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from the April, 2014 issue of Kiai!

Inside the Minds of the New Black Belts

 

By Senpai Janet Lefley
1st Degree Black Belt

Have you ever wondered what goes through the mind of someone about to test for their first degree black belt? Having just tested for Shodan (first degree black belt) myself, I interviewed my fellow Shodan candidates and got an idea. Thank you to Senpai Michele Curley, Senpai Jeff Gore, Senpai Jake Baumstark, Senpai TJ Nakano and Senpai Lauren Schwendimann for sharing their thoughts with me. I asked for their insights into preparing for the test, about the test itself and their thoughts since the test. 

Candidates before the test, left to right: TJ Nakano, Jeff Gore, Lauren Schwendimann,
Jake Baumstark, Michele Curley and Janet Lefley.

I tested with a group of people I had not known well before, but after testing together, I know them all much better. That was one of the surprise benefits of testing – an extra gift that I will always treasure.

Several weeks before the test, we began to meet every Sunday morning during open dojo to practice. Senpai Michele invited everyone to train together. Special thanks to her for pulling us all together. She made everyone feel welcome. Senpai Jeff said it was really neat to have such diversity in our group, because all of us were such different ages and backgrounds, but we meshed well together. Senpai Sayira Khokhar offered to run our practice along with help from Senpai Annie Gregory. 

“Training for the test was the test for me,” said Senpai Jeff. “At first I didn’t want to go to train on Sundays, but Senpai Margarita Saona encouraged me to go. Then Senpai Sayira dropped from heaven. She was our Shodan Miracle! That she wanted to do that every Sunday – amazing! The turning point for me was when she told me that I needed to practice before our meetings on Sunday. So I did and I really got much better. I realized that I wasn’t ready, but that I could be.”

I called our Sundays “Shodan Boot Camp”, because it was difficult. Senpai Sayira tested us with eyes closed every which way, and quizzed us on our Japanese while we all agonizingly held some dachi [stance] or other. We started each workout with half an hour of Tabata conditioning, a form of high intensity interval training. It was hard, but I think we all felt that it was preparing us for the test and we would not have wanted it any other way.

Most of us were nervous leading up to the test. “I was nervous going into the test,” said Senpai Michele. “I had to really work to control my monkey mind leading up to it, especially after I started dialing down my training.”

Preparedness was also a big factor for all of us. “Our weekly Sunday trainings were really grounding,” said Senpai Lauren. “Even if I couldn’t focus on the material during the week, I knew that if nothing else, it let me focus at least at that time.”

“The feeling of being unprepared was the most stressful part,” said Senpai TJ, who had begun practicing Capoeira, a Brazilian martial art, and was not attending karate class as often in the months leading up to the test. “It was a big problem for me. I didn’t realize it until I got the letter asking me to test for Shodan. I knew I needed to train more seriously, so I started coming to more classes and practicing my material. I had to memorize my Japanese.”

The test itself was long and interesting. Everyone in our group stayed in the moment during the test. I think I can speak for us all when I say that it felt like we were a team. All the camaraderie we had built up over the weeks prior to the test made it wonderful to be testing together. We were all rooting for each other and we knew we had support from each other.

Everyone had different challenges and highlights during the test. “During the test, I made the mistake of putting my water across the dojo from where my food was, so I didn’t get food until I was already really loopy,” said Senpai Michele. “So during sparring, at first I was really out of it, but I picked up later. I was very happy at the end of my test. One highlight for me was the amount of family and friends who showed up to support me,” she said. “It was amazing and I felt the love and support of them all.”

Sparring was a challenge for some of us. I was fading towards the end of the sparring section, because I was exhausted. It’s hard to breathe with the mouth guard in, but I added my kiai [yell of spirit] to my sparring rounds. When I did that, I got my breath back. The kiai forces you to breathe. My last few rounds were much more energetic and fun for me.

“In sparring, the people you go up against push you – that’s the goal of the test, to show that you are ready for Shodan,” said Senpai TJ. “I was nervous that I was going to pass out after going through the test, they pushed me so hard during it. But Sei Shihan came up to me when I was having trouble breathing and gave me advice and that helped a lot.”

He also felt the support of his friends and family. “I was just happy that all the people who supported me were there,” he said. “Senpai Nick was there and that was great because he came out and I got to spar him.”

After the test, there was a fabulous potluck feast coordinated by the brown belts. Everyone had different feelings after the test. There were tears that came with the release of tension, gratefulness to their teachers, friends and families, and pride of achievement.

“I was so tired I couldn’t think straight,” said Senpai Jake. “I just wanted to go to bed. But listening to all the other Sensei and Senpai after the test and all their compliments was very heartwarming. The next day came and I was happy and hungry.  Happy it was over and that I’d finally reached this new rank, and happy in the achievement of it.”

I’ve felt more confident in my karate and in my life since the test. I was pushed to my limit and held up. That felt great and it can’t help but change your image of yourself. Many of my fellow Shodans have expressed similar feelings. Senpai Jeff said, “I really feel like a black belt now. I realized that – wow – I’m really doing this. New material is starting but the black belts in black belt class encourage you a lot.” 

“Now that the test is over, we are moving on to the challenges of being black belts and it is exciting.

“It’s back to beginners mind,” said Senpai Michele. “I’m open to all the new material and new opportunities to train. I’m looking forward to it all and excited about the newness.”

“Since the test I have a new form of confidence in karate and outside of the dojo,” said Senpai Jake.

We were all grateful for the opportunity to test, and to our teachers and mentors.

Posing with Sei Shihan Nancy and Jun Shihan Sarah are the new kari shodan.
Front row: Senpai Michele Curley, Senpai Janet Lefley, Senpai Jake Baumstark,
Senpai TJ Nakano. Back row: Senpai Jeff Gore and Senpai Lauren Schwendimann.

I think our test went well in part because we came together as a group and everyone was very supportive. It is good to know that we have the support of our fellow Shodans in the continuing path of karate. It’s like Senpai TJ said. “Everyone looks good in their new black belt. But it also lets me know that I’ve got a lot more going on in my journey of karate and I’m looking forward to that.”