A start has to be made.

If there's one thing I've learned from being around people like Aidan Walsh and Terry Donnelly is that standard is everything. For the first time in a long time, I witnessed the unfortunate circumstances of someone failing a dan test. Such is life.

There would be no easy route to the covetted dan levels of Taekwon-Do with these guys. If you weren't ready, you weren't passed. That's the way it should be.

I've been sussing out what level of standard I will have to achieve before I step onto the floor in front of this senior grading panel. So far, I've learned that they expect power. Taekwon-Do is not Tai Chi, Taekwon-Do is about blunt force trauma. It's about single shot knock downs. Power coupled with speed and agility will be the name of the game for me.

Let the training begin!

This blog will follow the ups and downs of the training needed to step onto the floor in front of an Irish Taekwon-Do pioneer and say - "sir, i'm ready for the next level" - no easy task that.

My instructor for the grading will be non other that Terry Donnelly VI. I'm confident his guidance will see me through. He prepared me for the ITF European championships in 2008. The only time in a long time I felt ready for a tournament.

On Saturday next, I'm off to train again with Grand Master Choi in England. That will officially kick off my training for the big 4.

Stay tuned!