Back to Karate – Tekki Shodan

I’ve had a recent break from karate and haven’t been to the dojo for a couple of years. I’ve been training as a karateka since 2004 at Kyoshin Shotokan Karate club under Sensei Ian Harman. I love this martial art and although I’m by far not the most skilled or athletic member of my club, I do take a lot from regular practice. Karate is about the only thing that switches my mind off compeltely. A hard hour in the dojo and your mind is just blank as you march bare foot up and down the hall, with military precision, striking hundreds choreographed kicks and punches. It is just so meditative and relaxing and this mind calming carries forward into your everyday life, plus there are obvious health benefits in terms of fitness and the martials arts skills that you learn and master, really are practical life skills and you never know when they could save your life or protect your family or friends.

Shotokan Karate has a grading system and you have to do regular examinations in order to progress. Most will be familiar with the colour-coding system that starts at White and ends in Black. In our system (now under governing body Shotokan Connect), after the novice starter white belt, there is orange, red, yellow, green, blue, purple (no stripe), purple (black stripe), brown (not stripe), brown (1 stripe), brown (2 stripes), black. Subsequent levels of Black or Dan gradings are available but the colour of the belt for these remains at black. I think my sensei is now 6th or 7th Dan Black Belt. I am a Purple with Black Stripe. currently which is a 4th Kyu. It means I have three brown belts to achieve before I get to Dan grading or Black Belt. I’ve taken my time progressing through the gradings and had plenty of breaks in training for various reasons. It is a life ambition to get to Black, however. I had a right nasty injury setback when I nbroke my femur and flexibility and movement is a bit of an issue now but I have still moved up a grade agter I returned from that particular injury and will struggle on.

For each grading you are examined for three different components: Kihon, Kumite and Kata. The grading syllabus gets progressively more difficult and you have to build on and remember previous skills. I personally love the different kata and you get to express yourself when performing kata. FOr my progression to the first brown belt the next kata I am learning is Tekki Shodan which is demonstrated in the above video. It’s only a short kata but is precise and tricky to master. I had sort of got the gist of it asll the way through before the latest break in my training but need to go back and revise it, as well as revise all previous kata.

I’ve been housebound for ages and my fitness is at an all-time low. I’m a chainsmoker and to be frank, lazy. To get back up to the fitness necessary for karate I plan on getting back to the gym and doing some T’ai Chi, Weights, Cardio and also Les Mills fitness classes. The target I have set for a return to the Kyoshin dojo is St. David’s Day 2026 (1st March). I am writing the blog as it will remind me of this goal and I want to be a man of action and not words. Also I might do a few more blog articles on exercise as it is a healthy activity and pastime to pursue. Let’s see what my health situation in twelve months time might be? A personal challenge. I hope to be able to document the move up to black belt. OSS!

The return of Chunk Norris is imminent!