>>217875
I regularly get beaten up in kumite (Shotokan) and my sensei flat out told me 2 weeks ago "You're not getting promoted until you start doing better and winning in kumite". And I'm almost always pitted against brown belts in our dojo. I just train more, try to do better in kumite (comparing old kumite videos to now seems like I am) against the senpais (and still end up getting my ass kicked). Honestly it's scary and exciting as fuck at the same time.