Did the unthinkable (my Aikido journey)
- Thread starter TDWoj
- Start date
Lollipop said:
Yes, losing the 19 pounds was intentional, and I still have a lot more to lose! Which will help, I think, in making sure I don't injure myself again (I know size doesn't matter, but taken with all of my other physical limitations, reducing size can only help).
There have been only two things in my life that ever made me really happy - music and writing. Since I gave up music, there had been only writing, and because of work, I haven't been able to do much of that. But since taking up aikido, I now have something else that makes me happy, and it makes me want to change other things in my life as well - like, for instance, the kind of work that I do.
(This next bit properly belongs in Where's TD, but I'm on a roll here).
I've always wanted to be in some area of performing arts, whether it was as a musician, an actor, a writer or a director, but living the life I did, my dreams were always thwarted by my parents, and for the past 25 years I've bought into the "You have to be practical" mantra my parents ground into me. Music wasn't practical, you see, so every chance my father had, he made sure I couldn't succeed in that area (he refused to pay for private lessons even though he knew from the start I had real talent, and when I took up piano lessons, he disassembled the piano to ensure I wouldn't be able to practice on it).
When I went to university, I hadn't made up my mind in what area I wanted to study, so he bitched at me for the courses I was taking, until stress and the sudden onset of those killer migraine headaches I'm still suffering from forced me to quit (I've never gone back).
"Get a job - a real job," said he when I came home and dropped the bombshell about quitting school. So, I did. However, each successive job made more and more depressed, and despite being an excellent employee, my depression affected my ability to work and I was fired, from more than one job.
Working freelance brought some job satisfaction, but it has its own stresses, like when work dries up and I have no money to buy my meds or food or even new (used) clothes.
I tried to keep up music, but living in an apartment means you have to respect the neighbours' right to quiet, and playing a piano or a violin guarantees hostilities with those living next door.
I've tried to keep up my writing, but it's hard to do when I'm tired and stressed out, and I usually like writing in the small hours of the morning - not conducive to being alert on the job the next day. So even my writing has dwindled away.
It's been really depressing thinking that this was the way I was going to live the rest of my life, work during the week, watch tv on the weekends, never going out because I couldn't afford it, and never being able to express myself artistically which is really who I am.
Then I started to take aikido, and all of a sudden, a whole world of possibilities opened up. Heck, if I can throw some great big 6'4" guy, what else can I do?
I'm still trying to get my violin back from the person who borrowed it from me and I've been pricing electronic keyboards. I've also been looking into courses I can take that will get me closer to the performing arts I so want do.
I don't know if I'll get to where I want to go. But this is what aikido has done for me. It's opened me up spiritually as well as physically, and the "real me" is starting to peek out.
Lollipop
Banned
It is sad about your father, it was the opposite for me! I had a bitter cold Mother! We are close now! I have a good friend who know's us both and she thinks I have taught my Mother thru raising my boys how to love!
She like your father didn't get "what you say and do to your children" stays with them and forms their character!
I would have loved to have taken piano lessons, but there was no time or money for things like that with us either!
I love music and reading!
Taking these lessons is probably the most important thing you have done for yourself! Maybe as you progress your confidence will grow in other area's!
And your self esteem should be much higher than it is, you survived and have learned from those bad experience, I think if something bad happens and you gain knowledge and grow from it, turn it around and make it "a good thing"
(martha)!
I don't write as nice as you do but I hope you understand what I am saying and don't mind me saying it!
This is your thread I think you can say anything you want in it! I am not sure about me! But I didn't want to go to the GTKY thread!
She like your father didn't get "what you say and do to your children" stays with them and forms their character!
I would have loved to have taken piano lessons, but there was no time or money for things like that with us either!
I love music and reading!
Taking these lessons is probably the most important thing you have done for yourself! Maybe as you progress your confidence will grow in other area's!
And your self esteem should be much higher than it is, you survived and have learned from those bad experience, I think if something bad happens and you gain knowledge and grow from it, turn it around and make it "a good thing"
(martha)!
I don't write as nice as you do but I hope you understand what I am saying and don't mind me saying it!
This is your thread I think you can say anything you want in it! I am not sure about me! But I didn't want to go to the GTKY thread!
Aikilove said:I suggest you go back and read the beginning of this thread and the replies you got...
How's does this aikido thing make you feel know compared with then....
