Talk about getting the 3rd degree.

I’ve been hesitant to blog about this, but at the request of some others and in the spirit of transparency, here goes.

Before:

I finally got promoted to 3rd degree black belt in Karate last Friday night. It’s been a long struggle and I’ve learned so much about myself, my ability to exceed perceived limits, tenacity and of course martial arts.

While it was a tough test consisting of many Kata’s, weapons Kata’s, many self defense sets, line drill, sparring and teaching requirements, the best part about it was that my Mom, Sister and Brother-in-law took the time to come to the promotion. I usually only practice with other karate students and keep everything in the dojo (where it belongs), but I was able to share a side of me that they hadn’t seen before.

After:

Finally, here is a break I did, just for fun.