White belt - a few questions

Really focus on your forms when you do them.

You may be in a different room or place. This threw me off.

I don't know how anyone can F'up basic form one but I did.

For some reason the orientation of the table where the black belts were sitting and the different direction i was facing threw me off on a turn. I just took my mind off it for one second and I messed up. Tune it all out when they tell you to do the forms.

Good luck. As long as you paid your exam fee, you'll do fine ;)
 
Really focus on your forms when you do them.

You may be in a different room or place. This threw me off.

I don't know how anyone can F'up basic form one but I did.

For some reason the orientation of the table where the black belts were sitting and the different direction i was facing threw me off on a turn. I just took my mind off it for one second and I messed up. Tune it all out when they tell you to do the forms.

Good luck. As long as you paid your exam fee, you'll do fine ;)

GREAT point!

First time you do your form into another direction will be like you don't even know it! :D

(and yes, there are many ways to mess up a simple form, the devil is in the detail, but White Belts get the benefit of the doubt!)
 
GREAT point!



First time you do your form into another direction will be like you don't even know it!



(and yes, there are many ways to mess up a simple form, the devil is in the detail, but White Belts get the benefit of the doubt!)



Amen sister! I remember that! I was a brown belt I believe before diff. directions didn't confuse me - prior to testing we always have to practice our forms in 4 diff directions - we also practiced with eyes closed, with hands only, feet only, naming each move.

One thing that really helped me early on was to say the move in my head (high block, front kick, etc.).
 
Just keep showing up for class and practicing at home even when the "new and fun" part fades.

Consider your test for yellow belt — and orange belt and black belt — just MILESTONES on a lifelong path, not "goals" to be reached (as in a place to stop because you've reached them).
 
Just keep showing up for class and practicing at home even when the "new and fun" part fades.

Consider your test for yellow belt — and orange belt and black belt — just MILESTONES on a lifelong path, not "goals" to be reached (as in a place to stop because you've reached them).

That is how I am trying to look at things.

I'm anxious to go for my yellow stripe, and then my yellow belt, and so on, but I'm starting to learn that there is a lot more to this than coloured belts.
I'm starting to find myself wanting to change the way I think and act. I'm more motivated at work, I want to do things right at home, financially, etc. All in all I'm wanting to be a better person, and I want to have a positive influence on the people around me.

It's been a great experience thus far.

Kevin
 
That is how I am trying to look at things.

I'm anxious to go for my yellow stripe, and then my yellow belt, and so on, but I'm starting to learn that there is a lot more to this than coloured belts.
I'm starting to find myself wanting to change the way I think and act. I'm more motivated at work, I want to do things right at home, financially, etc. All in all I'm wanting to be a better person, and I want to have a positive influence on the people around me.

It's been a great experience thus far.

Kevin
Well hopefully that feeling doesnt fade either...
 
Congratulation on doing this with your child - two of my best students are a father and daughter; they push each other into greater performance, and have done so for years.

In addition to the good advice you've already been given - whatever you do in class, do it at home, too! You don't need to put on your uniform, or have a lot of space - adapt as needed. If you need to be able to perform a pattern, do if 5 times without stopping. If you need to do a kick 5 times, do it 10 times (or 15, or 20) without stopping. You get the idea. Practice with your son - it will benefit both of you, and he will love the extra time spent with dad - and you don't need a long time; even 5 minutes hear and there can help.

Enjoy, and let us know how your testing goes!
 
Nothing that I can add, Kevin; the advice already given is excellent. Welcome to the world of Taekwondo and welcome to MT!

Daniel
 
That is how I am trying to look at things.

I'm anxious to go for my yellow stripe, and then my yellow belt, and so on, but I'm starting to learn that there is a lot more to this than coloured belts.
I'm starting to find myself wanting to change the way I think and act. I'm more motivated at work, I want to do things right at home, financially, etc. All in all I'm wanting to be a better person, and I want to have a positive influence on the people around me.

It's been a great experience thus far.

