What can I do to get my black belt next time

[Echo]

Just failed for the second time my grading for my black belt. My instructor does not know why and even congratulated me after the grading for doing a good grading. I was also approached by another instructor who said how well I had done. Am at a loss now I worked hard spent every spare minute on theory and practical but to no avail. I loved my martial art saw the black belt as a start of a new beginning and was really looking forward to learning more.

 

[EddieCyrax]

Very sorry to hear this. Have you discussed this with your instructors? I am sure they will be able to guide you to future success. It sounds like there was a panel. Is there a process to gain feedback?

Testing is about development. I would think they would share areas of weakness, so you can be successful next time.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

I take it there was a panel of outside examiners grading the exam?

If your instructor (who was there) doesn't know why you didn't pass, then a bunch of strangers on the internet who have never seen you aren't going to be able to say why either. If your instructor thought you did a good job and should have passed, then perhaps he or she can talk to the examiners and find out what they think you need to work on.

If you wanted feedback from the members here, you could try posting some video of whatever you had to demonstrate for the test (forms? sparring?). Since you are posting in the TKD subforum, I assume you were testing for TKD rank? We have a number of senior TKD practitioners here who might be able to offer advice if they could see your movement.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Just failed for the second time my grading for my black belt. My instructor does not know why and even congratulated me after the grading for doing a good grading. I was also approached by another instructor who said how well I had done. Am at a loss now I worked hard spent every spare minute on theory and practical but to no avail. I loved my martial art saw the black belt as a start of a new beginning and was really looking forward to learning more.

How can your instructor NOT know? If your instructor wasn't part of the panel, why wouldn't (s)he ask why you failed? I certainly would. Without feedback as to why you failed, the testing process is badly flawed.

 

[Gnarlie]

Whereabouts are you based Echo, and what organisation are you part of? If I can help you I will.

These questions might help regardless of organisation:

Did you conduct yourself in a respectful manner toward the panel and your training partners?
Did you give 100 percent effort?
Were you aware of the technical standards required?
Did you succeed in demonstrating things right first time?
If not, did you correct your mistakes immediately?
Were your sparring and forms performances fluent and confident?
Did you moderate the level of contact and intensity to the circumstances?
Did you attend the seminars leading up to the test, especially the day before or on the day?
Did you work in changes from those seminars into your performance?
Did you stand out from the group as a role model level candidate?

If you can answer yes to all of these questions, then I would need to see you perform to be able to say why you might not have passed.




Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[Manny]

I also think your instructor must know and if not he must ask the pannel of sinodals to get feedback. Keep working on and tell us what's going up. As a rule a person who does not pass the examination must know why and afther this he/she can do the changes to the next examn ans pass it.

El Manny

 

[oftheherd1]

I am puzzled as are others here. Are we getting all the story? I don't know how an instructor could not know why you failed. How can your instructor then teach you what you are failing in. You know yourself better than anyone else; if you are weak in an area, you must have some suspicions do you not? I'm just not making any sense out of this.

But with more information some members here may be able to help.

EDIT: Sorry, I guess I was just too distracted trying to figure out what was going on and forgot to welcome you to MT. You might want to go to the meet and greet and let us know more about yourself.

 

[Echo]

I am puzzled as are others here. Are we getting all the story? I don't know how an instructor could not know why you failed. How can your instructor then teach you what you are failing in. You know yourself better than anyone else; if you are weak in an area, you must have some suspicions do you not? I'm just not making any sense out of this.

But with more information some members here may be able to help.

EDIT: Sorry, I guess I was just too distracted trying to figure out what was going on and forgot to welcome you to MT. You might want to go to the meet and greet and let us know more about yourself.

 

[Echo]

I have been doing Taekwondo for the last 8 years. I am an older student and have had an ankle reconstruction which does I admit hamper my stances. However I know this can be a weakness with my disability and for this reason make sure that I have good definition between an L and a walking stance especially in patterns. I failed the first time on footwork and for that reason was especially careful this time. I know I did not make any mistakes in line work or patterns and had 10 out of 10 for theory.
I am a member of the TAGB. The only thing I can think of was that as I am only 5ft 3 and was in a group of teenage students that their flexibility showed up my age and disability to my detriment.
I will be seeing my instructor later this week who I hope may have more answers, but when he rang me with the result seemed to be as confused as I was.
Will keep everyone posted, and thanks for your comments, unfortunately do not have a video.

 

[jks9199]

Your instructor should be able to find out why you failed, as the others have said, and then explain and work with you on the problems. Dumb question: are you sure that you completed any administrative requirements, like properly completed application forms, submitted and approved thesis paper, etc.?

 

[RTKDCMB]

Without actually seeing your test I would have to say do what you did before but better.

Your instructor should know what you did not pass, it may just be that he did not know at the time and will be finding out.

I would also suggest that you do not give up trying as not passing a test can be a test of character. One of our students went for her black belt 7 times before she finally got it, she earned it because she did not give up. Remember losing is temporary, quitting makes it permanent.

