Fresh from the mint

I tested for 4th kyu Saturday. :) It was a good test; I found some things to work on.

1. Posture- Stop bending over for throwing and pins.
2. Speed- Mine arch-enemy. SLOW DOWN!
3. Pace- I got tired after the third or fourth technique
4. Finish- Finishes needed to be more crisp.
5. Refine footwork and body placement
6. Tight pin- They don't call 'em pins fer nuthin'.
7. Precise pin- Wrist, elbow, wrist, elbow...
8. Nikkyo transition- I can't stand these. I will get them yet!

All in all, it wasn't bad. I found that I was more confident this time around despite not vigorously training for it. But I think I want some vigorous training when 3rd kyu rolls around (no pun intended).

Before closing, I'd like to congratulate my dojo mates who passed their 5th and 1st kyu tests. They were great!

-gHopper