First Grading: Gokyu

It was scary, it was intense. My body and mind pushed into overdrive. As my instructor - he doesn't like to be called Sensei - is fond of saying "We push through the pain, and find something new". (Well, he also enjoys saying “Don’t just stand there like a gingerbread man”, but gingerbread men were the furthest things from my mind). I certainly found a measure of the pain he was referring to.

The camcorder was setup just off to the side, half a dozen other students filing in to sit in seiza position on the training mats. My instructor and another instructor from nearby dojo converse at the side, flicking over the grading syllabus.

I'm called to the front, we bow to the Shomen, and we begin. The grading panel call out the techniques and as my Uke attacks me using different motions of attack, I perform the requested technique.

After what seems a short time the grading ends, my instructor congratulates me. I pass, with flying colour apparently (and unofficially).

I have reached the first graded level of Aikido Kenkyukai: Gokyu.

It was more than a little intimidating. I was the only student grading out of all of my peers - all of us having started at roughly the same time in our dojo. It looks that on this occasion my commitment and mental training has paid off though, I pushed through with it and have achieved my very first Aikido goal.

Now to maintain the standard consistently.