Well, I passed my grading. The honbu crew also did the dojo proud and I felt privileged to be able to grade with them. And, as you can see, while I didn’t get away completely unscathed, if I hadn’t come home with a few bruises or a bit of blood I’d have probably been disappointed – little masochistic of me I know.I won’t go into details but I can say that I did learn a couple of things from the nights effort...
1. In martial arts, the genetics of big noses has really done me no favours, and
2. Keep those hands up especially if you find yourself sparring a 4th-Dan.
I suppose beyond that, the pain-numbing power of adrenalin has once again come through and surprised me in the end. Seems like the morning after every grading I wake to embark on a little treasure hunt of discovery - small sprains, cuts and lumps that I could swear weren’t there the night before. If anything it makes you realize that in a real life scenario even if you land one of your strongest punches square in the face of your opponent, this may not be enough to slow them down - which is why it’s important to never stop and to always have a backup plan. Then again, on the flip side, it’s also nice to know that in the thick of it, even if you’re on the receiving end of one of those punches you can end up surprising yourself too.
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Congrats on passing the grading! Handy Tip: One of my previous instructors used to tell me that the most effective detergent to remove blood stains is nappy (diaper) cleaner. :-)
Thanks Riz,
Will have to look up diaper cleaner in Japanese. At the moment the gi's still soaking in some bleach. Hopefully I'll be able to restore it to it's former glory...
Congratulations Krista. Well done!
parabéns.
por teres passado no teu exame, mas principalmente pela coragem que demoonstras numa época muito dificil para todo o mundo em perseguires e concretiares o sonho de viver e estudar o karate goju ryu no seu berço e com o seu representante máximo.
pedro, portugal
parabéns.
por teres passado no teu exame de graduação, mas principalmente, por perseguires e concretizares o sonho de viver e estudar o goju ryu karate do no seu local de origem e directamente com o seu legitimo representante.
és uma mulher de coragem.
pedro
portugal
3ºkyu
I love your blog.
Use Hydrogen Peroxide if you can get some. It breaks down the proteins in the blood and makes cleaning blood easier. - I was a combat medic.
Do that and then use the bleach. If you bleach it first you are basically making the blood white but the blood will still be bound to the cloth.
Don't approve this comment please. Share it if it works though. Love.
@Bujin81 & Victor: Thanks guys.
@Pedro Ferreira: I would love to be able to reply to your posts Pedro but unfortunately I don't speak Spanish. Maybe I'll have to get my friend to translate for me...
My deepest congratulations for passing the dan grade, and all it really means.
By the way, Pedro writes in Portuguese, not un Spanish ; ) but it´s quite simmilar, he says (more or less):
"congratulations for passing of the grade, but mainly for searching and being able to live the dream of living and studying karate do in its place of creation with its legitimate representative. You´re a corageous woman."
Juanlu
www.iogkfmadrid.com
Congratulations! Looks like a fun time, judging by your gi. The physical reminder of what dropping your hands means for your face is often a hard one. There is a certain satisfaction in cataloging the places where you took some punishment, especially if you didn't notice it in the moment. Peroxide works very well to get blood out of gi fabric. Brush some in, sprinkle a little salt over it, let it sit a moment, then rinse with cold water.
I don't speak Portuguese, but it's close enough to Spanish that I can read most of what Pedro said:
"Congratulations in passing your exam, but more importantly, in persevering and realizing your dream to live and study Goju ryu karate do in it's place of origin and with it's legitimate representative. You are a woman with heart."
Hydrogen Peroxide has always worked for blood. I don't know if it'll work if you've already been bleaching it.
@Juanlu: Thank you for your kind words and for the translation of Pedro's comments. Living and training in the multicultural melting pot that is the honbu dojo really makes me aware of my ignorance as a Westerner being able to speak only English and a little Japanese...
@Pedro: Thank you but you flatter me... Being able to live and train with Higaonna Sensei doesn't make me courageous so much as tremendously lucky that life has given me the opportunities it has.
@Randy: Thanks and you're absolutely right about learning lessons the hard way. Though I have to say I don't think it'll be a lesson I'll forget anytime soon ;)
@Randy & Jeff: Thanks for the laundry advice... Wish I'd spoken to you both before throwing my gi the the bathtub with the bleach... still I think most of the stains are out.
Got to love the way dealing with blood stains is an area of home economics in which the men really to excel ;)
my dear lady,
you hurt me with your answer.
i am portuguese, not spanish.
but its ok i forgive you., just because you are a true inspiration to me and to all de goju ryu karate do practioners arround the world who i believe dream with the possiblity to acomplish the things you just had acomplished.
the messesge i sent to you was just a words of praise for your success in passing your grade examination and your unblievel courage to move to naha ando to go training with teh master.
i beg your forgivness for the errors of my english in words and in gramatics.
pedro ferreira
portugal
lisbon
a devoted student of all the things concerning with that beautiful part of the world
Congrats on passing your Dan grade,,It looks as if you certainly are paying your dues. As they say,,if it dosnt kill you it will make you stronger, and it looks as if your going to be a very strong person.
Great picture, great post. And congrats.
Krista,
I have read several of your blogs and cannot believe that you have the audacity to analyze and comment on your superiors as if they are your "friends". They are your teachers and mentors. You are there to learn from them; not pal around with them and write like you interviewed them for a 2 hour documentary that was broadcast on prime time tv. You write in your blogs like you are the only woman to have ever performed karate/martial arts or accomplish the things that are so ordinary. Granted, the things that you've done are good, but nothing that has been done before or that will be done after you. In the world of martial arts and karate, there is a such a thing as humility and trying to improve oneself. Write to loved ones about about your experiences, but "Memoirs of a Grasshopper" blogs is an insult to the true idea and meaning of the karate/martial arts mindset.
Well done!
Your post and photo remind me of a chapter in Dave Lowry's 'Traditions' (Essays on the Japanese Martial Arts and Ways): Chapter 6, I'm sorry... You okay?
"Sumimasen. Daijobu desu ka?"
@Anonymous: I've responded to your comment here.
Krista,
The simple fact that Higaonna Sensei gave approval for you to write is enough to keep writing. Had you not received his permission I could better understand the anonymous post. Your asking Higaonna Sensei shows your humility and concern for your peers. There is merit to the post if you had not received approval. I have trained several times at hombu and enjoy the musings...brings back memories and anxious excitement about my future visits there.
Krista,
Perhaps too late to help you on this occasion, but there is nothing better then using the liquid detergent that is used to clean dishes. Put it on the blood spots (full strength), as soon as possible. Later, when you have a chance to wash you gi, there will be no trace of blood.
Well done on you grade! The blood and bruises come part and parcel with training.
I once heard someone say, referring to blood and bruises
"If it happens every time, the training is not good enough. If it happens never, again, the training is not good enough."