26th
September and 3rd October 2015
In the build up to the latest set
of gradings KMM ran our usual pre-grading seminar. All the sweat and joy of a
real grading and the Krav equivalent of a dress rehearsal. Instructors Al
Natrins (G2) and Russell Brotherston (G5) who also work with kids at Junior Safe Krav Maga, had organised the whole thing, with
Al leading the seminar on the day.
For the first time there was to be
a grading in our neck of the woods. Usually the gradings are held down south (Bristol
and London ) and one in Cumbria .
After double bookings at a grading in Birmingham
in 2013 on two separate occasions, KMG UK
had not used the venue again. Bartosz, the chief instructor of KMM had arranged
for it in Stratford upon Avon ,
at our usual training ground at the High school. Good news for most of us that
wanted to grade. Well, except me who was walking on crutches after a operation
to repair the ACL in my left knee. Determined to remain 'in the spirit of
things' I arranged to write this review of both events which would also
enable me to get some intel on training and watch my peers grade for P5 on the
big day.
At the pre grading was a familiar
face. Peter Santha had trained at Leamington Spa with me about two years ago
but I hadn't seen him in ages. He had now rejoined the Worcester
branch with Al, and was training for P1. He said "I'm feeling good, pretty
excited. I'm hopeful for the day itself."
I also spoke to Karl Dann who
trains at Coventry and was prepping
for P2. He told me "Looking forward to it. Been doing it for nine months,
twice a week so yeah."
The seminar started with the usual
warm ups and then the students split off into their relevant levels. As always,
the main bunch were going for P1 and Darren Patrick from Leamington
was the only P5 candidate in the room. Normally the P1 gradings are held in
house and separately to the P2 to P5 exams. This time however, the venue was
KMM's own, so the events were able to be run simultaneously.
As the students got stuck into
their various drills and techniques, it was clear that some were nervous and
most were determined to get it right. Al was walking round with a clipboard
marking notes and giving feedback. Due to being on crutches I couldn't get too
"up close and personal" so sat at the side watching. It was inspiring
to see the level of effort people were giving and later on during a quick water
break, I spoke to Al directly.
"It's going well so far.
Everyone's looking at the level they should be, with some corrections here and
there. For next week, people can judge you kindly or not so kindly. We shall
see."
Grading
Day
03/10/15
Felt a bit sheepish as I arrived at
Stratford High School at 9.30am to find no one even remotely Kravvy there. Once
I burned all my paranoid delusions over why (prime theory being that they had
told ME it was here, and told everyone else the real venue) I rang Russell.
Turned out the grading was midday and
I'd got it wrong. Oops! Nipped home for a cup of coffee and then came back,
reassured by the sight of Bartosz's KMM van parked right outside the training
hall.
Most of the guys stood at the sides
of the hall were from Krav Maga Midlands but there were a few others dotted
about from other clubs including Total Krav Maga and Krav Maga South Wales.
Everyone seemed nervous and I managed to grab a few words. P3 candidate Ewa
seemed composed and calm and said to me "I'm feeling realistic. I know
what I'm capable of and I'm going to give it my best".
Her club mate Goz
said, "Ready to switch the aggression mode on. I give it everything I've
got. I'm with Ewa who's my grading partner extraordinaire, so we'll help each
other and do what we can."
Rich Coulthard from Krav Maga South
Wales was there for P3 and said "I'm a bit nervous with the adrenaline,
just want to get on with it. Feel confident with the instruction I've had but
always a few nerves before you start."
Text messages were coming in from
people who hadn't got to the venue yet. There had been a bad accident on one of
the major arterial roads leading into Stratford
and a few candidates were stuck. Fortunately, whatever it was was cleared quite
quickly as the students arrived flustered but only slightly later than the
scheduled start time and we had yet to get things moving.
Once Jon Bullock, the head of Krav
Maga Global UK
and Alan Dennis an E1 instructor arrived, the students began to register. As
they queued up I spoke to Rhiannon Williams, a P1 student from the Worcester
club who was there with her friend Ellen Vogel to offer support to their club
mates. They trained with Al Natrins who had also come to fly the flag. She said "It's going to be quite interesting I think. It's going
to be good to actually see it happen, the P1. Last time we graded in July we
were in the thick of it so it will be good to see the P1 and also what the P2
will be like."
Ellen said "Be good to get an
outsider's perspective and see what's coming up in the gradings."
Once everyone had registered they
sat in a huddle in front of the examiners. Jon Bullock addressed them and asked
who was nervous. After establishing that ALL were nervous and getting a ripple of
laughter, he established a few truths about the grading. He asked if Krav Maga
was the ultimate system and after a pause added "No, of course not. Does
it give you a fighting chance? Yes." He then said something that I could
personally relate to, having failed P5 last March. "The higher people go
the more they focus on stuff only from their own level. By P5 you're out of
luck if that's what you do."
