It was a busy end of the term for the mixed martial arts team at Bukido Taijutsu which saw many students earn some great results in gradings over the last week.
After taking several years off training for health reasons Sachin Parker along with his fellow student Cole Dallas went for gradings in their yellow and green belts respectively.
Sensei Phil said Parker was especially pleased to be grading because he had overcome health concerns to take his grading.
"Parker was especially pleased to be grading as he needed to take several years off training for health reasons and then returned to achieve a very high standard in the test," he said.
On the weekend, 17 students took their grading and were keen to sit the test for their next belt.
It was a mixed group with students aged from seven years up to 14 years, all were put under pressure to show their prowess in their chosen martial art.
Sensei Phil said student gradings started with with the basics including stances, break falls, rolls, and defences before they went onto bag work, throws, and ground fighting.
“Even in the first few levels the students were tested in all the major areas of self defence,” he said.
“Our art is extremely practical and all these children demonstrated effective skills considering some of them have only been training a relatively short time."
Some of the highlights from the gradings included Dakota Keogh and Susanne Kleiberg who demonstrated refined techniques.
Students who demonstrated extremely tidy bag work were Ren Lee, Waylen Holt, Ari Copeman and Orbin Wilde.
Lavender, Solomon and Harvest Worrall showed impressively fast learning only having trained for a relatively short period of time.
Bukido Taijutsu students Riley Anderson and Mitch Densley were put to the test when they were graded for their red belt (which is ranked one below the black belt).
Sensei Phil said to grade for a red belt was very tough for any student.
"It involves a lot of sword work, knife defence and baton defence,” he said.
“Along with grappling, wrestling, sparring and multiple opponent exercises.”
Sensei Phil said both Anderson and Densley put on a good performance during their gradings with Anderson really coming out of her shell giving it her best on the day.
"Congratulations to all those who passed their grading and showed high levels of fitness, skill and discipline,” he said.
"Congratulations to all those who passed their grading and showed high levels of fitness, skill and discipline”
- Sensei Phil
For more information on Bukido Taijutsu call Sensei Phil on 0438 386 012.