Karate Camp

This week Kian has been going to Karate camp every day from 8:30--12:30.  Considering one class is usually 45 minutes, this was a new challenge and to be honest I wasn't sure if he was up for it.
Plus it was Sword Camp and that is completely new!
I expected by day three there would be some grumbling and whining, but I was wrong.  He was excited every day (maybe because he got to bring his lunch in a sack).
He did complain when I told  him he had to practice the sword and  he said he couldn't do it, it was too hard.

But today was the last day...test day. And he did it!
Then he had to do his Tykoku Shodon--all seven steps REALLY well in order to qualify for his orange belt. This is something he has struggled with for a couple of months.  It is a series of moves that change direction with every number and each step is kind of complicated. Kenzie has practiced quite a bit with him and we had him try it several times this week because when he gets his purple belt he gets a new Wii game!
I was holding my breath when his group got up there, but he did it PERFECTLY!! I'm not kidding...
I was so proud. And more importantly, so was he!

He was SO excited when he came off the mat shouting "Mom, I got it! I got my orange belt!"

Before they handed out the belts, Miki took them through a little drill that goes like this:

What is pain?
French bread sir!
What is fatigue?
Army pants, sir!
Will you quit?
NO! and they stomp one foot and say,
We want some more! We want some more! We want some more!!


It was great fun and well-worth the cost of camp.  Kian loves Karate and he is now on his way to that purple belt...and a new Wii game :0)