Testing

[risingfire]

Okay Folks,
As some of you know I have been out of TKD for 9 years. I earned my black belt when I was 18; I am now 27. I am going in for my first testing in the new dojang on Sunday; I haven't tested for almost a decade! I am going to try and test up a few belts since my rank is being recognized. I remember most of my forms, and have the three down I am going to do pretty solid. I am freaking out though! We have to do ground work which I have never done, (it’s a surprise that someone let slip to me). I wasn't nervous at all until my instructor started planting doubts in my mind about how much my previous experience counted when before he/she said it was completely honored. I am even worried about breaking which I used to be great at! Its like he/she knew what to say to throw me off balance! I think this is just a way to throw me off guard and make me nervous, but still I am trying to calm down at this point. Personally I wish we had two belts, white and black. You spend 6 + years, or however long after that it takes for your master to say you can now test for black. Anxiety is getting the best of me, and with all the self control techniques I was taught in the past you would think I would be doing better, but I think they are the only thing that is keeping me from having a heart attack! lol
What do you guys and gals do before a testing to keep calm?

Thanks!

 

[rlp271]

A test day is just another day. It's just like training. People tell you what to do, you do it. If you go in with that mentality, you should be fine. You're being tested every single class you take. Someone is, or should be, watching you every class, correcting you. Just relax, do what you do every other time you go to class, and have fun. The less you worry about making mistakes, the fewer you'll make.

 

[Archtkd]

Okay Folks,
As some of you know I have been out of TKD for 9 years. I earned my black belt when I was 18; I am now 27. I am going in for my first testing in the new dojang on Sunday; I haven't tested for almost a decade! I am going to try and test up a few belts since my rank is being recognized. I remember most of my forms, and have the three down I am going to do pretty solid. I am freaking out though! We have to do ground work which I have never done, (it’s a surprise that someone let slip to me).

The question I might ask here is why are you testing? More particularly, why are you testing a few belts up?

 

[risingfire]

I really appreciate it, excellent advice! I will try and I will meditate on it later as well. I want to do well for my master and I want to do well for myself. He/she is being kind and letting me test up in ranking so I want to make them proud. sigh. I will take the additude you are talking about though. I had that until they started putting doubts in my mind. How does everyone else deal with testing day?

 

[StudentCarl]

I practice as hard or harder than the test so I can be confident. I also trust that my master would not approve me to test if he didn't think success was within my reach (though I might have to go all out to do it).

Practice to remove your doubts.

I'd say "Good Luck", but I believe we make our own luck in practice...so there it is.

Best wishes,
Carl

 

[terryl965]

You must first believe in yourself and your Instructor without those you will fail. He knows you have the ability and you know you have the skill together it will come so you can move forward.

 

[risingfire]

The question I might ask here is why are you testing? More particularly, why are you testing a few belts up?

You must first believe in yourself and your Instructor without those you will fail. He knows you have the ability and you know you have the skill together it will come so you can move forward.

This has been the big question. At first I was told my rank would be honored. I produced membership cards, certs, and even belts lol. Then I was told, well, since I had been out for a while that I could test up three, then three more. I was cool with this. I don't really care about rank so much, but I would like my previous experience recognized. Now I am being told, well it’s up to the judges at this point if you get to test up anymore after this. To top it off, I was told MOST recently that I may not even get to test up a few I am testing for on Sunday, that it would be up to the judges!

That’s why I quoted about the belief in the Sabumnim...I think I may have lost some when I got...told many different things. I believe in myself. My Sabumnim told me my skill is excellent, that everything was coming back solid, and that I just needed to work on building up my stamina, mind you I spar with the black belts and brown belts regularly in tournament fashion and win. I thought it was a money game, but sabumnim is not charging for testing, or maybe only a little. The judges have to decide. So, I have all this. I thought it was a mind game, sort of a, beat you down so I can see if you have the skill to continue...but I'm not sure. I missed a week of class though because of sickness from overtraining, I run as well. I thought this might come into play too...dunno.

