Pending exam jitters

[mudansha]

Well... I am 1.5 hours away from my 4th Kyu exam. I am getting quite nervous.

In preparation I went through most of my requirements, and I ate scrambled eggs and sausage to give me some energy for the test.

These are the requirements for my 4th Kyu exam:

Taekyoku Shodan

Taekyoku Nidan

Taekyoku Sandan

Taekyoku Yondan

Taekyoku Godan

Heian Shodan

Heian Nidan

Heian Sandan

Heian Godan

Kihon Kata 1

Kihon Kata 2

Kihon Kata 3

SanBon Kumite 1 (with partner)

SanBon Kumite 2 (with partner)

SanBon Kumite 3 (with partner)

Kihon Ippon Kumite

-4 defenses against a jodan oi zuki (with partner)

-4 defenses against a chudan oi zuki (with partner)

-4 defenses against mae geri (with partner)

-2 defenses against a Yoko geri Keage (with partner)

-2 defences against a Yoko geri Kekomi (with partner)

Then Kumite.

It is a lot of material. I have been practicing and stretching.... I have yet to find a way to stop the pre-exam jitters.

[Killer Miller]

Get some carbs down you so you will last the test... Other than that, just move around and stretch. If you don't know it by now, you won't know it for the test - so don't worry about it...

- Killer -

[mudansha]

Get some carbs down you so you will last the test... Other than that, just move around and stretch. If you don't know it by now, you won't know it for the test - so don't worry about it...

- Killer -

Oh... I know the material.... I just get nervous and sometimes blank out.

Its weird... sometimes I blank out... sometimes I get in an almost zen state where I think about nothing and it just flows. The problem is I never know which will happen until I am in there.

[Killer Miller]

If you blank out, you are not breathing correctly, or just not breathing to relax either...

Good luck,,,

- Killer -

Get some carbs down you so you will last the test... Other than that, just move around and stretch. If you don't know it by now, you won't know it for the test - so don't worry about it...

- Killer -

Oh... I know the material.... I just get nervous and sometimes blank out.

Its weird... sometimes I blank out... sometimes I get in an almost zen state where I think about nothing and it just flows. The problem is I never know which will happen until I am in there.

[still kicking]

Hey Mudansha -- Before my last test, my teacher gave me a very helpful article about performance anxiety, with examples of very high level competitors freezing up in important competitions. In a nutshell, it happens when we start doubting ourselves, often when a little mistake is made that jars our confidence. Then the more you overthink the more mistakes you make. The remedy, again basically, is to trust your body, and the muscle memories that are stored in there. I was very nervous before my last test, too, and what helped me was to just keep reminding myself to breathe, take my time, and trust my body. Every time I would start getting nervous, I would try to let my energy sink into my center, and feel that power. FWIW, it has never helped me to tell myself to relax -- that just makes me more nervous. Anyway, I also find it helps to tell myself that in the whole scheme of things, in spite of the fact that I might be disappointed if I don't get my next rank, it's really not that all-fired important. If we just keep training we will keep progressing. Good luck!!

[cathal]

A good friend of mine turns away from the competition when his turn is close. He sits quietly and meditates. That may help you. I, however, am riveted and watch it like it was TV or a film.

.

[tonydee]

Some things I've found useful for getting kata ingrained:

- Running through them regularly: I tend to do all my patterns as part of my warm up, getting gradually faster/harder as I go.

- It may seem obvious, but not everybody does this: no matter how well/long you've known your patterns, do sometimes re-examine them in detail, practicing the different sub-sequences, examining the body mechanics, imagining the scenario and application.

- Facing different directions, as you - at least subconsciously - can get dependent on the room you're in as a guide to where you are in the pattern and what to do next. Changing the directions forces you to be more independent of your surroundings.

- Sometimes, executing the kata as fast as possible, with a mindset focused on good form and power, though the speed will prevent you realising that fully. Whatever you think is fast: challenge yourself to do it faster, then faster again. There's just no time to think... if it's not completely automatic then you will know it.

- Do the kata in reverse order (last movement through first movement). Sounds silly, but by learning the same thing in a different order the relationships are reinforced. Mirror-imaging the kata is another fun exercise, but perhaps less useful...?

- Practice your kata with your awareness focused on a specific aspect each time: hip rotation, speed of footwork, crispness, height of your upper body as you move between stances, direction of gaze and awareness of things in peripheral vision, relaxation and amount of backswing, etc....

Pasta is good for sustained energy. I used to get to gradings an hour or so early (like most of the students), and running through rotations, warm-ups, stretching, patterns etc. takes a bit of energy even before the grading starts. Hydration is important, not just for gradings - for normal training too: beforehand, keep drinking at a rate that sends you to the bathroom every hour or two. At least for me, once I'm training I won't need to go again....

As for nerves, what you describe is perfectly normal. The "almost zen state" is endorphines. If your mind does go blank - nothing you can do about it - just be ready with a puzzled smile, and continue when you can. The best thing for that is just to get used to the situation: attend gradings when you're not being tested yourself, partake as much as possible, look at the event as a chance to perform what you've worked hard to achieve, and focus inwards on your own determination and keenness and not an outwards askance of the spectators.

Best of luck,

Tony

[tallgeese]

Ok, it's a bit late, but the info might be helpful to someone else or yourself down the road.

Try tactical breathing. The name I know it under is the latest catch phrase of combat training, but whatever you call it, it works. Studies have shown it to slow the heart rate, which in turn will increase performance. I use it for comps, at work, whenever; it's a great tool.

Long and short, inhale for 2 secs, hold for 2 secs, then exhale for 2 seconds. Start pre event whenever the hr seems to start sneaking up. Then use it all the way through when you get the chance.

Good tool.

Now that that is said, how did it go?

[bushido_man96]

Good luck; that is a lot of material to do. Let us know how it turns out for you.

[whess]

As long as you practice, you should be able to preform these things without thinking, so just breath, and good luck