Testing with women

[Dana Sheets]

PartI
Testing is a time when everyone is more stressed than usual. Everyone wants to put their best foot forard. In uechi there is a tradition of toughness. A tradition to show "strong" and "spirited" technique.

So you're going up for your shodan test and there's a possibility that you'll be pair with a woman.

What goes through your head?
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Part II
As a woman I've noticed a tendancy for test boards to pair the women with each other. Even if there are men in the test who are closer in size to each of the women -- they will often still pair the women together.

What's up with that?

[Jackie Olsen]

Part I: No problem here. Done demonstrations with women and I can honestly say that some of my best bunkais and dan kumites have been with a woman. We really seemed to flow with the movements together.

Part II: Can't comment on that because over here most of the time women are paired with men. None of my ukes have been a woman, even though I've tested with them. I believe that people should be matched based on abilities and size, not on gender.

Jackie