Black Belt Grading

Just over four years of training, 2 hours, twice a week leads to this, 8 minutes in front of four 5th / 6th Dan Taekwondo Masters in a carpeted meeting room at the Doncaster Dome. All that stands before me is a decent 8 minutes and I’ll get my hands on a martial arts black belt.

8 minutes doesn’t sound a lot, and indeed it felt like far less, but with only 8 minutes to play with, there’s no room for errors.

Unfortunately I stuttered in my second pattern, leading to a general warning from the panel that if anyone messes up in the grading pattern (Koryo) they’ll need to start again or risk failing. Gulp. I tell myself it could have been one of the other four gradees, but my jelly legs disagree.

Patterns over and I can breathe again, but only for a second as we’re straight into ‘one step’. I’m the odd one out in a group of five, so I get the fourth dan black belt as my partner. He decides he isn’t going to be helpful to me by refusing to move when he’s supposed and then kicking great lumps out of me during non-contact sparring. I reckon non-contact means something different where he’s from.

As with all my gradings so far, there’s no way of knowing whether you’ve passed or not. You may think you’ve done ok, but a wrong stance here, a bit of contact there and it’s all over. Obviously I’m not too pleased with my performance and with no prior experience, a little apprehensive as to whether I’ll pass or not. All I can do is wait.

As the names are called out, I know where mine appears in the order (26). I count them down, losing the order until a fellow Sunbae trainee collects her’s. If I pass, they’ll call me out. If I don’t they’ll just move on by. I wait …..

And then my name’s called. I’ve passed and have to collect my certificate & belt from the judges.

Four years work, nearly ruined by a self imposed high standards below par 8 minutes, but hey, I’ve passed and that’s all the counts. I can wear the black belt, I’ve succeeded where most fail.

Hopefully this time next year I’ll be going for my second dan, and with this year’s experience behind me, I’ll perform a hell of lot better, believe me. Whoever’s arm will need moving next year will know it’s been moved.