And so... the first Graduation/Grading of 2024 is upon us. It's always a short syllabus period when we come back after the Christmas break so it's been a bit a a dash to the line. , its of you have made it so here's to a busy & great first Graduation of the year.
The normal Saturday Graduation will be held at Essa Academy, Lever Edge Lane, Bolton BL3 3HH. If you are attending an alternative time/date due to being unable to attend on the 17th due to religious, cultural, work or holiday reasons, you will have been informed of your Graduation details directly by email/text.
The entrance to the Essa Academy car park is actually off Slack Fold Lane.
However, DO NOT approach the school from the M61 end of Slack Fold Lane as it’s a narrow single track road with no passing spaces (last year's February Graduation saw a car crash on that lane and dozens of people missed the Graduation & were stuck for hours). Go through Farnworth & approach from Lever Edge Lane (or go down Smethurst Lane. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
You can find advance notice of all of the 2024 Graduation time/dates in the Centres, on Facebook and on the website - as a reminder you can find them here.
If you have never been to a Graduation before, check out what some of the students say about it here.
Tigers (9.00am)
As usual, the Tiger students will be supported to remember the syllabus. There is no need to be nervous as there are lots of friendly faces, including the Instructors from our Centres. Be there 10 minutes early & wait in the canteen area to be called through just before 9.00am.
They will be demonstrating:
Outside to Inside Middle Block
Jump Roundhouse Kick
Jab, Cross, Duck & Cross
Sparring Stance
Cross-Hand Sleeve Grab self defence
Jump Back Kick
Combination = Outside to Inside Block, Back Kick & reverse punch
Make sure you take lots of photos & post pics of your proud Tiger on the relevant Tiger Facebook page. Don't forget to come & get a picture with your favourite Instructor too (the Instructors have competition to see who can get the most pics so help them out!):
Middleton - https://www.facebook.com/FMACMiddletonTigers
Prestwich - https://www.facebook.com/FMACPrestwichTigers
White Belts (10.00am)
This group includes any striped belts who have moved up from Tigers. Mr Pritchard is looking after this group at Graduation and there will be a 'friendly' faces at the front, with Mr Nelson Snr, Mr Nelson Jnr, Mr Ogden & Mrs Kelly supporting. Again, be there 10 minutes early & wait in the canteen area to be called through as a group.
As a reminder, your syllabus is:
Middle Block
Front Kick
Chop kicks
Back Fist & Cross
Front Stance
2 onto 2 self-defence #1
The terminology you should be learning can be found here. Supporting videos of the various techniques can be found here.
Yellow Belts (11.00am)
They will demonstrate the current syllabus (as above) to Mr Ogden, but to a much higher standard.
Orange & Blue Belts (12.00pm)
Mr Nelson Jnr leads this group, who will demonstrate the current syllabus (above), plus recap some of the other syllabus elements that you have learned in the past:
Low Blocks & High Blocks
Back, Side, Horse & Cross-Legged Stances
Chop & Punch plus Jab & Cross
Side & Roundhouse Kicks
Cross-Hand & Same-Side Self-Defences
As well as all of the above, Blue Belts will be demonstrating the Beginner Form (Cho Bo Ja Hyung)
Blue Belt Terminology is on the Student Zone here & you should also hand in your completed blue Beginners Workbook before the Graduation. Replacement books (for those who have lost them) can be purchased via the Club Shop or via the Wix App.
6th Gups to 4th Gups (Green Belts) (1.00pm)
Don't forget your sparring gear - please don't be the student who has to do the walk of shame to the front desk...
Your focus should be Basic Form #3 (Kee Cho Hyung Sam Bu), Pyung Ahn Oh Dan Hyung & the two Cross-Hand Self-Defences (just what we have been working on in class).
3rd to 1st Gups (Red Belts) (2.00pm)
We're expecting a great demonstration from the Red Belts! On top of the above, you may get asked to do any Basic Form, plus the Pyung Ahn Hyung previous to the current one (Pyung Ahn Sa Dan Hyung). If you are going for your 5th Black Tab, you will also demonstrate Bassai Hyung.
Lastly, make sure you bring your sparring gear! An extra 15 minutes has been added to allow time to go through your syllabus in more depth!
Black Belts (3.15pm)
As well as your current syllabus, you could get asked ANYTHING off the Gup syllabus - time to reach back into those darkest recesses of the mind! Make sure you are up to date on your Pyung Ahn Hyungs & Bassai, plus Chil Sung Il Lo Hyung for the 2nd Dans.
Relax though - if you're going, then you're good enough (we've made sure). Enjoy the day & prove why you've got the best Instructors in the world!!!