Karate grading today.

I am not testing, but helping. I
am thinking I should go for my
black belt, even if we're not
connected to SKA anymore.

During the pandemic, the association
asked the teachers to vaccinate.
Where I live the number of people
against the mrna shot was pretty
high. My two karate teachers were
part of that cohort. They stepped
out of the association at that
time. Since then, I was supposed
to stay connected to SKA, find
another teacher that would vouch
for my black belt, go to special
training in Vancouver twice a
year, and finally get my black
belt in a couple years.

That was many years ago!

I failed at all of that. I went
once to see a teacher in
Victoria. But I continued to
trained for the black belt,
learning higher level kata.

My cross-training in tai chi and
boxing is also helping my overall
karate technique. Tai chi is
helping with the overall energy
flow and the precision in
movement, while boxing is helping
with overall energy and cardio.

My teacher could grade me for
black belt, but that would be
outside any association, some
sort of honorary black belt.
I guess that's how new karate
school begins though. 

From what I've seen in special
training, where I met a lot of
the higher level, my skill level
is high enough for the first dan
of black belt. There are five dan
level in this association, which
is quite traditional. My teacher
has always trained us above and
beyond the requirements. When
his students would go compete
they would always win, and when
they would go for black belt,
they would always get them.

This morning I though, I should
go for the black belt, even if
it's with my teacher. It would
also give the kids something to go
for, as one of the student is
going for her brown belt today.

I'll probably be around the
region for another year or so, it
would be a nice thing to do
before I leave here. Taking all
the knowledge that my teacher had
to show me, and wrapping it into
a black belt!