On Saturday, December 2, three members of Holley Karate, Kim Whittier, Andrea Quaranto, and Thad Whittier, satisfied the requirements set forth by the International Federation of Kyokushin Karate (IFKK) and were awarded the rank of Shodan (1st degree black belt.) In front of a nationally recognized panel led by Shihan Michael Monaco, they endured a five hour mental and physical test, which consisted of four elements: Kihon (basic techniques); Kata & Syllabus (pre-arranged patterns against multiple attackers); Kumite (full contact sparring), where numerous opponents are faced consecutively. The testing concluded with Tamishawari (the art of breaking). All three successfully broke a stack of bricks with the technique of their choice. Other students receiving Shodan honors were Gene Nichols from Hilton Kyokushin Karate, and Mark Hopwood from Connecticut Kyokushin Karate. Holley Karate offers a traditional Japanese Kyokushin Karate for ages four and up. December 24, 2006 |
