Second Kyu

My second Kyu test went spectacularly well. I'm wearing by brown belt right now. Dumb, I know, but I have my reasons. The belt is brand new - Yamato Sakura, California S & P, Inc., so it's stiff and slick, and it won't hold a knot.  I heard from someone in my dojo that to make the knot stay tight, wet the belt down, put it on, and tighten it really tight, and then wear it until it's completely dry. I'm giving it a try. My old blue belt was always coming loose during class, and was a constant source of frustration. I really hope this works. This belt is also wider than my old one, but I really like that. It's also more of a light brown, rather than the typical dark. Our Dojo Cho, and regular instructor, said he liked it, because it looked already faded. When the yudansha saw it, they threatened to darken in up by making me sweat it up and stain it.

So, to the test. We tested sixth, fourth, and second kyu this past Saturday (6/30/12). The other tests went by really quickly, then it was time for the second kyu test. I was a little nervous, but not as much as I'd been earlier in the morning. First it was techniques. I made it through all of the 2nd kyu requirements of the U.S.A.F., plus additional techniques required of the Midwest Aikido Center in Chicago, where our chief instructor is primarily based. This is his dojo, but he is still on the MAC board of directors, and teaches classes there two days a week. Next I moved on to jiu waza. I worked with a Nidan and a Shodan. Our instructor, a Godan, called attacks, and I came up with as many techniques as I could think of and work in. There were a few I wanted to do, but couldn't figure out how to make them work, but that's okay. Finally, it was time for randori. I worked with regular dojo members, who are third and fourth kyu. Both do ukemi well, so it was a ton of fun for me. I just kept throwing one into the other, then I'd run around the pile to go after the first to get up, and it would start all over again.

I spoke with our instructor immediately after the tests, as did the other students. He told me I did a great job, and as a second kyu, I had more responsibility, and I would be looked up to more as a senior student. In our dojo, 2nd kyu is pretty senior. Other than our two instructors, we have a shodan, three 2nd kyu as of now, then several third kyu, fourth kyu, and so on, all the way down to "below ranks."

I'll post photos when I get them, but I already saw most of them. The best is of me throwing uke in a koshi-nage. I'm standing up throwing uke, while the photo catches uke parallel to the ground about as high as my waist. It's a very good photo. There may be video as well, but I won't take the time to share that.

I'm thrilled to have achieved and earned this rank. I can't wait to go to class tomorrow wearing my new brown belt. And since I have never been one to blow my own horn, that is not like me at all.