Proud as punch

Here's me and "Thunderfoot" 1984 having just passed our Dan Grade. Six hours long in the sweltering heat at Stanley Royd Hospital.

Arnie bless him never told us what to expect, glad he didn't really because I don't think we would have turned up!!

Phil was on top form with his "Are you in Ying or Yang" and just as you're about to answer "Watoooshka" a swift OiZuki to the gut.

We'd been doing basics for about and hour and a half solid and we were doing Juji Uke (cross block) protecting the groin, when tiredness got the better of me for a second and I made the BIG mistake of resting my arms on my front leg for a second. Nobody will spot me, hang on somebody did - yep, Phil!!

So he then got a young student and placed him on my back for the rest of the technique, oh how I laughed. We then did the Kumite at the end and got kicked to hell by the likes of Mick Buxton and a horde of fresh black belts.

Still, I wouldn't swap that day for the world. As Arn said, "When you first put that belt on it feels like the Lonsdale belt", how true he was!

Regards to you all.

Dave