Breakin’ a Board!

It was a hot, sunny day as the breeze had stopped blowing, and the sun spread its rays in all directions. I was at a karate tournament or a shiai to test my skills.

   Right now, teachers or senseis were calling out names of karate students who would get an opportunity to break a board. 

 The process worked like this: A karate student’s teacher would decide if the student was ready to go to the next belt. If so, they would fill out a form, hence the student’s name would be called to break a board at the shiai. A teacher will hold the board at the tournament and the student will attempt to break it. If they do, they will get promoted to the next belt. Otherwise, they will stay in the same belt. 

I, however, was at the shiai, sitting in criss cross applesauce, my neck sweating as if I was in the Sahara Desert with no water. Why? Because senseis were calling students to the front of the gym to break boards for their promotions. I wiggled my fingers; I couldn’t sit still. I was breathing heavily as if I needed to try to breathe. My heart speed started going faster and faster. Then, they started calling out names in the mic, “Bella Hyder, Mia Sanderson, Sara Penton, Polly Lopez, Winda McaFee, Lily Kristine, Yolanda Pretez, Andrea Jenkins, Zoe Omar and… Aditi Kasthala!!” My heart had stopped beating and was now frozen. My eyes were in the middle of a paralyzed glare. 

I forced myself to stand up as my head had thoughts rushing around my head. What if I humiliate myself in front of these people if I didn’t break it. What if I couldn’t break the board? What if- Silence! Don’t think negatively! I was feeling a bit dizzy with all these thoughts in my head. “Aditi!” a voice called from my left. I turned to see my sensei holding a board and calling my name. I ran towards him as I deleted all my thoughts with a snap. “Okay Aditi, are you gonna punch the board or kick?” he asked me. I thought about it for a minute and then said, “Kick,”

“Okay then,” he replied. “Show me your kick.” I raised my knee and stretched out to show my high, powerful kick. I put it down and waited for a response. “Excellent!” the sensei said. Before we could practice anymore, a teacher said on the mic, “Don’t kick the board; kick through the board.” Instantly, I noted that down in my head and was repeating that over and over again. “Okay, when I say three, kick or punch the board.” the voice said on the speaker. “One,” the countdown started. My heart was pounding as if it wanted to come out of my chest. My breath was pausing. My leg was freezing as it was high in the air. “Two,” the voice said as if it was cackling. And then, then, I did something that I never thought I could do. “Three!” My  leg went high in the air, aimed for the middle of the board, as I kept my gaze at it. Snap! I heard a sound like bones cracking everywhere, but I realized they were boards. “Great job, Aditi!” I heard my sensei say. Huh? I thought. Why? “You did it, you broke the board!” My eyes abruptly lit up and I smiled, realizing that snap was my strong and brave leg splitting the board into even parts. I smiled widely as I thanked my teacher and took my board which was now in halves, and ran to my group of white belts. I couldn’t believe it! I was really underestimating my strength. Now, I would get promoted to a yellow belt! Yes! Now, I wouldn’t have to be low rank anymore.