He went on to say that the primary
concern in the grading was to keep your partner safe and that if he saw anyone
going too hard during the sparring he would fail them on the spot. The
secondary concern was to pass the exam. Bartosz then repeated that the most
important thing was not to injure each other and then the warm up began. After
getting everyone good and sweaty they split into their various levels with P1
at the far end and 2 to 5 at the other. There were only three candidates for
P5, all KMM students with four going for P4, two from Total Krav Maga. Once
everyone was lined up Bartosz reminded the P1s to keep the positions they were
in now as they needed to remember where they were standing as they marked the
score sheets. On bigger gradings your place will be noted with number that you
are issued with that you pin to the back of your T-shirt. On smaller gradings
they rely on numbers and A and B (sometimes C if there's a group of 3).
People got stuck in pretty quickly
and as the day progressed you could see the guts and determination on
everyone's faces. P1 by its nature is not the gruel fest that P4 and 5 are, but
the students were still giving it 100%. As I moved up the lines it was
fascinating to see all the levels like this, something I'd glimpsed briefly at
the P&G weekend last December but not with such an uninterrupted view. There's
a certain change in facial expression that you can see as you move from P1 to
P5. The determination and grit are always there but when you reach the summit
of the practitioner grades, you have a certain steel in your eyes because you
know JUST how hard your grading is going to be.
P1 were being overseen by Russell
and Bartosz while P2 and P3 had Alan Dennis. Alan called them into a huddle on
a few occasions and explained what was lacking in a technique that he felt
needed correction. Jon Bullock had the P4s and 5s and all seemed to be giving
it a good show, despite the obvious tiredness that was creeping up on them like
vapour on a bathroom mirror.
Me, Ellen and Rhiannon stepped out
for coffees and when we got back the P1s and 2s were setting out mats for
forwards and backwards rolls. This has always been a bone of contention for me
as it took me a while to crack them properly. By the time of P4 you are
required to learn "forwards to backwards" which sounds OK until you
find out you can't stop or stand up between them. Thankfully, all the
candidates had the rolls more or less down properly. An addition thrown in by
Alan Dennis on P2 had the students rolling, then being immediately attacked by
whoever was behind them. This was a novel twist as it meant you had to keep
sharp and act on instinct for the most part.
Finally the P2s and 3s finished and
shortly after the P1s made their way to the side. All were sweating and red
faced but looking like they'd enjoyed it. I spoke to Dan Robinson from KMM who'd
just completed P2. He said "I'm feeling strong but it was very tough,
we'll see how I get on".
I spoke again to Ewa who said
"I'm absolutely and utterly shattered. Should be OK. Never say
never".
Goz wearily told me, "I feel
exhausted, challenged mentally. To be honest I'm not at all very confident at
this moment but what will be will be".
While Ps 1 to 3 took a well
deserved rest and had something to eat and drink, the P4s and 5s were gearing
up for the sparring. Having lost a piece of a tooth on my P4 grading and about
two litres of sweat on the P5 one, I was well aware of what the guys were about
to face. Alan Dennis oversaw them and as there was an odd number he had them in
pairs fighting, with a 'rogue element' roaming the floor and randomly picking
on one person in an existing couple. Whoever they attacked would then have to
break off and become the new rogue element. They went at it for about six
rounds before Alan called them to a huddle, briefed them on what they'd seen
and then said. "You all OK? Good, because you've got one more round to
go". They went at it again, everyone giving it their full commitment and
then had to face the joys of two against one. The whole point of this is to see
if you can remain focussed despite the utter exhaustion you are experiencing.
Adrenaline and pride were the only things that kept me going last time in March
and it was clear just how much some of the fighters were now hurting as they
drew up reserves of energy to finish what they'd started.
Finally the fighting was done but
the grading wasn't over. Alan got them all into push up position and after
conferring with Jon Bullock they got the P4s to do forty push up while P5 had
the added bonus of going up to 50. They moved on to burpies and sit ups before
finally the end was in sight and they finished.
After a quick wipe down and gulping
some water the students split back up into their requisite grades and sat on
the floor around the examiners who'd tested them. Bartosz and Russell got down
and demonstrated a few techniques that people had found hard and as I moved
further up the hall, Alan and Jon were doing the same. Jon used Al Natrins as a
partner to demonstrate what he thought needed work while telling the students
their grades. Most had passed but not all and Jon gave constructive feedback to
those who hadn't made it. I was surprised when he said "If you tell me now
that you disagree with me and that you believe you've done enough to pass then
I will sign your certificate and give you your patch but do you want
that?" The offer was declined and it made it clear that commitment is one
thing but an open mind and an acceptance of criticism are also fundamental. I
can't deny that I'd have been tempted to take the offer but ultimately, as Jon
said to my grading group way back when I took P3, "From this point it's no
longer about collecting patches."
As people moved back to get a fresh
T-shirt or chat to family and friends things began to wind down. Everyone lined
up for a final photo and the awarding of certificates while the steam slowly
evaporated from the sports hall windows.
Once again a fantastic day, bonus
for me being that I got to see it from the point of view of a spectator to get
some hints for March 2016 when I'm fit to grade once more.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Have your say....