Seminar Testing.

This last weekend, I attended a martial arts seminar with the Okinawa Bujutsu Club in Clarksville, Tennessee. The seminar entailed some bunkai (interpretation) of different katas (forms). I was very excited about this seminar and had been looking forward to attending. I even talked my little sister AnnaLee (a brown belt in Shotokan) into attending it with me!

AnnaLee and Me!

After we arrived and filled out all the registration information and liability waver, we lined up and introduced ourselves. The seminar was open, so there were many different ranks present from a few different styles including: Shotokan, Kami Bushi Do, Isshin-ryu, Hakutsuru Kenpo and Ryukyu Hon Kenpo.

Sensei Fivecoat went over what we would be covering during the seminar. He also explained that two participants would be testing during the seminar. The testers had done a portion of their testing the previous night, but this was to be the remainder of their testing period. During this portion of their test, they were to be our instructors for various katas, which katas they knew, but were not aware of which katas would be selected for them to instruct us on. This this made it so they have to study and practice all of their katas in the style before their test in. Can you imagine preparing for this test?

"Now this an interesting way of testing... having the testers preform and instruct at a seminar." Needless to say, I was excited to see the results.

During the seminar one of the testers, Marlene, was to go through a kata and explain the bunkai of it. She was given the task to go through Shima Igiri Bo Ichi (a kata that utilized a traditional 6' bo staff) and  to demonstrate the kata. After her demonstration Marlene proceeded to interpret the application of the kata in segments. Between the segments, we would practice the application provided. Afterward, there was a question and answer time.

At the conclusion of this session of the seminar, Marlene was instructed to demonstrate the kata again, and we were instructed to observe the movements and to recall the segments we had practice, I recognized the kata and understood the movements better, including new concepts of movement for the kata.

The next participant testing, Zach, went over a different kata, Miyazato No Tekko Ich (A kata that utilizes a traditional Okinawan style of Knuckle Dusters or Brass Knuckles). Zach's portion of the seminar followed the same pattern as Marlene's. Demonstration, application, practice, re-demonstration.

They went over a couple of other empty hand katas during the seminar some of which the testers would teach, and some of which the instructors would teach.

At the end of the seminar, it was announced that those participants who had been testing had passed their examination. We had a short award ceremony in which they were given their rank advancement certificates.

Congratulations to my martial arts friends, Marlene on her second degree, and Zach on his first degree.

From left to right

Sensei Jeremy, Zach, Marlene, Sensei Dave.

I love going to seminars, they provide in depth study and give you a lot of time to practice! I also enjoy meeting other martial artists from other styles and learning with and from them. 

The path to black belt is elementary, and the road after black belt is educational. I feel like I have been learning so much more since I became a black belt than ever before. The rank doesn't matter at all, but the understanding does. 

I hope you enjoyed this short and simple post. I just wanted to share a quick little bit about my experience last weekend, and congratulate my friends on their accomplishments!

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