Shotokanplanet.org

This is a log of my journey to Shotokan Karate Shodan and beyond.

Examination day – 6/7/08 – I finally did MY Karate at the exam.

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Today was my Karate examination. I tested for 2nd Kyu and even though I will not know my results until Tuesday, I had the best exam ever.

This was the first time that I was able to do my own Karate. As soon as I stepped out on the floor, everything felt right. I did every movement the best that I could, without the normal nervous pressure that I usually feel at my exams. I went out there and just did “it” for the first time for my eight test in four years. The feeling today was different than any other exam because my mind was not about what could happen or what happened in the past, it was about the moment. Nothing else mattered except what I was doing at that moment in time.

Sensie Cieplik said that once you let it go and just do it, your Karate will be good. I am not sure what my examiners felt but I could not have done any better than I did tonight. My movements felt extremely strong, stronger than ever before and my punches and kicks were connected. I knew that if someone was to walk in front of me, they would not be walking after I hit them. The room almost went dark and I didn’t notice anyone around me for almost the entire test. I was also very happy that I didn’t gas out like I have at exams before. The training, the new diet and dropping 25 pounds of fat over the last five months seems to have made a big difference.

I had Sensei Cieplik as one of my examiners and he was right in front of me while I did all of my kihon. I focused on two crossing lines on the wall just above and behind him. I didn’t want to focus on my examiners and looking at that part of the wall really kept my mind on the task at hand.

I also felt that Pass, keri or fail, I did my absolute best Karate for that moment in time and I will be happy with the result. Going into the exam with this attitude changed me in such a positive way that I am going to try and use the same focus in my training.

Over the last few months, Sensei Noia, Sensei Cieplik, Sensei Plocharczyk and Sensei Gatch have been complementing me on certain movements. There was even one class when Sensei Noia and Sensei Plocharczyk said that I threw the best front punch during Jion that they ever saw me throw. Tonight I went into each movement trying to capture that same mindset and I feel that I succeeded.

I was also very excited and honored having Sensei Cieplik as one of my examiners. I was happy that I was able to show him, at my exam, that I am doing things that he has shared with me over the past two years of taking his class.

I also feel that not worrying about getting that next rank has helped. I still have my goal of getting my black belt one day but when I do, I want to make sure that I truly deserve it where as before I was more worried just about getting it.

I was watching some old video tapes from my past tournaments a couple weeks ago and I am so happy that I can see how I have improved over the last four years. Just seeing and feeling better than before is reward enough and I believe that this marks a turning point in my Karate going forward.

I guess I should also mention that I can hardly walk now because my hips and hamstrings feel like they were rolled over by a bus from squeezing the floor so hard but that’s a small price to pay for how I feel mentally.

Win, loose or draw, this is certainly the exam where I did my best and my own Karate.

Sunday Karate tournament – 5/18/08 – Illinois State Championships.

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We had our state Karate championships today.

My wife and I decided to try our hand against some of the youngsters and entered the 18-34 year old division. It was fun going up against some of the younger crowd and my wife ended up with second place medals in both kata and kihon. I ended with no medals but got a lot of great advice from many of the judges. Needless to say, I have some stuff to work on.

My son also entered both the kata and kihon events and even though he didn’t medal, his kata looked good. This was his first tournament as a brown belt and in the advanced division. The competition certainly is much tougher at that level but I am sure once he gets a little more time under his new belt, he will be bringing home the medals again.

It was a great day overall.

Sunday Karate Tournament – 4/20/08 – No medals for me but fun for all.

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I entered this tournament, even though I shouldn’t of because of my ribs.  Luckily, I didn’t hurt myself too much.

I entered both the kata and kihon events.  I went up against that same group of people as always, which is good, since all of them are great people.  After entering 14 tournaments over the last three and half years, you really start to build friendships with your competitors.  Even though some of us win or loose, we all have respect for each other and no bad will when one or the wins.

I do these tournaments for fun and if I win, that’s great, if I don’t, no big deal.  I used to get really mad when I would not win but now, I just do it support my club and since I am going to be there anyway to watch my son compete, I may as well do it.

For the first time, when I did my kata, I had a smile on my face during most of it.  It was really funny, Sensei Cieplik has often told us to do our kata with a smile and this time, I did both of them with a smile.  It wasn’t a constant smile but it was there during many of the moves.  I didn’t win and I zoned out a few times but it was fun for me and I hope that I can keep the same feeling the next time I compete.

My son did better, he won a forth place medal in kata.  He did Jion and even though he is a 4th Kyu and should be doing Tekki Shodan or Heian Godan, he had his mind set on Jion.  I think he would have placed higher if he would have done Heian Godan but he was happy with his place and so was I and his mom.

Sadly, my wife was not able to compete because of some issues with her back but once she gets over those, I am sure she will be back to her winning self like before.

My wife, son and I also volunteered to help out with the tournament.  We helped in the staging area and had to line up the competitors and take them to their rings when the time came.  Their stagging area is run extremely well and without the hard work of Beth Rechenmacher, it would never be pulled off.  I have a lot more respect for the people that make these tournaments possible and am glad that I was able to be a part of it.  My wife and I also had the chance to help score one of the kumite matches.  It was really interesting to see how it’s done.

Even though, I didn’t win any medals, I think I still won by learning some new stuff.