I had to share as I'm still buzzing. I've just been awarded my Black belt in Aikido (Iwama / Takemusu style if anyone is interested). I've been training for this for years and I've finally gone and done it. Better start training for 2nd Dan.....
I was about to say 'Well done Stu but I could still kick your arse’ but on further reflection I think I will stick with 'Well done Stu, Sir'
well done, how long have you been training? I was doing white tiger kung-fu for about six years but only got a far as instructor red II.
I've been training a little over 7 years (but had about 18 months out here and there due to injury (lots of bad backs and a torn cartilage in my knee)). I really wanted to get to 1st Dan before I was 40 and I've achieved that (but cutting it close - November this year). Our style of Aikido (Takemusu Iwama) is a hard, but well worth, slog. It's tough on the body and a right mental challenge as there is so much to remember (I don't think that anyone knows how many techniques there are). I'm so chuffed that I managed it. The absolute best bit about the award is that I didn't know that I was grading. I was on a course in Cambridge yesterday with about 30 students of all grades (white belt up to 4th Dan) and the head of the organisation was teaching. I was meant to be grading formally in April, and yesterday's course was a preliminary check by the high grades to show them that I was ready for it. I was used as the Sensei's training dummy and got thrown around like a rag-doll for about 5 hours. At the end of it all he announced to the class that he'd been assessing me and that I deserved a black belt. My gob was well and truly smacked. It couldn't have gone better - as I didn't know that I was being graded I just enjoyed the day and there were no nerves. I'm looking forward to the course in April now to see what it is that I should have been doing
