....never take a third dan testing on a Friday during lent!
I did that last night. I passed (yay!) but I ran out of energy about halfway through the test. As a practicing Catholic, during lent, I can have no meat on Fridays and can only have the equivalent of one full meal.
I had a bowl of cereal in the morning, went to work from 8-4, then a protien bar before the test.
It started off with reciting my essay (3 pages) and answering numerous technical questions, vocabulary, all forms, and all techniques. Not only was I testing for third dan, but I was also to receive my instructor's certificate through my GM's organization.
After forms and technique, it was extremely physical. I had to do a full warm up, calisthenics, and 100 haya suburi. My first dan test required me to do 400, but this time, the sparring was much more demanding. It was a solid hour of sparring. And no lightweights either. A second dan who's as big as myself and less than half my age, Master Choi, who is fifth dan and GM Kim, who is 9th dan.
The first half an hour to forty minutes of sparring was all Nito in addition. The last twenty minutes or so was with one shinai. No break in between matches; they just rotated in and out.
But, it was a worthwhile test! I passed! Then I went home and had the rest of my full meal in the form of half a pizza!
Daniel
I did that last night. I passed (yay!) but I ran out of energy about halfway through the test. As a practicing Catholic, during lent, I can have no meat on Fridays and can only have the equivalent of one full meal.
I had a bowl of cereal in the morning, went to work from 8-4, then a protien bar before the test.
It started off with reciting my essay (3 pages) and answering numerous technical questions, vocabulary, all forms, and all techniques. Not only was I testing for third dan, but I was also to receive my instructor's certificate through my GM's organization.
After forms and technique, it was extremely physical. I had to do a full warm up, calisthenics, and 100 haya suburi. My first dan test required me to do 400, but this time, the sparring was much more demanding. It was a solid hour of sparring. And no lightweights either. A second dan who's as big as myself and less than half my age, Master Choi, who is fifth dan and GM Kim, who is 9th dan.
The first half an hour to forty minutes of sparring was all Nito in addition. The last twenty minutes or so was with one shinai. No break in between matches; they just rotated in and out.
But, it was a worthwhile test! I passed! Then I went home and had the rest of my full meal in the form of half a pizza!
Daniel