Kevin

Sounds like you are off to a GREAT start! :)
 
Thanks again for the advice and comments guys.


Our class today is the last one before testing!

My son has been practicing his knuckle push ups (have to do them on our knuckles in testing, but not in class), and he's doing pretty well.
Honestly, that is the one thing that I'm most worried about, that he won't be able to do the required amount of knuckle push ups (the floor is a commercial tile - pretty hard and unforgiving).

We've been practicing our forms at home as well.

Anxious, nervous, and can't wait to get to class and get some advice from our instructor.

:)

Kevin
 
Thanks again for the advice and comments guys.


Our class today is the last one before testing!

My son has been practicing his knuckle push ups (have to do them on our knuckles in testing, but not in class), and he's doing pretty well.
Honestly, that is the one thing that I'm most worried about, that he won't be able to do the required amount of knuckle push ups (the floor is a commercial tile - pretty hard and unforgiving).

We've been practicing our forms at home as well.

Anxious, nervous, and can't wait to get to class and get some advice from our instructor.

:)

Kevin

Holy crap, what's your dojos name Cobra Kai? We don't do any physical testing during the belt test as we get folks from all walks of life. Although I like the physical aspect of training, putting a test to it would drop most of the women and some of the men as well. Good luck!
 
Though it isn't specifically part of the test, our testings do start off with the calisthenics too. At the BB test, there is a required quantity of pushups, though this is not, as I said earlier, a specific part of the geub rank tests.

I am curious as to how many knuckle pushups are the requisite number at Kevin's school.

Daniel
 
Holy crap, what's your dojos name Cobra Kai? We don't do any physical testing during the belt test as we get folks from all walks of life. Although I like the physical aspect of training, putting a test to it would drop most of the women and some of the men as well. Good luck!

Well, it was 20 knuckle pushups for our group. Some of the green belts testing had to do 30.
My boy breezed through them, no problem at all, even though we were on a commercial tile floor. When we got home, he did 20 more just because he knew he could. He constantly surprises me with his ability and toughness. Pretty inspiring. :)

Though it isn't specifically part of the test, our testings do start off with the calisthenics too. At the BB test, there is a required quantity of pushups, though this is not, as I said earlier, a specific part of the geub rank tests.

I am curious as to how many knuckle pushups are the requisite number at Kevin's school.

Daniel


We did the regular calisthenics at the start of the test also. This was followed by various kicks (20 roundhouse, 20 high rising, 18 snap kick etc), then we ran through the 3 basic forms, on our own time. We also did 25 knee to chest jumps, with emphasis on landing silently. All four basic blocks were covered as well. That pretty much sums it up. It lasted about 10 minutes, but felt like it went by much faster than that. Oh, we also did some stretching (middle, left, right) as well as the pushups, and some hand strike drills.

The push ups seemed to vary for different groups testing. One group (mostly smaller kids) only had to do 15, our group (ranging from 6-40, boys, girls, men, women) had to do 20, and the one group that was mostly comprised of green belts had to do 30. I was so fired up and full of adrenaline I could have done 100. What an awesome feeling.

There are things that I know I could have done better (more power when punching/kicking/blocking when doing basic 1,2 & 3 for example), but I know we did pretty well. My son was very confident afterwards, and told me he hadn't made any mistakes that he knew of.

It was a fantastic experience for both of us, and I'm really motivated to get back into the dojang and start earning the rights to test for my yellow belt.

Can't wait!


Kevin
 
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We both passed, and I won a 'Most Improved' award - supposedly something that a white belt rarely earns.

My boy did awesome. Proud Dad here!:ultracool


Kevin
 
Congrats all the way around!! How was your first testing experience?

It was fantastic. Nerve racking, but really great.
We were well prepared, and it all went pretty smoothly.


Can't wait for yellow belt testing in February.


Yesterday's class consisted of a belt promotion ceremony, some basic drills, stretching, and us yellow stripes were lucky enough to start learning Taeguk Il Jang. Wednesday, those of us who were promoted get to break some boards as a reward for our hard work.

Kevin
 
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