In aiki
/J
That was a good idea, Aikilove. Yes, I did. Gosh - a lot really has changed since the beginning! I've switched my thinking, for one thing, from being afraid of failure, to not thinking about failure at all.
I still apologise for being clumsy, but not as often, as I used to.
The pain from my arthritis has diminished quite a bit, although at the moment it's hard to tell, because of the anti-inflammatories I'm taking.
My stamina has improved, and I can get up from the mat every time now, instead of 2 tries out of every five.
My frame of mind has improved over where I was in January, and so has my overall physical health. My morning blood sugar count has gone down, and it's been a long time since I've had the shakes from a sudden drop in blood sugar because of exertion (or even just because). I still have to be careful about hydrating, though - I always forget to drink enough water.
My hands don't hurt as much, either - last year, my hands were very weak and painful, and I couldn't lift anything heavier than a piece of paper.
I still have a long way to go. My toes and knees are still too stiff to bend properly (sitting seiza cuts off the circulation to my feet), and though the right hip has improved a lot, it's still not quite "there" and won't be for a while yet.
I am starting shikko practice, though at the moment, I can only cross the mat once, forward, without cringing with pain (oh, my poor toes!). Backwards still gets me off-balance.
But I am in a far better place today than I was five months ago, that's for sure!
Amos Stevens
New Member
See me over here cheering you on TD? rah rah rah
(from ad_adrian's thread_
That's true. I go to three basics and one all levels class per week, and we pretty much do the same techniques over and over again, although April was "nikyo" month where we did some form of nikyo every class.
It looks like May is sankyo month. Ow.
We always open with tenkan practice, then occasionally go on to employ tenkan in a number of different techniques.
We were doing iriminage last night, and I think I'm finally getting it.
Last night my knees were really stiff, though; actually, my whole body was really stiff, from stress (see Where's TD for why), so I was finding it difficult to stay grounded because my knees wouldn't bend. I concentrated on breathing, and that seemed to help, so that by the end of class I was feeling much better.
Oh, and there was a really fun exercise we did last night (well, I didn't because it involved ukemi, which I'm still not cured enough to do). Sensei brought out this big orange beach ball, and had a group of five people throw it to one another. Is that all? Nope - the person catching the ball had to do a forward roll while still holding the ball - couldn't put their hands for support on the mat. I should know the name of the roll (without the ball), but I'm still wading through the basic terms, and in none of the lists of terms I've found have I found one that lists the terms by type, i.e. ukemi, holds, throw, pins, etc.
Anyway, it was a lot of fun watching even if I couldn't participate.
In other news, I got a very nice invitation to go to a one-day seminar from my dojo's Sensei, who will also drive me (it's in another city). I was going to say no, because I can't really afford it, but then I thought, what the heck. My life has just gone to hell in a hand basket, and why shouldn't I have a little fun? So even if I have to borrow the money from somebody, I guess I'll go.
Aikilove said:TD: It might vary, but by your description of how your class seem to work I would say that a testing (examination) for a grade (e.g. 6th kyu) doesn't mean that you have to be able to do the teachniques for that grade as good as the instructor (although you should always strive to do so) but just show that you know how to do the techniques good enough that you can practice them and understand them. Tai no henka (Tai no henko etc.), for example, we do from the first day to the day we die, just perfecting it constantly, polishing it. The instructer at the examination just want to see that you have progressed with this technique since last time [/b]you graded.
That's how all techniques are done and aikido for that matter. One show up and polish ones techniques over and over.
Someone who has trained for 6-12 month have in principle trained all basic techniques. The rest of the life is just polishing the same techniques more and more. (The astute reader might realize that it is more than technique that is being polished in the process!)
That's it.
Enjoy your aikido life!
/J
That's true. I go to three basics and one all levels class per week, and we pretty much do the same techniques over and over again, although April was "nikyo" month where we did some form of nikyo every class.
It looks like May is sankyo month. Ow.
We always open with tenkan practice, then occasionally go on to employ tenkan in a number of different techniques.
We were doing iriminage last night, and I think I'm finally getting it.
Last night my knees were really stiff, though; actually, my whole body was really stiff, from stress (see Where's TD for why), so I was finding it difficult to stay grounded because my knees wouldn't bend. I concentrated on breathing, and that seemed to help, so that by the end of class I was feeling much better.
