Newest black belt on the block!

[swiftpete]

Hi guys, not been posting here for a couple of months due to a long holiday and a house move. I've got connected internet wise now and last week I got graded so I'm now a black belt. Its took me a few yrs but I'm quite pleased. I went to buy a belt and couldn't stop grinning in the shop which was a bit embarrassing but ah well!

Been quite cool lately because I've found what I always wanted to happen, techniques seem to flow without thinking nowadays which I've fopund quite cool. Had to do some teaching and get a bit of a whacking about in the middle with my instructor and lots of other things on the day, i wasn't told what was happening til i was given the grade at the end of the class, but I had a bit of an idea what was happening about halfway through the lesson. Didn't have time to think about it too much as it was an intense class so it didn't worry me too much. We've just had a few white belts join the class so now they're going to be looking at me like I know what i'm doing next lesson, not sure how i feel about that!

[Carol]

Yaaay!!!!!!

Congrats, Swiftpete!! Excellent job! Don't worry about the white belts...you have the perfect opportunity to remind them that a black belt is not the end of the journey, and that there is always more to learn and new ways to grow. :)

YAAAAAAY TO MT's Newest Black Belt!!!!!

:highfive: :pirate2: :cheers: :-partyon:

[Drac]

Congradulations..Wear it proudly....

[SFC JeffJ]

Congrats! It's a big milestone and you should be proud!

Jeff

[terryl965]

Congrats

[exile]

Swiftpete---great news!!

Now the fun really begins, eh? :-)

[MJS]

Congrats!!:ultracool Keep up the hard work!!!

Mike

[Kacey]

Congratulations!!!! Black belt is where it really starts to get interesting.

[still learning]

Hello, Congrats! Be humble,loyal, and a good person...always help others,especially your classmates.

You now carry a big responsablility and ROLE MODEL...become an excellant one for others to follow.

Growing up means being humble,honest,kind,helpful and lots of patience!

Being mature is self-control of temper and others. As a black belt...your life will change a little....train hard....best wishes here to you....Aloha

[IcemanSK]

Cograts SwiftPete! That's no small accomplishment!:-partyon:

[chris_มวยไทย]

congratulations!!!!!!

[Grenadier]

Congrats, Pete.

Now the real learning begins...

As for there being a boatload of white belts, take this as a great opportunity to improve as a teacher. After all, anyone who can count to 10 can teach the experienced folks, and look pretty darn good at doing it, while it takes a good teaching ability to teach white belts.

[Shinzu]

congrats my friend. i know the feeling!! awesome!! :)


our definition of black belt : Mastery, Dignity, Serenity, & Truth.

it is an honor to have you among us!

[bluemtn]

Congratulations and glad to see you again, swiftpete!

[Brandon Fisher]

Congrats on the promotion!!

[Hand Sword]

http://martialtalk.com/forum/images/icons/icon14.gif

Well Done!

[swiftpete]

Thanks everyone, nice to see so many congrats handed out. I guess everybody can probably remember what it was like when they got theirs. Well the first session with my gleaming new belt is tonight and I'm looking forward to it! Although I'll probably rue those words when I hit the deck for the umpteenth time and see my instructor standing above me without a hair out of place. Oof. In my class as a grading 'present' you're demo dummy for the next class. Usually we take it in turns, tonight the honour of getting pounded, choked, locked and other general painful and unpleasant things is all mine for 2 long hours...ooooh!

[Kenpojujitsu3]

Congrats!

[Ping898]

Good Job! Congratz! :)

[Fuzzy Foot]

Excellent! Always remember what it took to get there and never take it for granted. Intellectually, it is a symbol of accomplishment and the belt itself is unimportant. Emotionally, I never get tired of putting it on.

[Haze]

We've just had a few white belts join the class so now they're going to be looking at me like I know what i'm doing next lesson, not sure how i feel about that!

First, congratulations on recieving your BB. As far as those white belts, your instructor would not have graded you if you did not know what you were doing.

Teaching is a part of learning. The more I get to share with students the more I learn about my own techniques and myself.

Train hard, have fun !!

[searcher]

Congrats. Was the test what you thought it would be?

[HKphooey]

Congrats!!!!!!!

[swiftpete]

Hi searcher, well it wasn't really set aside like a test, it was basically a normal class but i was aware that I was under observation if you know what i mean. In my class we do a fair bit of energy training and we did some of that towards the end of the class for the last half hr, being attacked from behind with your eyes closed and feeling when its coming and where and all that sort of stuff. I used to be simply unable to do it, but we do loads of it and I'm getting the hang of it now which has amazed me! The end of the class was me and 2 other blackbelts sparring with the instructor in the middle simultaneously. He was blindfolded and empty handed, we all had bokkens and eyes open. Guess who ended up with more bruises? Yes, us three!