What I learned from last night's Cycle Test

 

After an exciting week at KM HQ in beautiful Travelers Rest, South Carolina, Guro Joe and I were back in Japan. The following day, we held our cycle test. The test was originally planned for August 31, but it just didn't happen.

Prior to leaving, a few unexpected issues arose. First of all, a major typhoon (ShanShan) threatened Japan that week. In the end, damage was minimal as at the last moment it veered away from the Greater Tokyo Metro Region. However, heavy rains and flooding still caused disruption to most public transportation and in the interest of safety, I made the decision to cancel the session. Secondly, I was invited to a business dinner with several board members from my key customer. My boss flew in from Singapore specifically for the event, so it could not be postponed. The dinner was a big success, but I again had to cancel class.  The following day, Guro Joe and I flew to the US for the Legacy Camp.

In all, the students were left without any dojo training sessions for about two weeks. I was very concerned that in the interim, without constant repetition, they might forget the material. During the prior three month cycle, we covered a wide variety of techniques ranging from single stick flow (sumbrada) to empty hands (Hakka Kuntao) to kickboxing. It's a lot to remember.

Last night I gave them the option to postpone the test in favor of a few more review sessions. Unanimously, they decided they wanted to go ahead as planned.

First of all, that decision represented the very best of the warrior spirit. In the face of adverse conditions, they showed the courage to move forward, letting go of fear and accepting the challenge - facing it head on rather than waiting for greater certainty. I applaud the confidence and dedication to moving forward. As a wise man said "Done is better than Perfect".

Secondly, it showed that even after a few weeks away from the dojo they largely remembered the techniques. That shows mastery. All too often in life, we fail to own the material beyond what it takes to pass a test. This is not the same as really knowing something. Knowledge committed to our long term memory remains with us sometimes for decades. Like the proverbial "riding a bike", some things are never forgotten. I am both proud and humbled that KM is important enough for them to have committed it to their muscle memory.

In the end, it was an amazing test. Focus, discipline, engagement. They had it all. Was it perfect? Of course not. As I told them, I have never had a perfect test either. I always walk away with a little regret, wishing I had done just a little better. However, for the most part the techniques were good, showing solid foundations and good understanding of the basic mechanics of KM.

I could not be more proud.

In the end, beyond simple technique,  our time in the dojo should build our resilience. It should help us learn to remain calm in the face of any challenge and to rise to adversity and face it like warriors.

Thank you again to the students for a great demonstration of this. Well done.

See you next week.