Oh, and there was a really fun exercise we did last night (well, I didn't because it involved ukemi, which I'm still not cured enough to do). Sensei brought out this big orange beach ball, and had a group of five people throw it to one another. Is that all? Nope - the person catching the ball had to do a forward roll while still holding the ball - couldn't put their hands for support on the mat. I should know the name of the roll (without the ball), but I'm still wading through the basic terms, and in none of the lists of terms I've found have I found one that lists the terms by type, i.e. ukemi, holds, throw, pins, etc.
Anyway, it was a lot of fun watching even if I couldn't participate.
In other news, I got a very nice invitation to go to a one-day seminar from my dojo's Sensei, who will also drive me (it's in another city). I was going to say no, because I can't really afford it, but then I thought, what the heck. My life has just gone to hell in a hand basket, and why shouldn't I have a little fun? So even if I have to borrow the money from somebody, I guess I'll go.
Tonight's class, I was still reeling from the morning's conversation with my father, so I wasn't in a very good frame of mind. I was having trouble paying attention, and it was the first time I was corrected on every single technique by the instructor.
I'm also a bit worried about my injury because I can feel the pain even through those high-powered anti-inflammatories I'm taking.
I managed to scrape up enough money to go and get a half-hour's worth of massage therapy. I just might have enough for two more sessions, as well, before the day I start doing ukemi practice again. I'm hoping that will ease the pain I'm feeling.
I need to do more work on the spiritual side of aikido, though. Any suggestions?
I'm also a bit worried about my injury because I can feel the pain even through those high-powered anti-inflammatories I'm taking.
I managed to scrape up enough money to go and get a half-hour's worth of massage therapy. I just might have enough for two more sessions, as well, before the day I start doing ukemi practice again. I'm hoping that will ease the pain I'm feeling.
I need to do more work on the spiritual side of aikido, though. Any suggestions?
Thanks, ad_adrian. The hardest thing to learn, for me, is patience and how to pace myself.
I went yesterday to have my first massage session. It turns out I should have been getting massage therapy right from the get-go, but my family doctor didn't suggest it, and I didn't think of it until just before I went to the sports medicine doctor.
I could only afford a half-hour session, which was probably just as well, since it was a pretty painful experience. She had her hands on my back and had found all the sore spots without any help from me (other than me making "yeowch!" noises every two or three seconds.
I'm really feeling it today, though - so I don't know if I'm actually going to be ready to do ukemi next week or not.
She worked the injured area the most, but did a few passes by the other bad spots. I've known for a long time I should be getting massage therapy, but my lack of funds simply didn't permit it. I honestly don't know what to do, now, since work has slowed down to practically nothing; I've had nothing substantial for the first two weeks of this month, and if I don't have anything in the first two weeks, the outlook is pretty grim.
So I'm going to have to figure something out, to get the treatment I need so I don't injure myself again. I'm convinced the constant state of tension my back is in led to the muscle getting pulled in the first place - from tripping over a carpet, of all things!.
Imagine what will happen if I start doing breakfalls, or something, with my back muscles all bunched up the way they are. It doesn't bear thinking about....
I went yesterday to have my first massage session. It turns out I should have been getting massage therapy right from the get-go, but my family doctor didn't suggest it, and I didn't think of it until just before I went to the sports medicine doctor.
I could only afford a half-hour session, which was probably just as well, since it was a pretty painful experience. She had her hands on my back and had found all the sore spots without any help from me (other than me making "yeowch!" noises every two or three seconds.
I'm really feeling it today, though - so I don't know if I'm actually going to be ready to do ukemi next week or not.
She worked the injured area the most, but did a few passes by the other bad spots. I've known for a long time I should be getting massage therapy, but my lack of funds simply didn't permit it. I honestly don't know what to do, now, since work has slowed down to practically nothing; I've had nothing substantial for the first two weeks of this month, and if I don't have anything in the first two weeks, the outlook is pretty grim.
So I'm going to have to figure something out, to get the treatment I need so I don't injure myself again. I'm convinced the constant state of tension my back is in led to the muscle getting pulled in the first place - from tripping over a carpet, of all things!.
Imagine what will happen if I start doing breakfalls, or something, with my back muscles all bunched up the way they are. It doesn't bear thinking about....
Well, I'm sort of back in the saddle, as far as ukemi practice is concerned.
