My heart is full

There is so much to say about today, but it is late and I think the adrenalin has worn off...

Let me start by acknowledging that - my heart is full - it truly is.

The amount of support I have been and continue to receive is without measure.

I am blessed.

I am grateful.

I am HAPPY.

And even though right at this moment I am so tired that I could sleep on a bed of nails...
I'm also beyond pumped and excited about the future and my role in martial arts!

Tonight though - rest and sleep and happy dreams.

Good night!

Love and Respect,
Kathy Wiz

!!!

"So Kathy, what did you do today?"

Well, I'm glad you asked... 

I got to start the morning off with some self defense discussion and practice with the wonderful Patti Oji, and then?

Well, we flew in an awesome private jet from Carson City, NV over to Napa, CA to pick up Grandmaster Dewart and his wife, eat an amazing lunch, and then fly back to spend some time at Soke's home and dojo  -  talking martial arts all the time of course!

John (on the far left above) is the most excellent pilot and owner of this amazing aircraft - AND he volunteered to be the uke for me at my test tomorrow too!

And did I mention all the wonderful posts and emails and texts and phone calls I've been getting?!?!

What an outstanding day!

Respectfully,

Kathy Wiz

OH! And did I mention my new cane that has Lapis inlays????

But it is a DRY heat...

So I'm changing planes here in Phoenix.

I don't have to go outside to go from gate C18 to gate D5 - thank goodness!

It is 105 degrees here at 7 pm!  (But I'm sure it is a dry heat... like an oven...)

I'm drinking lots of water - in general lately - and more intentionally today.

I'll be boarding my flight to Reno in about 30 minutes, but I wanted to get this posted as I'm sure that once we get to the house I'll have no trouble falling asleep since it will feel like 1:00 am or even later to me.

Tomorrow we fly over to pick up Grand Master Dewart and his wife... pictures of that for sure in my next post.

Thank you everyone for the support and encouragement - it is appreciated more than you could ever know.

Respectfully,

Kathy Wiz

Testing T-Shirt

My new T-shirt!  I'm going to wear it testing day!

This has always been one of my favorite sayings, and it is especially poignant now that I'm trying to naviagate the 7 to 8...

Doing most of the packing tonight as my plane leaves tomorrow early evening - arriving in Reno close to 11 p.m. 

It has been too long since I've been to Soke's.  I'm so excited!

Nervous - yes - for sure.

Why?

Because this matters to me.  

The people on this board matter to me.

Because the people I'm trying to represent - my martial arts family - matter to me.

Because I don't want to disappoint myself - or them.

I need to remember that this is NOT a one shot deal - this is another step on my path.

And not the end of my journey by any means, regardless of the outcome!

Fall down 7 ?

Get up 8 !

Respectfully,

Kathy Wz

Intentionally Fun Martial Arts Movies

While visiting Atlanta this weekend we got on the topic of martial arts movies and stayed up late Saturday night watching most of Remo Williams.

It made me think back to some of my favorite fun martial arts movies - you know, the ones that were intentionally meant to be funny...

Remo Williams - totally worth it for the training sequences, Chun's one liners, the future Captain Janeway, and the final line of the movie.

Kung Fu Hustle and Kung Pow - either could win the most cheesy award...

Pick really anything with Jackie Chan.  His were some of the first martial arts movies I ever remember seeing.  I LOVED the way he moved, his use of humor, and the way he always used his environment to his advantage.

And no list like this would be complete without Big Trouble in Little China.

I'm sure there are many more that I'm forgetting (I've got a few things on my mind at the moment) and others I've never even seen - what are some of yours?

Respectfully,
Kathy Wiz

Time in Grade...

My 1st Dan certificate is dated 13 January 1983.
I tested in 1982 and did not receive this certificate until around April or May of 1983.

It is the date of  your certificate that is most often used to determine when you have met your minimum time requirements and are eligible for your next Dan promotion test/ranking.  Sometimes the date on your certificate is the same, or close to your actual testing date, sometimes it is not.

Different instructors, schools, organizations, and martial arts have different requirements with regards to "minimum time in grade" but most have some kind of requirement that is equivalent to either their current Dan ranking or next Dan rank, and some also include a minimum age.

It is important to remember that these are minimum requirements.  

Ideally, as you advance in rank you work on, improve, and bring up the quality of all your previous material, not just simply "add to" by learning something "new" as you advance.  Taking what you know already and making it better, or applying it in a new way, bringing the quality of everything you do up a level - that is what takes time. 

Respectfully,

Kathy Wiz

Here is the AAU's Dan levels AND combined training time:

Dan Level	Min. Time Between	Total Combined	Minimum Age
1st Dan	30 Months		8 Years Old
2nd Dan	1 Years	3.5 Years	10 Years Old
3rd Dan	2 Years	5.5 Years	13 Years Old
4th Dan	3 Years	8.5 Years	16 Years Old
5th Dan	4 Years	12.5 Years	20 Years Old
6th Dan	5 Years	17.5 Years	25 Years Old
7th Dan	6 Years	23.5 Years	31 Years Old
8th & 9th Dan	7 - 8 Years		38-39 Years Old

And here are the Kukkiwon's standard requirements:

(a "poom" rank is to designate a black belt under the age of 15)

Black Belt Ranking

Being at the testing for Master Stone's black belts this weekend, along with conversations with Master Trento (who is going to many, many different kinds of testings in many different kinds of martial arts this year) and maybe the fact that my testing is this NEXT WEEKEND - got me to thinking about "Black Belt Ranks"...  

Let's begin with the basics.

Respectfully,

Kathy Wiz

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According to Wikipedia...   ;)

Ranks in Korean

1. Il dan (일단): first-degree black belt (also known as cho dan (초단 hanja: 初段))
2. Yi dan (이단): second-degree black belt
3. Sam dan (삼단): third-degree black belt
4. Sa dan (사단): fourth-degree black belt
5. O dan (오단): fifth-degree black belt
6. Yuk dan (육단): sixth-degree black belt
7. Chil dan (칠단): seventh-degree black belt
8. Pal dan (팔단): eighth-degree black belt
9. Gu dan (구단): ninth-degree black belt
10. Ship dan (십단) tenth-degree black belt

For most Korean martial arts, the dan ranks do not go past ninth dan,
although on some occasions in some organizations,
a tenth dan (십단) has been issued.

Ranks in Japanese

Many arts use between one and ten dan ranks:

Degree	1st Dan	2nd Dan	3rd Dan	4th Dan	5th Dan	6th Dan	7th Dan	8th Dan	9th Dan	10th Dan
Pronunciation	Shodan[a]	Nidan	Sandan	Yondan	Godan	Rokudan	Shichidan[b]	Hachidan	Kudan	Jūdan
Japanese	初段	二段/弐段	三段/参段	四段	五段	六段	七段	八段	九段	十段

In some arts, black belts are worn at all dan levels. In other arts, the highest rank (10th dan) wears a red colored belt. In Judo, 6th to 8th dan may wear a red and white-patterned belt, 9th to 11th dan may wear a solid red belt.