Nerves in grading.

[AngelaG]

Just for curiosity:

 

When you went for gradings did you find that time and experience eased your nerves, or did the increased pressure mean that your nerves got worse?

 

Time did not help me at all. The higher the grade = the worse the nerves at the grading.

[Chirath]

The nerves for me stayed the same. It's just how a grading is done that affects my nerves. For my first two belts I graded either while in lesson or after lesson with just my sensei and a few other students. When I had to grade in front of 15 parents watching Ibecameverynervous and my technique began to falter. I even began to confuse the outer block with the inner block.

Edited December 20, 2004 by Chirath

[Shane]

They get a little better because you have more of an idea of what to expect, especially compared to your very first one.

[Kaminari]

Mine were on fire for my first test, but after that it wasn't bad at all.

[italian_guy]

I did only one graduation in karate (and one in TCC), I was nervous but not to the extent to worsen my performance very much... at the end my main instructor told me that, during my exam, I did my best execution of the kata I performed.

 

I guess that next time I'll be less nervous because now I know what an exam looks like... before I didn't.

[smr]

My nerves calmed down considerably.

 

I'm a little worried now however, as I've changed schools. I have no idea what to expect. Gradings at this school are a bit more formal I think; Not to mention that we bring in some big whigs from other schools to sit on the panel. Whereas my previous school it was only a couple of senior students and the instructor.

[karatekid1975]

I got nervous a lot, but the last two gradings weren't that bad. Now when I test for BB in a year, I know I will be a wreck! LOL

[RaidenTB]

Huh, I can't imagine how much I'll be shaking for my black belt test! I still have a year and a half - but even thinking about it gives me the creeps.

 

My worst was the testing for the yellow belt, when I had to perform kata for the first time... From then on, I was considerably calmer.

[aefibird]

My nerves got worse over time.

 

I was bad enough when I tested for my first belt, but I was shaking like the proverbial leaf when I went for my blackbelt!

 

I even forgot the name of the kata I was performing and I managed to trip over the bottom of my gi on the way into the testing place, which did nothing for my nerves...

[strangepair03]

I found as I progressed, I felt more confident in my abilites and my nerves calmed considerably.