Week 4- An Audience

In Black-Belt Candidate by Lisa ClarkLeave a Comment

It’s normal in the dojo to do kata, practice our basics, even mount each other to practice a grappling self defense. I forget how these seem to other people…nnMy car wouldn’t start Sunday. Thankful for AAA, I called for roadside assistance and had the usual hour long wait. What to do for an hour? Well, I hadn’t practiced kata yet… the sidewalk was extra wide… time was plentiful… why not? So I did.nnAbout 40 minutes in, a couple riding by on their bikes stopped to ask if they could watch. No objections. Seiuchin was next, so deep breathe in, out, bow, hands up, … all the way through. It was nice to hear the opinion of someone seeing Seiuchin for the first time. It’s flattering to hear how impressed they were from something I regard as common. Nice too that they didn’t notice the technical errors…nnThe experience made me realize how unique the UBBT is. Mr. Oliver stating how many have actually completed the challenge didn’t phase me, nor the sheer numbers nor sore muscles nor injuries… The random couple made it all real. So here’s to the a newfound, more realistic commitment to our UBBT challenge.

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