Ben and I training on the beach

On Saturday, June 6, Ben Pogue passed his Shodan test to earn his 1st degree black belt and become the 4th student from the Daniel Island dojo to attain the highly coveted honor.  Ben will officially receive his blackbelt at a ceremony at St. Joseph’s Church in West Ashley on Saturday, June 13 at 11:00 a.m.

Ben has been an exemplary student since he began his training several years ago. His dedication, skills, and willingness to always help others in their training have been an inspiration to many of our students.

In order to achieve the rank of Shodan (1st degree black belt) a student must learn, practice, and be dedicated to the art of karate for about 3-5 years until they are invited to test for their black belt by the senior instructors of Japan Karate Institute. To pass the test, a student must demonstrate proficiency in the three main areas of Wado-Ryu karate. They are kihons (basic techniques), kata (forms), and kumite (sparring). While the test is different and unique for each student, it is always extremely challenging, often pushing students to the brink of their mental and physical abilities.

Congratulations Ben!