Eager Giant Earns Promotion

From Left to Right - Karsten Lappe, Sensei Suhr

Karsten Lappe stands out not only in our dojo, but everywhere he goes due to his extreme height and boisterous personality. For those were present when he first came to our dojo, Karsten has long stood out for his drive and intensity; while many new students gas themselves out in their first training sessions, Karsten worked so hard he upset his stomach. While he has tempered his eagerness, his drive has never diminished. This fire has kept him on the practice mat, and carried him all the way to the gold in his first competition earlier this year, which he attended as a yellow belt.

On or about June 23rd, 2025, Karsten tested for, and earned, the rank of “Gokyu,” and the right to wear an orange belt. This promotion comes after approximately six months of study from his rank test.

When he first got on the mat at our dojo, Karsten called heavily on his past wrestling experience and preferred familiar attacks like O-Uchi-Gari. However, like many judoka, he soon became enamored with Uchi-Mata, which he has been working on since he was a white belt. Lately, he’s also been seen to demonstrate both familiarity and a refined level of control with O-Soto-Gari.

Congratulations to this dojo member. We look forward to seeing him develop further in the future.