By the way....

[Gerry Seymour]

Well hell. As someone who also has an interest in astronomy, that is pretty damn cool. Congratulations on that, by the way.

And I will say that I am struggling with the math and I'm not even in calculus yet. When do I get to stop feeling like an imposter with the math?

We are all imposters in math. That stuff is some kinda black magic.

 

[Touch Of Death]

I'm so much the opposite. I'm just lucky - it's nothing I've developed, so I can claim no pride in it. For my BB self-defense test (the hardest single part of the testing, about an hour of responding to one attack after another), I did little prep. I figured I'd done all that in the years of getting to that point. I went to a regular class or two that day, I think, then did my test. I wasn't spectacular, but I passed easily. I think a lot of my test results are as much an indication of how relaxed I am at testing, as they are an indication of what they are meant to test. I wish I knew some way to lend that to others.

That's funny. I am the same way. I can be a bundle o nerves and look like I am half asleep. It is a talent.

 

[tubby]

you didn't know your patterns the first day you took them, so you shouldn't expect to be calm and on top of a grading or test the first time you take them. they are a skill like everything else. Now you have some idea what is involved - patterns, sparring, basics, breaks, next time it won't be a journey into the unknown even if the specific techniques relate to the next grade.

 

[Balrog]

My confidence seems to have deserted me at the moment. I've just got a new belt and I feel terrible about it.

I think there is something wrong with me.

Pick a technique and practice the hell out of it. Side kick, for example. Do slow side kicks while braced against the wall one day, then full impact against the bag next day. Pull segments out of your forms that include side kicks and grind them the next day, that sort of thing. When you've got that kick up to speed, do the same for another, or for a hand technique.

Concentrate on improving the little things. As they improve, so will the big things. And so will your confidence.

 

[yak sao]

My confidence seems to have deserted me at the moment. I've just got a new belt and I feel terrible about it.

I think there is something wrong with me.

Sounds like you are on the road to not just practicing martial arts but becoming a martial artist . If you got your new rank and were satisfied, you would not practice nearly as much . Being dissatisfied with yourself and your performance is going to make you strive to become that much better.
Welcome to the club.

 

[Rabbitthekitten]

Well hell. As someone who also has an interest in astronomy, that is pretty damn cool. Congratulations on that, by the way.

And I will say that I am struggling with the math and I'm not even in calculus yet. When do I get to stop feeling like an imposter with the math?

My speciality was planetary science which isn't too mathy. Compared to most people who study it my maths sucks. I was always on the phone to my dad who did maths himself at university. I actually had one exam question on cosmology where I was completely stumped so I made up an equation, worked it out and wrote that the answer didn't make sense. I still passed.

My mom gets so nervous before belt tests that she has to take the day of, and most of the times the day before, off work so she can mentally prepare. She takes anti-anxiety medicine before the test too. For our yellow belt test, she almost ran off the mat before it was our turn. It's bad. But it gets easier as you learn what is expected of you and how things will go. At my school, you don't get to test if you aren't ready, so mistakes in testing don't automatically mean you fail. I've seen kids given 3 or 4 chances to do their form right. A few months ago, I even had to take a couple kids outside for extra practice so they could go back in and do it right. The same kids tested last week and did an amazing job. Mental training is part of the training. Perseverance! Never give up.

This sounds familiar. I was asked to do the four directional block and I simply could not do it. It wasn't something that I was being graded on, more of a warm up so it didn't matter all that much. But it made me go mental in my head and doubt myself for the rest of the grading.

Pick a technique and practice the hell out of it. Side kick, for example. Do slow side kicks while braced against the wall one day, then full impact against the bag next day. Pull segments out of your forms that include side kicks and grind them the next day, that sort of thing. When you've got that kick up to speed, do the same for another, or for a hand technique.

Concentrate on improving the little things. As they improve, so will the big things. And so will your confidence.

I'm ordering a heavy bag today for exactly this.

Not feelin like you deserve the rank is normal. The problems start when you covet higher ranks. This is all part of the experience, and you are doing fine.

Sounds like you are on the road to not just practicing martial arts but becoming a martial artist . If you got your new rank and were satisfied, you would not practice nearly as much . Being dissatisfied with yourself and your performance is going to make you strive to become that much better.
Welcome to the club.

These make me feel better.

 

[Kong Soo Do]

Pretty much. My mind goes blank. I forget the basics. I feel like a fraud. My instructor takes me to one side to "clarify" a few points. Basically stuff I got wrong. After correcting me gives me the grade. I just hate it.

Forgo testing, at least for a while. Progress at your pace and not the pace others think you should adhere to, including your instructor. I once trained with a gentleman that wore a white belt but was obviously much higher. The instructor one day simply handed him his green belt (for that style the green was 2-3 levels up) without a test (and NO fee) simply due to his humility, dedication and clearly demonstrated skill.

I've told the story before of several Okinawan karateka that wore white belts but were actually 5th Dans. They just never got around to getting a black belt but rather let their skill speak for itself.

 

[JP3]

I got my yellow belt last week. I absolutely hated grading for it. It only gets harder. How do I stop hating it?

If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.

 

[RTKDCMB]

Make sure you are well prepared for the test and during testing just concentrate on what you are doing and do it the best you can. When testing you are not really doing anything you have not done before, you are just doing it in front of some extra people.

 

[drop bear]

Rabbit.

Mabye you won't stop hating it. It might be a damn war every time you grade.

But you have to do it. So stand up to yourself and do it.

 

[_Simon_]

I just found this thread and have been really enjoying it. Everyone's contributions were awesome, it's really great seeing that level of support. I know I get super nervous before gradings, and definitely have moments of blankness.. But yeah your instructor wouldn't have sent you there without a reason. I like the saying/idea "You have to be the new belt, before you grade to that belt." I just notice all the immense pressure I'm putting on myself and try to let it go, it's totally unnecessary, and whilst in some cases it's helpful to push yourself in that way, some definitely would benefit more from relaxing and being easier on themselves (ie me hehe).

How has training been going Rabbitthekitten?