The next
round of Practitioner level gradings is looming ever closer, like a dentist’s
check up or an optician’s appointment. At my Krav class now, we are doing “normal”
training for about an hour then splitting off into groups relevant to
experience and level.
The P0’s (or
those who don’t want to/ aren’t eligible to take a grading) go in one big
corner, while the rest of us make our way up the badminton hall in groups of
ever decreasing size.
The lads
going for G1 make up one corner, although their grading isn’t until later in
the year unless they want to go up to Scotland. This is still, for me, a mythical
level of utter badassery and mysticism. I had to look at the curriculum before
I realised it DOESN’T involve powers of levitation and the ability to breathe
fire over an opponent. Maybe that’s at E level.
As me and
two other guys started working on our P4 techniques, one thing became clear to
me very quickly. I am, at the moment, a rough block of stone and need a
stonemason’s hammer and chisel to chip away at the block in order to make
something recognisable as a level 4 Practitioner.
The
techniques at this level are much harder than the previous levels (sounds
obvious but the curve is fairly big) and mastering them is taking me a bit of
practice. The wonderful thing about this practice though, is that when you get
the technique right it makes you feel that you’ve achieved something special.
While
initially perturbed by the difficulty factor it is now a reassuring facet of
the P4 prospectus for me, as it means I am fully aware of the responsibility and
accountability that come with the higher grades.
Escaping
from bear hugs.
Stick attack defences
Scissor kicks.
Sound
ominous when written down, but working through them slowly but surely with a
good instructor (and the help of my P3/4 fellow trainees) the chisel began to
fall on the block of stone and slowly a form began to emerge.
It’s going
to be a few weeks before the work is completed, with a lot of stone chippings
on the floor but I know the effort will be worth it.
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