Another big fat grading

Yesterday, Sunday, we had a karate grading. Yes, "again" some of you might say. But that is how it is if you train often, hard and long hours ;-)
Despite the fact it was rather hot in the hall we were in, the grading went fairly OK. I felt I only made a few minor errors, the biggest one being me not remembering a couple of combinations in the line work. (I blame the heat!) This resulted in another clean pass, and another diploma:
And Clare got a similar one too. Congratulations Clare! Well done, especially with the broken toe and other ailments I know you struggle with. You are so tough! A lot tougher than I would be in the same situation.
I am a little bit proud over myself too, and a little bit surprised as well. But then again, if we looked at the "competition" there, IE the other people that were going for the same grade, I'd say Clare and I didn't do too bad. It is not completely unfair to say we were the only two there not messing up the Jiyu Ippon Kumite (one step semi-free sparring) badly. And I think we both were rather comfortable in the free sparring too...
All this we owe to our instructor. He is hard but fair. If he hadn't drilled us as much as he have done, we would probably have had a hard time. I think it is only fair to say that a grading session is no harder than any normal every day session with Sensei Grunwald. Once started, it feels like we are well prepared for anything that are thrown at us in the grading. (Before the grading I'm all nerves, of course.)

So a HUGE THANKS goes to Sensei Tony Grunwald, for his enthusiasm, knowledge, perseverance and the way he is pushing us towards higher achievements! It is an honour to be his student. There is always something interesting in his classes, a new challenge or an old technique to improve on.