Update on my Journey to Black Belt

[iceman]

Hi all

From time to time I've posted about my Journey to Black Belt (http://www.mikesalway.com.au/tag/journey-to-black-belt), and a few people seemed interested so I figured it's time to give an update.

We're now just over 2 weeks into our Black Belt Prep Cycle training. The Prep Cycle is a 7-week intensive program structured to push each candidate to their physical and mental limits, culminating in the Black Belt Grading weekend on June 18-19.

I've posted an update on my blog with how the prep cycle is going, and more info about the actual Black Belt Grading weekend and what's in store for us - especially in the sparring. It's not going to be pretty!

You can read it here:
Update After Week 2 of the Black Belt Prep Cycle (http://www.mikesalway.com.au/2010/05/13/update-after-week-2-of-the-black-belt-prep-cycle)

The timing of these amazing clear skies pretty much all throughout May have just been the worst. Going outside at night to do any astronomy is pretty much the last thing on my mind right now. Sleep is all I want! :)

Thanks for reading.

[OneOfOne]

Good luck, I am sure you will do it!

You have already achieved a black belt in imaging ;)

[Dennis]

Best wishes Mike – it looks like the journey is perhaps what it’s all about, with the destination being more like the icing on the cake? They may “break” your ego but I’m sure your spirit will carry you through.

Let us know how you travel and good luck!

Cheers

Dennis

[gary]

Hi Mike,

I meant to ask you how you were going with your Black Belt after you mentioned
you were preparing for it around the time of Coona. Good luck!!

Best Regards

Gary

[iceman]

Thanks for the best wishes, guys.

Only 2 days to go now!

My black belt grading starts on Friday afternoon at 4pm, and goes right through until Saturday at 3pm. Pretty much 24 hours of continuous training - pushing us beyond all boundaries we thought we had.

I've seen my black belt in the dojo too - it's so close I can smell it (http://www.mikesalway.com.au/2010/06/11/one-more-week-to-go-so-close-i-can-smell-it)!

I'm looking forward to getting back to some astronomy once this is all over. It's been a long time. I've also got this thing called IISAC2010 I need to get on top of.

Only 2 days to go!

[xstream]

Good luck for the weekend Mike! :thumbsup:

I'm sure seeing that belt hanging in the Dojo would of had the hairs standing on the back of your neck.

[bloodhound31]

Good luck Mike. I pray it all goes well.

Baz.

[h0ughy]

Who flung Mike?best of luck....

[gary]

Good luck Mike!

Hang in there!

We hope to see you with your Black Belt at Lostock!

[norm]

Good luck Mike, but I don't think you'll need it.:thumbsup:

From a spiritual perspective, how do you feel mentally or know when you are ready, do you feel it's 'your' time now? Have there been moments in doubts, or you felt your techniques were quite there?

(not saying you're not prepared or ready, just curious).

Cheers Norm

[spearo]

Good Luck Mike,

Presumably your Sensei wouldn't have supported your attending if it wasn't felt that you are ready.

I can suggest two things since I'm certain you have all the other training bits down path already.

Keep one thing in mind during the sparring sessions:
"Pain is good...pain is your friend"
the subtle mental humour of it will make it a bit easier to bear. It wont really help much but if they hear you say it out loud you'll get a memorable laugh out of them...

And when you or they think its all over, no matter what your physical condition (I include broken ribs etc here) catch your breath enough to
be heard to say:

"one more round"

I'll tell you something else.... blackbelt are often fearful of brown belts.
Brown belts have a hunger that many BBs have lost and that drive is intimidating to BBs. Brown Belts have also usually reached a peak of physical training and endurance that gives you an edge.

You wont have the experience though of the advanced Black belts but when all is said and done, belts are just long rags that don't mean much
your spirit and journey are what matter.

Better yourself and discover deep untapped resources. The journey is about you not the opponents, there is always someone faster, stronger etc.

Show them your abominable spirit

frank:thumbsup:

[iceman]

Thanks guys, I appreciate your comments.




Thanks Frank and Norm.

You're right - it really is a physical, mental and spiritual journey. The Sensei's and Kyoshi's really are trying to create a black belt that is more than just the physical ability of punches, kicks and blocks.

It's about a black belt attitude, it's about respect, it's about how you conduct yourself outside the dojo and what you take away from martial arts into your every day life - with your family, with your work colleagues.

The black belt grading is our own personal olympics. It's about pushing us through all mental and physical barriers we thought we had, and coming out the other side. Like Frank said, "one more round". It's about showing that budo spirit and never giving up. Whether it's pain, tiredness, mental exhaustion - never giving up and digging deeper to come out the other side.

