The Spring Seminar is over and Yamashima Sensei has left. We now need to turn our minds to the rest of the year and the grading at the end of November. We will therefore carry out a round of Proficiency Tests next week to see where people are at.

• 3rd kyu – 1st kyu – brown belts – Wed 17 September Burnside Dojo, 7.30pm
• 5th kyu – 4th kyu – white belts – Fri 19 September Burnside Dojo, 6.00pm
• Nidan & Sandan – black belts – Sun 21 September Burnside Dojo, 5.00pm

For the beginners, the Proficiency Tests are a chance to see what you know – it follows the same format as the grading at year end but it is an internal thing for ASC rather than a grade. It is well worth doing as it prepares you for the grading.

And they're fun!