Actually, I took a few practice tumbles on Saturday, and again last night, although I declined to join in the "two lines" practice, since I don't think I'm ready for that yet. (They all go terribly fast, and whenever I try to keep up, I injure myself.)
I didn't pull anything. although my shoulders are sore - still landing on them instead of just rolling on them.
Rolling over my right shoulder continues to be a problem since my right hip is still very stiff and I can't get down far enough to avoid falling instead of rolling onto my shoulder. There's not a snowball's chance in hell I'm going to be ready for my test in September - I still have to conquer shikko, backward rolls, and standing forward and backward rolls. I'll still take the test, of course - but I won't pass.
The guys in my class last night, when they saw me taking a few rolls before class, started cheering. I didn't know whether to thank 'em or smack 'em.
Oh! And I earned my first "sweetheart" from Sensei on Saturday. Oh, the shame.... she only calls students "sweetheart" when they being particularly inept.
I'm in a constant state of worry about my financial situation, so I think that's contributing to my lack of attention in class. I am jealously guarding some money that is earmarked for a once-in-a-lifetime trip (hopefully in July), but if work doesn't pick up soon, I'll have to use it for more practical purposes, and that'll make the trip toast, and this is one trip I do NOT want to be forced to give up.
I still haven't screwed up the courage to try taking a weapons class yet. I don't think I'm ready to provide that much amusement to the other students when I knock myself out with the bokkan....
Actually, I took a few practice tumbles on Saturday, and again last night, although I declined to join in the "two lines" practice, since I don't think I'm ready for that yet. (They all go terribly fast, and whenever I try to keep up, I injure myself.)
I didn't pull anything. although my shoulders are sore - still landing on them instead of just rolling on them.
Rolling over my right shoulder continues to be a problem since my right hip is still very stiff and I can't get down far enough to avoid falling instead of rolling onto my shoulder. There's not a snowball's chance in hell I'm going to be ready for my test in September - I still have to conquer shikko, backward rolls, and standing forward and backward rolls. I'll still take the test, of course - but I won't pass.
The guys in my class last night, when they saw me taking a few rolls before class, started cheering. I didn't know whether to thank 'em or smack 'em.
Oh! And I earned my first "sweetheart" from Sensei on Saturday. Oh, the shame.... she only calls students "sweetheart" when they being particularly inept.
I'm in a constant state of worry about my financial situation, so I think that's contributing to my lack of attention in class. I am jealously guarding some money that is earmarked for a once-in-a-lifetime trip (hopefully in July), but if work doesn't pick up soon, I'll have to use it for more practical purposes, and that'll make the trip toast, and this is one trip I do NOT want to be forced to give up.
I still haven't screwed up the courage to try taking a weapons class yet. I don't think I'm ready to provide that much amusement to the other students when I knock myself out with the bokkan....
Lollipop
Banned
I hope you can make your trip, I know you love your vacation! I wish I could help you!
Both with neither of us working and trying to get my son thru college, I have had to tighten up!
I ordered a beautiful necklace for the boy's to give me Mother's Day, but I sent it back it was not a need it was a want!
I am learning to tell the difference!
You vaction I think is a need not a want! I hope you can work it out!
Both with neither of us working and trying to get my son thru college, I have had to tighten up!
I ordered a beautiful necklace for the boy's to give me Mother's Day, but I sent it back it was not a need it was a want!
I am learning to tell the difference!
You vaction I think is a need not a want! I hope you can work it out!
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Amos Stevens
New Member
Glad to hear that you have your own personal cheering squad TD
Me as well wish you well that you suddenly find money falling from the sky-ofcourse IRS agents will be right behind it
Me as well wish you well that you suddenly find money falling from the sky-ofcourse IRS agents will be right behind it
Lollipop said:
Thanks, Lollipop. Yes, I really want to go on this trip, and I hope it does come off.
In the meantime, I am going to have to find some alternative sources of income if my usual desktop publishing/graphic design stuff continues to dry up.
-TD's next task: call up agents and see if I can sign up somewhere as a movie extra. I'm sure there's a niche market for old, fat and ugly....
Amos Stevens said:Glad to hear that you have your own personal cheering squad TD
Me as well wish you well that you suddenly find money falling from the sky-ofcourse IRS agents will be right behind it
Canada Customs and Revenue, or whatever it is they're calling themselves these days. I owe them a horribly huge sum of money and despite my best efforts, I haven't even been able to make a dent.
