This week was, what I like to call, "Grading Week". I expected that throughout this week we would be practicing the things relevant to our belt level in order to be ready for Friday when Master Rhee would come to class to grade us all.
On Monday we went over kicking drills whilst the rest of the class focused on 3 step sparring! It was good to be able to remember each step, but very repetitive. Which I guess is the point, to have it drilled in. Even now I can't remember if the attacker steps forwards or back upon finishing.
Wednesday was a short class due to the sporting event 'State of Origin' being broadcast that night. We also had a few new people join in for the lesson and so instead of practicing our belt patterns, we went over basics as well as getting a lot of cardio in.
The day then came, 'Action Day'. Friday the 19th of June.
We were told to be on the floor in full uniform by 6pm.
I arrived to the hall at 4:50pm, anxious, nervous, feeling a little sick in my stomach. At around 5:40, a few people arrived and we went into the hall. Chairs were set up like an arena and everyone started practicing their patterns individually. I felt very hot, very scared (as one usually gets before a grading). I couldn't understand why other people weren't nervous?
My experience with ITF gradings were very formal, all the clubs from the region would gather at one big hall, everyone on their best behaviour. The master's would sit at a table at the front of the room whilst black belts took us through a short warm up. After, we all sat down, and , in groups of 3 or 4 we were called by name to perform our pattern, recall TKD theory and show IMPECCABLE respect and courtesy. This would usually take around 6-7 hours.
The Rhee TKD grading went as such, a few people from other clubs joined us and as a group we warmed up and did individual kicking drills and patterns. At this point Master Rhee and Instructor Greg arrived.
My first impression of Master Rhee was that he was very knowledgeable. He didn't scare me at all, he looked as a master might look, strong and ready to get things going.
We bowed to the flag and to Master Rhee. He started by asking us all to start 3 step sparring, free sparring and then one step sparring (which we hadn't been practicing in any classes). This all went by very quickly.
He then told us all to sit around the "arena" area and called all black belts forward. The black belts free sparred for a long time. Followed by one step sparring too.
Finally Master Rhee called upon brown belt, black stripe, Emily from my class. He asked her if she would like to go for her junior black belt. She accepted and Emily had to break 4 different boards with different techniques. She did this with no trouble but looked nervous. She then had to spar all of the black belts, perform her pattern and show her side kick. After all of this, Master Rhee presented Emily with her black belt.
It was an amazing thing to witness, in ITF usually the red belt, black stripes are sent away somewhere in the country with a MASSIVE group of people for a 3 day harsh, grading. If you can withstand the 3 days and keep up technique you will grade on to black belt.
Emily's grading took 20 minutes. But no less amazing, she is an extraordinary character. She has great spirit and you can tell she has worked very hard to earn her belt. In all honesty I almost cried in happiness for her, she has finally done it, what an achievement! I can't imagine how she must feel and I can't wait for that to be me.
To my surprise Master Rhee didn't call anybody else up to grade. We finished by punching a few times in horse stance bowed to the flag and to Master Rhee, then we all left.
I can understand now why nobody was anxious like I was, it was very laid back, almost like a normal training day. Except the Master of the whole of Rhee TKD was present. But he wasn't intimidating. He just called for respect without asking for it, which was a given.
Nevertheless I am a little disheartened that I wasn't able to show Master Rhee what I could do, or that I could grade at all. I really was looking forward to it.
So now I am unsure if I have to wait for another 'Action Day' to grade or if Instructor Greg will be able to grade us.
I asked a few of the members if anyone has ever doubled graded, meaning skipped a grade. For example if I double graded I would skip green stripe and move straight on to green belt. This is what I was aiming for, in fact I have my old green belt sitting up high in my room as an incentive.
However, the other members tell me that double grading is a rare event. What a shame, I feel very ready, I still remember the pattern for green stripe, Do-san, which is one of my favourite patterns, but then again it wouldn't hurt to learn green stripe over again.
Time will tell.
I hope you enjoyed reading about my 'Grading Week', I will write back next week to catch up on more training.
-Kirstine
On Monday we went over kicking drills whilst the rest of the class focused on 3 step sparring! It was good to be able to remember each step, but very repetitive. Which I guess is the point, to have it drilled in. Even now I can't remember if the attacker steps forwards or back upon finishing.
Wednesday was a short class due to the sporting event 'State of Origin' being broadcast that night. We also had a few new people join in for the lesson and so instead of practicing our belt patterns, we went over basics as well as getting a lot of cardio in.
The day then came, 'Action Day'. Friday the 19th of June.
We were told to be on the floor in full uniform by 6pm.
I arrived to the hall at 4:50pm, anxious, nervous, feeling a little sick in my stomach. At around 5:40, a few people arrived and we went into the hall. Chairs were set up like an arena and everyone started practicing their patterns individually. I felt very hot, very scared (as one usually gets before a grading). I couldn't understand why other people weren't nervous?
My experience with ITF gradings were very formal, all the clubs from the region would gather at one big hall, everyone on their best behaviour. The master's would sit at a table at the front of the room whilst black belts took us through a short warm up. After, we all sat down, and , in groups of 3 or 4 we were called by name to perform our pattern, recall TKD theory and show IMPECCABLE respect and courtesy. This would usually take around 6-7 hours.
The Rhee TKD grading went as such, a few people from other clubs joined us and as a group we warmed up and did individual kicking drills and patterns. At this point Master Rhee and Instructor Greg arrived.
My first impression of Master Rhee was that he was very knowledgeable. He didn't scare me at all, he looked as a master might look, strong and ready to get things going.
He then told us all to sit around the "arena" area and called all black belts forward. The black belts free sparred for a long time. Followed by one step sparring too.
Finally Master Rhee called upon brown belt, black stripe, Emily from my class. He asked her if she would like to go for her junior black belt. She accepted and Emily had to break 4 different boards with different techniques. She did this with no trouble but looked nervous. She then had to spar all of the black belts, perform her pattern and show her side kick. After all of this, Master Rhee presented Emily with her black belt.
It was an amazing thing to witness, in ITF usually the red belt, black stripes are sent away somewhere in the country with a MASSIVE group of people for a 3 day harsh, grading. If you can withstand the 3 days and keep up technique you will grade on to black belt.
Emily's grading took 20 minutes. But no less amazing, she is an extraordinary character. She has great spirit and you can tell she has worked very hard to earn her belt. In all honesty I almost cried in happiness for her, she has finally done it, what an achievement! I can't imagine how she must feel and I can't wait for that to be me.
To my surprise Master Rhee didn't call anybody else up to grade. We finished by punching a few times in horse stance bowed to the flag and to Master Rhee, then we all left.
I can understand now why nobody was anxious like I was, it was very laid back, almost like a normal training day. Except the Master of the whole of Rhee TKD was present. But he wasn't intimidating. He just called for respect without asking for it, which was a given.
Nevertheless I am a little disheartened that I wasn't able to show Master Rhee what I could do, or that I could grade at all. I really was looking forward to it.
So now I am unsure if I have to wait for another 'Action Day' to grade or if Instructor Greg will be able to grade us.
I asked a few of the members if anyone has ever doubled graded, meaning skipped a grade. For example if I double graded I would skip green stripe and move straight on to green belt. This is what I was aiming for, in fact I have my old green belt sitting up high in my room as an incentive.
However, the other members tell me that double grading is a rare event. What a shame, I feel very ready, I still remember the pattern for green stripe, Do-san, which is one of my favourite patterns, but then again it wouldn't hurt to learn green stripe over again.
Time will tell.
I hope you enjoyed reading about my 'Grading Week', I will write back next week to catch up on more training.
-Kirstine
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