 

[martinnharvey]

I failed my 2nd Degree with the TAGB many years ago and it took weeks for my instructor to find out what they failed me on.
I forgot to say 'Sir' after giving my name and rank. I was the first one to be called out, very nervous and forgot. I did well to remember my own name at the time.
My instructor wasn't on the grading panel and wasn't informed of the reason. He was just told 'I didn't achieve the required standard on the day'
I asked him to find out and after lots of calls that is the reason he was given.
I am now with the GTUK and when you take a black belt grading you get your grading sheet handed to you on the day so you can see exactly what you scored in each area of the test, so if you fail you can see what area you need to work on.
I would suggest you keep asking your instructor to find out. After all, how can you improve if you don't know what you failed on.
BTW I went back 6 months later and retook it - and smashed it. I also remembered to add 'Sir' to anything I said ;-)

 

[oftheherd1]

I have been doing Taekwondo for the last 8 years. I am an older student and have had an ankle reconstruction which does I admit hamper my stances. However I know this can be a weakness with my disability and for this reason make sure that I have good definition between an L and a walking stance especially in patterns. I failed the first time on footwork and for that reason was especially careful this time. I know I did not make any mistakes in line work or patterns and had 10 out of 10 for theory.
I am a member of the TAGB. The only thing I can think of was that as I am only 5ft 3 and was in a group of teenage students that their flexibility showed up my age and disability to my detriment.
I will be seeing my instructor later this week who I hope may have more answers, but when he rang me with the result seemed to be as confused as I was.
Will keep everyone posted, and thanks for your comments, unfortunately do not have a video.

Well, I have mentioned before my only knowledge of TKD is when I studied in the mid-60s, and sitting in on a couple of tests in the mid-90s. I am accustomed to a little different ways. The student would not normally be encouraged to take a test if the teacher felt they were not ready. Some people think that is a poor way of doing things, let the student decide and take the consequences.

I think it is a poor way to do things otherwise. Why encourage a student to fail? Considering that especially for BB tests, there is normally a panel of other master or grand masters, why put up a student who cannot pass, and to the embarrassment of the teacher and school who submits the student to testing? Better to tell a student why they aren't ready, and show them what they need to improve and work with them to improve, than have them pay fees, psych themselves up, and fail. It was the way I learned in TKD and in the Hapkido I studied later. I cannot understand a schools teacher not being told why someone failed, and that should be done quickly. To me, it seems an insult to do otherwise. But I guess part of that is from the perspective that a student should not be tested until the teacher is confident they are ready to pass a test.

I understand not every one or school agrees with that, and that is OK. That is their way and they are entitled to it.

 

[GiYu - Todd]

I have been doing Taekwondo for the last 8 years. I am an older student and have had an ankle reconstruction which does I admit hamper my stances. However I know this can be a weakness with my disability and for this reason make sure that I have good definition between an L and a walking stance especially in patterns.

I hope you find out soon so you can make appropriate corrections. If any of it had to do with your disability, perhaps you need to let the panel know beforehand. Any time I've sat on a testing panel and knew someone had an injury/disability, we all would take it into account in grading.
I'm scheduled for ankle surgery in 2 1/2 weeks to repair damage to my talus bone. I'm planning to test for nidan in June. I'm hoping recovery is quick enough to not set me back for too long.
Good luck on your next attempt!

 

[EddieCyrax]

First thing panel asks in grading for all my test is: "Are there any medical issues we should know about?"

Grading "should" take these into consideration. Grading should be on the individual, not compared to their peers.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

I failed my 2nd Degree with the TAGB many years ago and it took weeks for my instructor to find out what they failed me on.
I forgot to say 'Sir' after giving my name and rank. I was the first one to be called out, very nervous and forgot. I did well to remember my own name at the time.

Seriously?

I'm not sure I should give my uncensored opinion on that, but it rhymes with "***-wipe bozos on a power trip."

 

[Dirty Dog]

I failed my 2nd Degree with the TAGB many years ago and it took weeks for my instructor to find out what they failed me on.
I forgot to say 'Sir' after giving my name and rank. I was the first one to be called out, very nervous and forgot. I did well to remember my own name at the time.
My instructor wasn't on the grading panel and wasn't informed of the reason. He was just told 'I didn't achieve the required standard on the day'
I asked him to find out and after lots of calls that is the reason he was given.
I am now with the GTUK and when you take a black belt grading you get your grading sheet handed to you on the day so you can see exactly what you scored in each area of the test, so if you fail you can see what area you need to work on.
I would suggest you keep asking your instructor to find out. After all, how can you improve if you don't know what you failed on.
BTW I went back 6 months later and retook it - and smashed it. I also remembered to add 'Sir' to anything I said ;-)

That is an absurd reason to fail someone.

 

[martinnharvey]

Seriously?

I'm not sure I should give my uncensored opinion on that, but it rhymes with "***-wipe bozos on a power trip."

I wont say what I thought at the time but it was along the same lines. It motivated me to take it again and give them no reason to fail me

 

[martinnharvey]

That is an absurd reason to fail someone.

True.
I don't know about the TAGB anymore but the GTUK gradings are a lot better experience for the student

 

[evelbug]

Well, I have mentioned before my only knowledge of TKD is when I studied in the mid-60s, and sitting in on a couple of tests in the mid-90s. I am accustomed to a little different ways. The student would not normally be encouraged to take a test if the teacher felt they were not ready. Some people think that is a poor way of doing things, let the student decide and take the consequences.

I think it is a poor way to do things otherwise. Why encourage a student to fail? Considering that especially for BB tests, there is normally a panel of other master or grand masters, why put up a student who cannot pass, and to the embarrassment of the teacher and school who submits the student to testing? Better to tell a student why they aren't ready, and show them what they need to improve and work with them to improve, than have them pay fees, psych themselves up, and fail. It was the way I learned in TKD and in the Hapkido I studied later. I cannot understand a schools teacher not being told why someone failed, and that should be done quickly. To me, it seems an insult to do otherwise. But I guess part of that is from the perspective that a student should not be tested until the teacher is confident they are ready to pass a test.

I understand not every one or school agrees with that, and that is OK. That is their way and they are entitled to it.

One of the sayings my master likes to use is "The student does not fail the test, the instructor does"

I would think your teacher would want to let you know where you needed to improve and make sure you are ready before you test.