Next problem: I have to buy the prezzie for Donovan Waite Sensei. I'll be reimbursed for it, of course, but that will take time.
I'm looking forward to the seminar with Donovan Waite Sensei since he's the one who developed the kinder, gentler way of rolling. Maybe he can help with my rolling-like-a-cardboard box issues....
Well Donavan Waite did develop a very nice way of ukemi, but he certainly wasn't the first to do so, he just happen to be kind of well known about it. I envy you for going to that seminar TD. I have to wait to the next time I go to US and NYC (august) before I can see him (and the rest at NYaikikai) again.
For now wedding planning, pesky students, dog obediency course, experiments and article writing take up too much time for me to go to any aikido seminars.
Next one I believe will be in august up in Stockholm. It will be hosted by Igarashi (7 dan), Kubo (7 dan) and Arai (7 dan). Dynamite! Can't wait.
Keep it up TD!
/J
For now wedding planning, pesky students, dog obediency course, experiments and article writing take up too much time for me to go to any aikido seminars.
Next one I believe will be in august up in Stockholm. It will be hosted by Igarashi (7 dan), Kubo (7 dan) and Arai (7 dan). Dynamite! Can't wait.
Keep it up TD!
/J
Talk about returning with a bang....
Today was my first "official" day back at ukemi practice. Fortunately, there weren't that many people there tonight so we did ukemi across the mat instead of in lines.
I'm just sticking to forward rolls for the time being. Even after two months without ukemi practice, I can do a forward roll over the left shoulder fairly well. The roll over the right shoulder is still a problem because of the stiff hip, so I tend to land rather hard on the shoulder instead of rolling onto it, but I'm hopeful the hip will continue to loosen up (although I've had to suspend treatment at the chiropractor's because I've run out of money).
Mind you, I've got the sorest shoulders right now....
I'm still pretty depressed about the problems I'm having with my father, so I opted to stay for the second class, which was an "all levels" class (but really it was an advanced class. I was the only unranked participant there. Everyone else was 5th kyu or above. Ow.).
I think I did a break fall... it happened so fast I didn't have time to think about it.
I came in for a lot of teasing, too; the instructor would demonstrate and then he'd look at me to see how I was taking it.
The main reason I don't usually stay for the second class is that I can't stay on my feet for more than an hour without my ankles giving out on me. I barely made it through the second class, as it was.
We were doing some fairly advanced techniques, all starting with the yokomenuchi attack.
Actually, a couple of the participants appreciated my being there, because I'm short - they were so used to practicing with others more or less their own height that they had forgotten how to adjust to an attacker well below their own height. In fact, I inadvertently punched one guy in the face because he didn't duck low enough to avoid it.
I'm still having a problem accepting that I'm doing the moves correctly, and with good technique. They keep telling me I'm doing well, and I still don't believe them. I've got this little voice in the back of my head telling me I'm not good enough, I don't know what I'm doing, it's just because I've got an uke that makes me look good, blah blah blah. For example, we did koshinage - of course, I didn't take the fall, but when it was my turn as nage, the instructor kept telling me I had good form, and I just didn't believe him - even when he made me do it with him, and down he went, kerplunk.
It's weird - I've got this disconnect in my head that I can't seem to fix. I think it's because if I allow myself to believe I'm good at something, can do something well, that I'll become swell-headed and get taken down a peg by someone better. So better to believe that I don't do it well, and avoid getting slapped down.
Anyway, two hours of class, and I'm absolutely beat. Every muscle in my body is aching, but the good news is, no aggravation of the torn muscle, so I guess it's pretty well healed.
Now, if I could just get the muscles in my neck and shoulder to relax...
-TD, still nervous about doing backward rolls (although somehow or other she's instinctively doing the "popcorn" roll, which I think is ushiro mai yoko kaiten)
Today was my first "official" day back at ukemi practice. Fortunately, there weren't that many people there tonight so we did ukemi across the mat instead of in lines.
I'm just sticking to forward rolls for the time being. Even after two months without ukemi practice, I can do a forward roll over the left shoulder fairly well. The roll over the right shoulder is still a problem because of the stiff hip, so I tend to land rather hard on the shoulder instead of rolling onto it, but I'm hopeful the hip will continue to loosen up (although I've had to suspend treatment at the chiropractor's because I've run out of money).
Mind you, I've got the sorest shoulders right now....
