Class was particularly intense tonight.
We had just finished practice and I was eager to get the armor off so I could actually breathe again.
One of the senior students was next to me and asked if I was a hundred-day man yet.
Hundred days?
I had heard the term around the dojo a few times, but in following tradition I knew that if it was intended for my ears one of the senior students or the teacher would come up and tell me.
If I had to ask what a hundred-day man is, I had no place yet knowing.
In regard to his question, clearly I was not.
Well, apparently is was time.
Get back up and assume the fighting posture with the naginata.
The senior student and I standing across from each other as we began to whirl the naginata, cutting down on one side, arching around and cutting down on the other side.
Keep up was the command, and pay attention to me form.
After a decent amount of time, the senior student returned to the starting position, and I naturally mirrored him.
Did I know what to do?
One hundred naginata cuts for one hundred days becomes a hundred day man.
Miss a day and you start over.
Perform a bad or lazy cut and you start over.
All one hundreds cuts for the day must be done at the same time.
Zero to one hundred.
Did I understand.
Next time if I am asked if I am a hundred-day man, I better be able to say yes.
Understood.
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