the people I graded with are now one or even two belts higher than me now.
So, how does this make me feel you may ask? Strangely enough, I don't mind people becoming higher belts than me, I just feel that perhaps I'm trying to 'duck' out if you will, like a form of grading procrastination. Oh- and did I also mention that I hate exams/tests?

Or is putting off gradings a form of 'grading procrastination'? Surely if I don't feel ready, then I'm not ready for that next grade? Am I just comparing myself to others too much?

Hmmm-not sure on this point. If I'm honest, probably a mixture of all three! Still, I think in another six months or so I should feel that I'm ready for that next stage. Guess I'll have to wait and see.

Chapter 56: In which the fighting spirit is renewed...

A strange title for a blog post it seems, but here goes.

The last few months have been quite full of both good and sad news in a way. The good news is that I'm now married but the sad news is shortly after I returned from honeymoon, I learned that our Sensi had passed away following a short illness. As you can imagine, this was a difficult time for us all.

We all however, grasped our 'fighting spirit' and decided we all wanted to continue and so have joined a neighbouring aikido club. I'm happy to say we've now settled in and enjoying our new training regime.

The post title of 'fighting spirit' stems from the fact that we as a club could have packed our Gis away and called it a day but none of us felt that Sensi would have pleased with that idea! We've carried on, despite quaking at the knees of the idea of joining another club at first.