I'm still pretty depressed about the problems I'm having with my father, so I opted to stay for the second class, which was an "all levels" class (but really it was an advanced class. I was the only unranked participant there. Everyone else was 5th kyu or above. Ow.).
I think I did a break fall... it happened so fast I didn't have time to think about it.
I came in for a lot of teasing, too; the instructor would demonstrate and then he'd look at me to see how I was taking it.
The main reason I don't usually stay for the second class is that I can't stay on my feet for more than an hour without my ankles giving out on me. I barely made it through the second class, as it was.
We were doing some fairly advanced techniques, all starting with the yokomenuchi attack.
Actually, a couple of the participants appreciated my being there, because I'm short - they were so used to practicing with others more or less their own height that they had forgotten how to adjust to an attacker well below their own height. In fact, I inadvertently punched one guy in the face because he didn't duck low enough to avoid it.
I'm still having a problem accepting that I'm doing the moves correctly, and with good technique. They keep telling me I'm doing well, and I still don't believe them. I've got this little voice in the back of my head telling me I'm not good enough, I don't know what I'm doing, it's just because I've got an uke that makes me look good, blah blah blah. For example, we did koshinage - of course, I didn't take the fall, but when it was my turn as nage, the instructor kept telling me I had good form, and I just didn't believe him - even when he made me do it with him, and down he went, kerplunk.
It's weird - I've got this disconnect in my head that I can't seem to fix. I think it's because if I allow myself to believe I'm good at something, can do something well, that I'll become swell-headed and get taken down a peg by someone better. So better to believe that I don't do it well, and avoid getting slapped down.
Anyway, two hours of class, and I'm absolutely beat. Every muscle in my body is aching, but the good news is, no aggravation of the torn muscle, so I guess it's pretty well healed.
Now, if I could just get the muscles in my neck and shoulder to relax...
-TD, still nervous about doing backward rolls (although somehow or other she's instinctively doing the "popcorn" roll, which I think is ushiro mai yoko kaiten)
ad_adrian
Twitter: adadrian
td, howcome you havnt done a kyu yet? do you get graded every month?
in our dojo we get graded every month. we dont have to but just about every one does it....because i did the introductory course for a month i didnt do have to for the first month i have one month to do training for the kyu...good luck hey
in our dojo we get graded every month. we dont have to but just about every one does it....because i did the introductory course for a month i didnt do have to for the first month i have one month to do training for the kyu...good luck hey
In my dojo, you have to attend a certain number of classes before you are tested and graded. For 6th kyu, you have to attend 40 classes. Technically, I should be testing in June, since I've been to 62 classes, but because I had to stop ukemi practice while my torn muscle healed, I'm behind in the ukemi techniques I need to know for 6th kyu. (And no, I don't get "credit" for the extra practice days acquired for this kyu test for the next kyu!)
It's a long process for getting ranked; getting a black belt can take 5-10 years.
Here's how it breaks down in my dojo:
After each test, you start from "zero" to accumulate practice days for the next test
6th kyu - 40 practice days
5th kyu - 60 practice days
4th kyu - 80 practice days
3rd kyu - 100 practice days
2nd kyu - 200 practice days
1st kyu - 300 practice days
Sho-Dan (1st dan) - 400 practice days
Ni-Dan (2nd dan) - 600 practice days
San-dan (3rd dan) - 700 practice days
I go four times per week, so I can easily get 16 practice days in a month. At my age, it's not very likely I'll get to 3rd dan. I'll be happy if I reach 1st kyu (which, in my dojo, is when you get a hakama, which the dojo buys from donations from the other students).
It's a long process for getting ranked; getting a black belt can take 5-10 years.
Here's how it breaks down in my dojo:
After each test, you start from "zero" to accumulate practice days for the next test
6th kyu - 40 practice days
5th kyu - 60 practice days
4th kyu - 80 practice days
3rd kyu - 100 practice days
2nd kyu - 200 practice days
1st kyu - 300 practice days
Sho-Dan (1st dan) - 400 practice days
Ni-Dan (2nd dan) - 600 practice days
San-dan (3rd dan) - 700 practice days
I go four times per week, so I can easily get 16 practice days in a month. At my age, it's not very likely I'll get to 3rd dan. I'll be happy if I reach 1st kyu (which, in my dojo, is when you get a hakama, which the dojo buys from donations from the other students).