How nervous were you at your first testing?

[bushido_man96]

My TKD school had a testing tonight, and there were 4 white belts that tested. One of them was so nervous that she almost couldn't contain herself. It reminded me of what it was like when I first tested as a white belt. I used to get really nervous, and still do, but not to the extent that I used to. I would get pretty wound up, the butterflies would kill me, and I wouldn't eat before hand (and for me, that's saying something! ).

So, I was wondering how many here remember their first testing, and how nervous they were at the time? Do you still get really nervous?

[DWx]

I can't really remember mine all too well. I do remember being fairly calm until my instructor told me I would be double grading. I knew the physical requirements but had to frantically learn all of the other bits of the syllabus at the back of the room. Was quite weird seeing the panel of examiners in suits too as obviously had only ever seen them in doboks and had never imagined them in normal clothes.

[Truestar]

When I tested for red belt I was really nervous as that was the first time we tested in front of a larger group. This time around for black belt I didn't really have any nerves with the exception of the Jump Turning Back Kick for breaking, it took me a solid couple minutes to get things under control. My technique was a little sporadic.

With my major testing days over until another dan ranking, I can say that they have really helped with my confidence. Being able to get myself over those nerves will probably help with bigger tournaments too.

[unknownstyle]

the only test i was ever really worried about was my blackbelt test. i knew my teacher was going to throw me into the lions pit, our blackbelt tests dont really put your fighting skills to the test as much as your ability to never give in. during my test iwas being so badly hurt that my body went into shock and started to lose most of my motor skills and i really didnt have the ability to talk. but other than that i have never been all that nervous.

[Tiger1962]

From what I recall when I was a white belt and testing for the next rank, I was really nervous but I don't think it was ANYTHING like when I tested for first dan black belt level. Out of all the rank testings I have had, I was so nervous I almost felt like passing out. I was more nervous testing for first dan than second dan. One would think after all these years I would not be nervous. After I tested, I was SO tired as if I had run a marathon, so I think it was all nerves. Talk about relief!!! LOL

Someone once told me that we are nervous because it is something we really want, and trained hard and are trying hard to accomplish something there. If it didn't mean that much to us, we probably would not be nervous.

I don't know how true that is and if its true for everyone, but for me, I get nervous when I have taken ANY kind of test (karate, driving, back when I was a student, etc.) I just don't like the suspense of testing.

[the beast]

I dont remember being too nervous for any of my tests (even in school). Ive always went into them with the attitude of either I know the material or I dont.

[joesteph]

Thinking of white belt to orange belt . . .

We had been drilled repeatedly in class, and I had "done my homework" by practicing with whatever free time I could grab while at home, so that it was less nervousness and more focus on getting everything right. I even enjoyed the part of testing in which we white belts had to perform our hyungs together. It was actualy the high point of the test, the way we performed together.

[tallgeese]

I do remember being nervous for my first belt test. Just a strong set of butterflies. I also recall getting winded pretty fast do only to the excess tension I was carrying around. It improved greatly from there on out.

The next time Iwas really nervous was for black belt, but by then I could control things a bit better. It's a skill, setting on that adrenal dump, that ma-ist develop that has served me just about as well as the actual physical skill set.

[tori]

I was very nervous for my first test. I remember being the last person in in line and looking down this long line of students who were testing for white up to Ikkyu. I realized quickly that not only did we have to do push up for wrong movement, techniques...but we had to do push ups for answering questions incorrectly. I vowed never to have that happen again. It did't either.

I continued to be nervous at every test, but my shodan testing was ridiculous. I thought I was going to pass out. Still nervous at Nidan, less nervous at Sandan. Think I will be crazy nervous for Yondan because I will probably be 40.

[bushido_man96]

My black belt testings were pretty nerve racking for me as well. This last one, where I tested for 3rd dan was really nerving, because I had to do a flying side kick over three people for one of the breaks. I was nervous about it, and spent tons of time practicing it in the school, jumping over kicking shields to fly into a wavemaster. Good stuff.