Ohana is More than a Word!

Testing is a very special event that happens just 4 times a year. I always look forward to the tests and I think it is so important for all of our students to come. But why? What can you do just by showing up?

First of all, a test isn't really a test. It is more about showing what you have learned in the days, weeks and months before. We work hard everyday. We push ourselves to train harder. We learn new skills and polish skills that we already know. Every day that we show up we are testing ourselves and showing that we have what it takes to get where we want to be on our Martial Arts Journey.

A test and promotion is a chance for us to learn even if we aren't being promoted that day. There is so much you can learn simply by observing, especially by observing more advanced belts. By watching, you can see how the skills you are learning today can be used in a different way as you learn and grow. Some of the things that I bring to my training today are because I saw something during a test that I had never seen before.

Next, your matital arts journey is your own, but you don't travel it alone. There are so many people along the way to help you along. We all need our ukis to practice our techniques on. We need our instructors to help guide us along. We need people there to cheer for us when we get tired and think we can’t go on. So, it is important for us to be there for others and cheer them on when they are need it.

It is always a treat to be able to see and hear stories from our special guests. Grandmaster and Professor Lim are our guests and it is always a pleasure to hear them talk about what martial arts means to them. They have so much wisdom to share and stories about those that came before them. Sifu Greg Hoyt will also visit us on occasion and it is always fun to hear him talk about Kajukenbo.

Lastly, but almost most importantly, it is a time to build our spirit of Ohana. We are two separate dojos, but we are one school. Coming together at these times gives us a chance to visit and share our experiences. We all come from different backgrounds. Carpenters, truck drivers, nurses, police officers, teachers, students, business professionals. We are all so different, and yet we share one passion. We have one thing that brings us all together and makes us Ohana. For us, that is Kajukenbo.

This September, we have another opportunity to come together and share our love for Martial Arts together. From the tiniest dragon testing for their first belt, the juniors and adults testing for their patches all the way up to our two black belt candidates, we have an amazing heritage to share and be a part of.
-Ms. Jessica