08-12-22 - Remy Mann - A Black Belt Journey

It is a big Grading day for USKA on Saturday with two of our students attempting their USKA Junior Black Belt's and one attempting his USKA Black Belt 1st Dan.
Without the risk of sounding arrogant an USKA Black Belt cannot be compared to a normal Black Belt and here's why...
On average a 'normal' Black Belt will take a student 4 years ish to attain and that often will be 4 years of training maybe once or twice a week until they get to the business end of the belts where they may step up their training to three or four times a week, obviously there are exceptions to rules, but this by and large would be expected as the norm for the average student.
At USKA it's a little different...
As an advanced Grade with visions of becoming an USKA Black Belt you are expected to train five to six times a week and your course to USKA Black Belt will take you at least 6 Years training.
You are expected to totally immerse yourself in your Martial Arts, live the life of a Martial Artist, Make the sacrifices of a Martial Artist and probably most importantly conduct yourself as a Martial Artist both inside and outside of the gym.
Not everyone of course is built for this and not everyone can reach the goal of becoming an USKA Black Belt.
We encourage students to be good Green Belts rather than below par and below standard Purple Belts for example but to wear an USKA Black Belt around your waist is an honour and an achievement reserved for only a select few.
A select few so much in fact that only 8 USKA Black Belts have been Graded and Passed in USKA's 26 Year History and only 5 in it's modern era and criteria.

USKA Junior Black Belt candidates for Saturday will be Shakeel Hussain (9 Years Training) and Sumayya Griffith (11 Years Training).
USKA Black Belt 1st Dan Candidate Remy Mann has been training for 6 Years.
Yesterday evening Remy completed the sparring element of the Black Belt grading stepping into the USKA Shark Tank completing a 10 minute round with a switch of sparring partner and also a switch of discipline after every minute.
Did the sparring partners take it easy on him, hell no, they understand that to get an USKA Black Belt he has to go through the fire like everyone before him did. They come at a cost.
On Saturday Remy faces the technical element of his grade and can expect to be on the mats being pushed to his limit for anything up to 8 hours of none stop Kickboxing. If he is ill prepared he will get found out, if he cracks under the pressure he will walk away empty handed. If he doesn't however he will join the ranks of a very prestigious club indeed.
Remy, Sumayya and Shakeel... we wish you the very best of luck... Osu! 

CLICK HERE TO SEE CLIPS OF REMY'S SHARK TANK SPARRING