It’s nice to get your hands on a new belt after a grading. But in karatedo, the correct attitude toward training should take precedence over merely wishing to get the next grade’s colour belt.
It was good to see then, that it wasn’t just those grading who attended the special lesson with Ohta Sensei. There is also the benefit that staying to watch the exam provides an opportunity to understand what will be expected when it’s your turn to grade.
Ohta Sensei’s lesson itself was engaging and creative, inevitably causing a few people to get caught up in their own limbs! We worked through variations of gohon kumite and key movements from the Heian katas.
The next grading will take place on 18th December. Training regularly now – twice per week, and practising at home every day, will give you a chance of being ready in time. But if you don’t grade then, there will still be a superb lesson for you to attend!
Austin