It's here...almost

[ShoriKid]

After several talks with my instructors over the course of the last few months, the sate has been set. Middle of next month, barring something major interfering, I'll be testing for sandan. It's been just short of 6 years since my last testing which five of us participated in(I ever mention we're a slow to promote crew?). Most of us survived that grading. This one will be for myself and one other person and I've been told to expect about 6 hours of work. I'm trying to prepare for that physically (not as easy as it was 6 years back) and mentally (not as easy with just 2 of us this time). Physical conditioning, cardio, kata work, grappling, sparring. I need to sleep less to train more, and rest more so I can train. Odd thing is, I'll have two decades of training in August if I don't count wrestling prior to karate, and I'm a bit nervous about the promotion. Still haven't sorted out if that's because I might actually care about earning that next stripe or I'm afraid to disappoint my instructor with the work we've been doing the last few years. I like to think it's the later and not the former. So I'm a grown man as jittery as the kid who's been told it's time to test. Thought I would share with the KF community as you're a crew I respect and enjoy being part of and learning from and it might help settle things down for me a bit.

When things go down, I'll let you guys in on the results, be they good or bad.

[AdamKralic]

You know what to do...just have to do it.

Don't mess with your sleep cycles too badly. A cycle is 1.5 hours. Think of them as 1,2,3,4,3,2,1. You NEVER want to wake up at 4. (total muscle relaxation) You will be groggy all day. 6 hours is minimum recommended sleep. (4 cycles) Give yourself 20-30 minutes to reach the start of the process. So 6.5 hours should be bare minimum.

How to know if you woke up on a 1? 1 is when you dream. If you ever had an alarm clock wake you from a dream...I bet that you had a good energy day that day.

My 2 cents.

[Patrick]

Good luck, ShoriKid.

Patrick

[sensei8]

One test is just another test; the test will take care of itself. Just train, relax, and focus...you'll be fine.

You've done this before, not for Sandan, but the testing itself, so don't make a mountain over an ant hill.

It's a big deal but don't make it a bigger deal than what it truly is.

Nerves will be your ally, and in that, you might make a mistake, but you're allowed to, and if you do, don't dwell on it.

Good luck!!

[bushido_man96]

Good luck to you! 6 hours of testing sounds like quite a trial!

[ShoriKid]

Time, date and place are all set now. Nine days out, then in morning we drive down to our shihan's home to meet with him, shidoshi and a few other senior men in our lineage. Nerves hit the other candidate today when the messages setting address for us. I believe a third may be testing as well that day. We will be pulling each other through.

Kata have been polished, I'll be putting in 2+ miles every night from here on in. What can be prepared pretty much has. Jitters are settling a little and I've settled myself on giving my full effort, going until I drop or I'm put down. Setting in my mind to the task has been part of it. Thanks for the good wishes all. Time to buckle down and finish up.

[pittbullJudoka]

Yes indeed once the messages of directions and meeting times started the nerves have went into over drive. As usual it seems that the preparation hasn't been long enough the recent illness and state of my lungs worry me a bit. But the finally days of in class and self training take over now. The kata must be polished more in the last days. My fear isn't failure or injury but to disappoint those who have be our instructors in the past. My tank is full and nerves high, I must rely on my past and current training to carry me through this test. I am willing to stand my ground and not give an inch, take what is given and deliver my blows with intent and knowledge of the fathers of my art.

I believe it's said best in the Five Finger Death Punch song Back for More "

It's time to rise up, man up, get back up, never been and won't be broken

Dust off and then come back for more

You've gotta reach down, dig deep, and break ground,

Show them all you won't be beaten

Brush it off and then come back for more!"

[ShoriKid]

Well, the day has arrived and we all survived. A last second location change caused some extra travel, but nothing too bad. Most of the day was spent outside on the grass and pavement working, drilling and receiving correction. Got sunburned and worked hard and then fed.

PittbullJudoka earned his Nidan, which I've said he was deserving of for the past couple of years. Congratulations to him.

I earned my Sandan and felt blessed to have the instructors I do.

[pittbullJudoka]

We are very blessed to have the instructors we have. That hughe weight has been lifted. I can rest better now. Was fun though.

[DWx]

Congrats to you both!! That's an awesome acheivement

What did the test entail?