Thoughts on test day

Test day was last Saturday, and with four different levels of tests, there was a good variety of levels on display. The 10th kyu students were taking their first test and struggled a little with the format, not knowing where to stand, starting the technique before the Sensei's call and things like that. I believe I saw a little frustration flash across the Sensei's face. However, the subsequent tests were much better. The most impressive thing was the level of focus everyone had.

There's a pretty good core of students that has developed over the last 6 months, and while we're mostly still beginners, there's a fair amount of dedication among the group. I hope everyone continues to train as hard as they have been.

My own test, 5th kyu, went pretty well. My kihon dosa (basic movements) felt solid without too many extraneous movements, but afterwards, Sensei did say that I need to be careful about keeping my neck and head in line with my spine and not let it lead when starting the movements. As for the techniques, here's a shakedown of my thoughts:

shomen uchi shomen iriminage I
I learned to keep my striking arm in contact with the uke while entering and move my head past the uke's head after the entry

shomen uchi yonkajo osae II
The initial application of the yonkajo has improved a lot, but I still need to work on getting the uke moving forward on the initial pivot and using that momentum to apply the control.

katatemochi nikajo osae I
After applying the nikajo and bringing the uke down to one knee, rotate the uke's wrist forward and stretch the arm out far enough to give yourself room to step forward and continue the movement. Remember to maintain the lock into the shoulder throughout the technique.

suwariwaza ryotemochi kokyu-ho II
Starting with a strong seiza is really important. When uke applies pressure, move your center underneath the uke's and make them fall forward so that they're leaning on shite for balance.

shomen uchi kotegaeshi osae I & II
For the kotegaeshi ichi, I need work on the footwork for the final step and throw. It seems like I'm running out of space and can't fully step thorough.

But I did pass, so I can relax and just enjoy training for a while. My next test only involves 2 new techniques, but along with those, I'm expected to know all of dai ichi and they'll call out 4 randomly during the test. Sound like fun?

Osu!