You're Not Testing In Front Of Your Instructor!!

[sensei8]

The up and coming testing cycle is nearing and nobody's heard anything from your Sensei/Instructor as of yet. No one doesn't even know if they've been invited to said testing cycle. Whenever anyone asks your Sensei/Instructor about it, any answer received is vague, at best.

Finally, the governing body, and not your Sensei/Instructor, invites all approved candidates to the up and coming testing cycle.

Then, a week before said testing cycle, everyone that's testing is informed that your Head of the style will be heading the testing cycle instead. As a matter of fact, your Sensei/Instructor won't be allowed to sit at the table.

Of course, your Sensei/Instructor has been in private conferences with said governing body for many, many months concerning said testing cycle. Both parties agreed to suspend any invitations to said up and coming testing cycle until the very last moment for whatever reason(s), which are unknown to anyone outside of your Sensei/Instructor and the governing body. Testing cycle has been so secret, that the material isn't released at all leading up to said testing cycle.

Some start second guessing themselves about everything leading up to this testing cycle. Some refuse to test for the fear that they're not even close to be as ready as they thought before. Nothing has been provided in advance to said testing cycle, so some have refused to test.

Some would consider this to be an honor, to be testing in front of the Head of your style. Others wouldn't; it's unfair.

How do YOU handle the testing cycle when YOU'RE testing in front of the Head of your style, and not in front of YOUR Sensei/Instructor?

[Nidan Melbourne]

personally as much as i would be nervous about having the head of style watching me grade. But I would still work as hard as i can no matter who is sitting behind that desk.

If I give it 110% throughout the grading and i feel like i did well then those assessors should see that i gave it everything that i had and more.

[SteyrAUG]

How do YOU handle the testing cycle when YOU'RE testing in front of the Head of your style, and not in front of YOUR Sensei/Instructor?

Been there. My mindset was the represent the ability of my instructor to train martial artists to the best of my ability.

I have only been in a few situations where I was graded for high rank by my teacher only. Typically I have tested alone, in front of 4-6 people who are teachers of that particular system.

[Wastelander]

My Sensei has higher standards than most in our organization seem to, so as long as I tried my best, I think I would be just fine. Besides, what's the worst that could happen? Nakazato Sensei isn't going to kick me out of the organization and ban me from training if I fail the test, after all. If I failed, I would just keep on training and test some other time.

[bushido_man96]

The main thing for me is to make sure I've prepared myself properly. As long as I know my stuff, I should be ready to go, no matter who is in front of my judging.

[devil dog]

I would take it as an honor. How many chances to test in front of Soke do most students and instructors get? I would imagine that you know the testing cycle is coming and that you would be training for it, so I don't see the difference between testing before you instructor or the head of your art. It would be a little more pressure but still it would be an honor.

[sensei8]

I would take it as an honor. How many chances to test in front of Soke do most students and instructors get? I would imagine that you know the testing cycle is coming and that you would be training for it, so I don't see the difference between testing before you instructor or the head of your art. It would be a little more pressure but still it would be an honor.

Solid post!!

[Safroot]

It will be a big challenge, so for people who loves challenge that will be honour but for those who doesn't this will be the HELL

[sensei8]

Soke was usually in the center seat at ALL testing cycles at the Hombu. However, Dai-Soke would sit in the center seat whenever Soke wasn't available, and that was very rare, unless he planned on surprising everyone testing by showing up right at the very end of warm-ups. You want to know what a big saucer eye look looks like? Well, it's funny, depending on if you're testing or sitting at the table.