Four candidates nervously arrived at Balliol School for a nine o'clock start to their Shodan Grading.
David Thomas, Elliott Thomas, Zoe McMahon and Paul Comb lined up and began some hours of mental and physical testing.
Many aspects of Shotokan karate were covered (which will not be mentioned here, and kyu grades should never ask) and finally the decisions were reached and they were all awarded Shodan.
MY SHODAN EXPERIENCE in their own words
As a change to the usual report on Dan gradings, this time the candidates themselves were asked to write about their Shodan experience, from their training prior to the grading, the grading itself and their thoughts on wearing a black belt for the first time.
Click on their names to read about their Shodan experience:
If you are already a Shodan, Nidan, Sandan or higher and wish to write about your experiences, retrospectively, then please do so and send it in to Sensei Steve Cook or Sensei Simon McMahon and we can attach it to your Karate C.V.