Oh and also my sabumnim knows my old one very very well! So...confused...I guess. I would understand if I went to class and was horrible, but it took me 6 years to obtain my black the first time(I was one of the quicker ones as well), and it was hard work! I do excellent now, sure I am a little rusty but...come on...lol

 

[ATC]

Well if your only reason for coming back was to see if you are still a black belt then don't test. But if you came back for the love and all that being a martial artist is then learn what is being taught. Strive to perfect it (you never will) and do what is asked. That is it really.

To want a Black Belt and to want to be a martial artist are two different things.

Good luck on the test by the way.

 

[risingfire]

I want to do all that, and have been doing all that since my return. However, I am voicing my anxiety and possible causes for it. It’s not the rank that is the issue; it’s the changing story and so on. I wonder if I have chosen the correct dojang. I am an honest person, almost to a fault. I guess I expect an explanation or at least allude to one. Thanks for the advice everyone and I hope testing goes as planned, for all I know we will be riding uni-cycles lol.

 

[risingfire]

So all will know I got some straight answers one everything I need last night. I appreciate the support I got from thr forum. You guys are great!

 

[cali_tkdbruin]

Okay Folks,
... I am going to try and test up a few belts since my rank is being recognized. I remember most of my forms, and have the three down I am going to do pretty solid. I am freaking out though! ...

Are you saying that this new dojang is making you start again at the lower gup ranks? Expand on that. Also, did you earn your 1st Dan through one of the more recognized sanctioning bodies such as the Kukkiwon?

As a TKD BB you shouldn't have to restart at the bottom rung again. Maybe some refresher training for a time so you get back in synch, yeah, that would make sense since you've been away from the game for a decade. But to start again, I don't know...

Is this new saubumnim of your's charging you testing fees?


He should just be happy that you took the initiative to come back into the fold as a martial artist...

 

[risingfire]

Are you saying that this new dojang is making you start again at the lower gup ranks? Expand on that. Also, did you earn your 1st Dan through one of the more recognized sanctioning bodies such as the Kukkiwon?

As a TKD BB you shouldn't have to restart at the bottom rung again. Maybe some refresher training for a time so you get back in synch, yeah, that would make sense since you've been away from the game for a decade. But to start again, I don't know...

Is this new saubumnim of your's charging you testing fees?


He should just be happy that you took the initiative to come back into the fold as a martial artist...

Testing went Fantastic!
My rank was through ACTA. He is going to honor my rank, that was what the testing for over, it was all a mind game
It felt great to actually get some boards broke lol. I broke three with a knife hand strike. Broke four with a jump spinning side kick, and lastly two with a front scissor kick Even threw in a flying side kick, and a tornado kick in tournament sparring lol Nice to be back! Thanks for the support everyone!

 

[Archtkd]

Testing went Fantastic!
My rank was through ACTA. He is going to honor my rank, that was what the testing for over, it was all a mind game
It felt great to actually get some boards broke lol. I broke three with a knife hand strike. Broke four with a jump spinning side kick, and lastly two with a front scissor kick Even threw in a flying side kick, and a tornado kick in tournament sparring lol Nice to be back! Thanks for the support everyone!

Congrats! I dont' understand one thing, though. Did you retain 1st Dan? I thought you had mentioned skipping some grades?

 

[risingfire]

Congrats! I dont' understand one thing, though. Did you retain 1st Dan? I thought you had mentioned skipping some grades?

I retain the ranking from the previous club, but since I have been out so long my sabumnim say I need to build back up to it. It has been confusing where I rank, sorry if I have confused anyone. I didn't get to skip any ranks, I am testing for all ranks just at a faster pace. I am only paying for the belt I am ranked at which is cool. Thanks every one!

 

[katagrl]

Well I am in karate, not tae kwon do, and I was out 20 years, not 10. I was shodan before, which I had earned in 5 years, and when I came back 5 years ago was told I would have to start over, since I had been out so long. I was cool with this, since at that point really just wanted to play. As things went along, however, I realized that this was a whole new era, plus they had added on weapons testing, and I also had all 10 weapons ranks to get through in order to earn my shodan again. I am now nikyu in open hand, and sankyu in kobudo, and if all goes well will be testing for shodan-ho in both a year from this March. Believe me, you care about the rank. Or should I say, if you don't you are very unusual.