Family Power: A Grading Night to Remember
- L Landry
- Oct 10, 2025
- 2 min read
Once again last night, we were reminded of how blessed we are to be part of such a great karate family here at Centres Ray Cormier Kyokushin Kenbukai.
A huge shout-out goes to Sensei Jacques and our friends from the Centre Jacques LeBlanc who joined us! We were thrilled to have their students with us, participating in the class and taking part in the grading. It truly makes the experience special when our wider karate family comes together.
Shihan Ray held a special grading last night for the brown stripes and the black stripes, and he had warned us ahead of time to make sure we were really warmed up.
And for good reason.
After a quick opening, we jumped straight into the challenges. It was a grueling session of sprints intercut with knuckle pushups (countless, it seemed!), multiple 'smack down' sit-ups, leg raises, jumping jacks, and belt hookups (intense pushing against each other). By the end of it, honestly, everyone was exhausted.
But here’s the thing, we didn't do it alone.
The entire dojo joined in! From the newest white belt (yes, a beginner!) to the young students, our seasoned veterans, and our visiting members from the Centre Jacques LeBlanc, everyone was right there, helping us through this demanding grading.
This was so much more than a physical challenge; it was a mental one too. The grading asks a tough question: Is your spirit strong enough? Do you have the fortitude to go on when your body is screaming "Enough!"?
The answer should be yes, but even when you start to doubt yourself, your karate family has your back. If you’re struggling to finish an exercise, you can always count on finding a soothing, encouraging presence right next to you, pushing you to reach the end.
Because at Centres Ray Cormier Kyokushin Kenbukai, that’s how we roll. Osu!
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