Purple Belt Sword Grading - PASSED!

It's been a long time coming too...
Posted by Paul Whitrow, 17th July, 2008 | Permalink | 5 Comments
Images

A purple belt, just like mine :)
I've just got home from my usual 3 hour Wednesday night training session with the Bushido Academy of Martial Arts, and am so happy right now. I passed my first part purple belt in Ken Kai Ryu (our form of Japanese sword), and boy did I have to work at it! It was the hardest grading I have ever had, even more so than the Karate gradings (started doing sword whilst a green belt in Karate), and that is quite a testament.
It consisted of three main parts:
1. Free form bokken sparing with Dohigh Alan who was also grading for purple. It was supposed to demonstrate our skill and restraint, but we went at it a little too hard and broke his bokken. Add to that several injuries, including but not limited to being hit in the left nut, stabbed in the hand, and clubbed on the fingers and it was a pretty rough start. This lasted for an hour and was basically just a warm up.
2. Physical limits test. This took the form of a 60 minute full on battle, no holds barred, no stopping and no breathers, to have done so would be to fail. This was incredibly hard, in fact definitely the hardest physical test I have ever done. Full on aggression, full of strikes and parries, and full of kiais, meaning the tank was completely empty at around the 20 minute mark! It's at this point that you have to dig deep and find out what kind of a person you really are, and how much you want to pass.
3. Demonstration and further bokken matches. After just completing the 60 minute physical marathon, it was outside for the final hour to demonstrate to the Karate boys how sword should be done. But our Sensei had a twist planned, the others would have bokkens too and would be allowed to just come and challenge us at any point, including the high grades and black belts. This part put paid to any energy that may have been left, and any area of the body that hadn't been hurt yet!
But we did it, and we did it well, and we passed, And I couldn't be prouder of either Alan or myself. We have been doing Ken Kai Ryu for a little over a year now, and this fourth belt has been hard earned.
So I sit here now, having just had a cuppa, typing this with shaking hands and fingers that are bleeding and swollen from being hit so often, with feet covered in blisters and so painful I can just about walk, with a back so sore I can barely sit up, and a body so tired and wracked with fatigue that I could sleep for a week... and the biggest god damned smile on my face.

Posted on Thursday 17th July, 2008 at 12:29 am by Paul Whitrow, and filed under Bushido and Martial Arts
Wanna keep up to date? Subscribe to the site feeds.
Browse More Entries
Have your say:
NB: Comments are subject to administration.



Comments about ‘Purple Belt Sword Grading - PASSED!’
18th May 2012, 9:36 am
Buy
coach outlet handbag
with confidence, buy happy, wear comfortable. We privide the highest qualityCoach Store Online
available. Modern however sophisticated, 2012 New Arrivals with its fabulous Op Art prints ensemble emitted by red-colored leather-based trims and handles in elaborate shoulder silhouette, is a luxuriously well preparedCoach Outlet Store Online
to welcome the coming season! Spacious adequate for the stuffs,Coach Outlet Online
has finally been launched in simple color scheme together with simple style available at ourCoach Outlet Store
.TheseCoach Outlet Handbag
are versatile and practical for daily use or travel. Besides, ourcoach handbag outlet
will offer you a large quantity of best performanceCheap Coach Store
with best services.Coach Store Online
gives an impression of high fashion sense, especially when you carry it with fashionable clothing. ThisCoach Outlet Store Online
has captured the hearts of many ladies all over the world. Join the fashion ladies, take action to purchase the genuineCoach Online Store
from ourCoach Outlet Store
. AllCoach Outlet
are highest quality and depend on the quality of durable, exquisite craftsmanship, they establish solid reputation on the consumers worldwide. Besides in ourCoach Store Online
, we offer you various match colors ofCoach Outlet Bags
for you to make the choice. However which color you choose, you will be satisfied with it. People who like the item also interested in other cheapCoach Outlet Online
.15th May 2012, 4:04 am
The trick didn't work for the images in between, since they became translucent. I'll have to see how you did that.
20th July 2008, 9:46 pm
Thanks both. Yep it was hard, but ultimately very rewarding.
20th July 2008, 3:44 pm
So proud of you Paul you have worked so hard..but you will need those hands for nappy changing mind!!!!..Mum
20th July 2008, 12:37 am
Well done, you must be bloody mad.