I'm comfortable with my techniques, I'm comfortable with my self-defence, arnis and kata. I'm confident with my fitness. I'm confident with sparring, having gone in quite a few tournaments over the past 18 months or so, but when it comes to sparring at the black belt grading it's a different beast altogether. It starts at about midnight on Friday night when you're already tired and exhausted from everything else you've had to do. It doesn't matter how good you are - they will throw (fresh) black belt after (fresh) black belt at you until they have broken you.

That's going to be the biggest challenge for the weekend.

Only 24 hours to go now.. At this time tomorrow i'll be part way through my 2nd lap around Adcock Park doing my 5.4km run, before doing 100 pushups, 100 situps and 100 squat kicks.

Argh I can't wait!

[that_guy]

You are gonna be the next Chuck Norris!!! GO get it

[Ric]

All the best for this weekend Mike.

Cheers

[erick]

All the best Mike! :)



Err, I think I'll just watch, thanks. :P

[GTB_an_Owl]

so - did we do it mike ?

hope so

geoff

[Jen]

:clap::clap::clap: according to his facebook page he is very very sore all over :lol:

[iceman]

Yep! I did it!

It is such an amazing experience. Such an amazing feeling of achievement.

I'll have more photos and videos to post this afternoon I hope. The first one below is afterwards, with Shihan Lliam and the second one was from Friday night after my sparring. You can see a bit of the bloody nose, but you can't see the bloody lump on the head in that shot :) Or the swollen bruised left tricep :)

I ran on adrenalin for a whole 24 hours. Now that it's come down, my body is just aching all over. I had a whole body massage at a Chinese massage place yesterday, and it was agony trying to 'relax', especially when he did my hamstrings and calves LOL

I'm so happy though, and so proud of myself. An incredible journey.

I'll post more later.

[wavelandscott]

Congratulations Mike!

[Octane]

Sounds like you had fun! : P

Congratulations!

H

[Robh]

Well done Mike!
Brings back memories.
It's a tough but very satisfying journey.

Congratulations, Rob

[GTB_an_Owl]

well done Mike

now - i hope - we will see more of you at the pony club

geoff

[allan gould]

Well done Mike. An excellent achievement that you rightly should be proud of.

[Ric]

Congratulations Mike, a wonderful lifetime achievement to be proud of.

Cheers

[gary]

Congratulations Mike,

Fantastic to hear you achieved your goal. All the best.

Gary & Mai

[spearo]

Congrats Mike
Well done
frank

[Glenn Dawes]

Hi Mike,

What a great achievement! Although not in that league I recently went through my brown belt grading with GKR. It was a tough barrier to break having gone through 7 scrutinizing viewings before I was even allowed to attempt to grade. Being 53 and taking up karate at the late age of 46 didn't help either (I know what to do but the body doesn't always cooperate). As fate would have it I only got to wear the belt once, for having been training at the same time to be a sensei, I then had to switch to the black and white belt!

Anyway, its something I rarely talk about outside the family, but I'm proud of what I have done, and if I can play my part in helping children get fit and defend themselves I'm happy.

Regards

Glenn

[beren]

:thumbsup: great news Mike, congratulations on a fantastic achievement :)

[girko]

Hi Mike, thats a fantastic achievement:thumbsup:,well done. I have been down the path of the Martial sciences. I achieved my shodan Black in Ju-Jitsu, some time ago,the pain, suffering, and personal sacrifice one has to put one's self through. It will keep you well through your life.

Yours in Budo,girko:fight:

[iceman]

Thanks all - I really appreciate your comments. It means a lot.

Thanks for your story, Glenn. I'm glad you feel comfortable enough to share it here with your extended online family :)
I've competed against quite a few GKR guys at NAS and AKF tournaments over the past 18 months.

It's been almost a week now but I still feel a buzz from it. Some amazing memories.
A few more photos.. hopefully some videos in the next few days.

1. Right at the start, about to do the run
2. After getting a king hit during my last sparring round against Sensei Josh
3. Doing some basics
4. The June 2010 group
5. Attempting to block a body kick during my last sparring round against Sensei Josh. The whole fight was with him at that level of intensity! He was out to DESTROY! :)
6. After receiving the black belt!

[multiweb]

Very well done. :thumbsup:

[Octane]

Mike,

LOL, you're a zombie in the last picture!

And, omg, the sensei looks ferocious in that kick!

Congratulations, once again, what an achievement!

H

[peterl]

Well done Mike!!!
Another achievement in your life.
Congratulations.. :thumbsup:

Peter.