Countdown

Coming to a bit of a milestone. Next week I'll pass the halfway mark in the 69 class requirement prior to testing.

I feel like I've been grinding away at it for a long time, but it's only been a few months. The math says I will get it finished on May 8th.

It is also required that a student attend 12 reflex development classes before testing. I will have completed 14 by then.

This is good. It might sound as if I intend starting my test as soon as possible after all the requirements are met. Not true.

I want to test before the end of the school year. The exams are all videoed and sent to headquarters, and it takes a few weeks to complete. Let's say I get at it in the middle of June.

This gives me over a month of training to firm up what I do and what I know.

I'll need that much at least. In the required 69 and 12 sessions, I'll be at about 80 and 19. More than enough.

This all doesn't mean I'll actually be ready to test, or that I'll pass if I go for it. Testing is like that.

I think there are currently three White Belts who will qualify to test before me. They have the most belt stripes. I've just hit my second. One girl has four, and her testing is already underway.

Stripes just mean a White Belt has attended a lot of classes. Missing classes can create holes that can cause an entire extra rotation through the lessons. A single missed class can cause an extra 11.5 weeks of training. I've missed two classes, and used private sessions to prevent those 11.5 week repeats.

I don't know if either of the two other White Belts ahead of me have holes to make up in their record.

Anyhow, let's assume they don't. The girl passes her current test, and so do the two guys. I pass, too. By Summer the club could have four new Blue Belts.

After me, there will be a big cloud of young guys testing. There is an age requirement, too. This will seriously delay some of them. You have to be 16 to test for Blue.

I'm certainly qualified that way already.