Karatekas showcase their skills

WITH hopes to level up karate students put their best foot forward at the recent martial arts grading held at FKI Bluff dojo on Saturday, 26 June.

A total of 10 students were tested and graded on their previous training of the various martial arts styles. Thabo Ntomo, Nthabiseng Khakane, Lucas Tefo Ntomo and Kiara Pieters received their green belts. Leandra Kruger, Kyra Duncan, Latrelle Lochenberg and Sharise Jones received their yellow belts. Khayone Ngqulu and Kira Pieters received their yellow stripes.

The judges on the day were Sensei Shaun Miln, Senpai Abigail Sueltz, Sensei Jonathan van der Merwe. “Martial arts features balance, grace, self-confidence, self-awareness, team spirit, mutual respect for all grades who train next to you and it boosts your confidence.

“Students are expected to remember the sequence of the grading forms and the direction they need to go. For new students to go from a white belt to a yellow belt or from orange to green, they need to know all of the movements as well as focus on their breathing with each punch and kick. All this needs to be done while keeping their knees bent, knowing the proper stances and having Kime at the end of every technique. Maintaining the right attitude is of utter importance. All of the students did very well for what they needed to know for their grading,” said FKI Bluff dojo sensei Shaun Miln.

The students who far up in their grades will look forward to obtaining their black belts at the end of the year. Due to Covid-19 and the looming uncertainty associated with lockdown restrictions, there are no external tournaments scheduled until the next year, but there is a possibility of interclass competitions.

“In the wise words of the father of modern day karate Gichin Funakoshi, ‘The ultimate aim of karate lies not in victory or defeat, but the perfection of the character of the participant.’ He also wrote the five maxims of karate, namely; character, sincerity, effort, self-control and etiquette,” added Miln.