My first grading

[Milhafre]

Hi,I'm going to make my first graduation test to yellow belt in shotokan karate in about a month and I'm worried.

I was wondering if you guys and some tips for the exam and some tips for the nervousness

[Patrick]

Welcome to KF, Milhafre!

Best of luck with your first test! I'm sure some of our members will have some advice for you.

Thanks,

Patrick

[sensei8]

Welcome to KF; glad that you're here!!

Always allow the testing cycle to take care of itself; don't worry about it before, during, and afterwards: what happens happens! The stress is enough without having to compound the entire process!

Practice often, yet with purpose! Rest whenever you become fatigued so that bad habits don't start to creep in in the hopes of causing you to not succeed in your upcoming testing cycle!

It's a time to celebrate to have been giving the opportunity to test in the first place; you must've been doing something right for your instructor to notice your passion in your training!!

Remember what your instructor told you concerning each technique as far as your "Do's" and "Don't's"! However, don't dwell on them so long that you wrongly second guess what you've been taught thus far...it happens with the best, and at the wrong time! Remember this: you don't have to score a 100% to pass the testing cycle; this means that you can, and probably will, mess up someway and somehow that day/night! Your instructor's made his mistakes often, but look where he's at!!

Good luck....train hard...and for the love of the testing cycle Gods...RELAX!! When your name is called, it's not to be executed, but only to be examined!!

[Zaine]

Welcome to KF! It's great to have you!

The first test is always very nerve wracking up until the start. When it comes down to it you're getting tested because you instructor knows you're ready to advance. So my advice to you is to take a deep breath and do what you know!

Good luck and relax, you're going to do great!

[Milhafre]

Thanks a lot everyone,now I don't feel so nervous,after all I just have to practice haha.

[mazzybear]

First of all, welcome to KF

The two biggest things I would say is to PRACTICE!! and RELAX!! Practice outside of the dojo for up to an hour a day, concentrate on one or two techniques and or Kata for that hour, change the technique/kata to something different the next day and something different again the following day and so on. If you are properly prepared, then the grade will take care of itself.

On the day of the grade don't practice at all until it comes to time for class, use the day to relax and try not to think about the grade too much. When it's time, take a deep breath and go for it, let what you've practiced over the weeks speak for itself. A simple phrase that many have used but is hugely appropriate is "TRAIN HARD, GRADE EASY" remember it and it will serve you well.

Good luck when you come to grade and remember to fill us in on how you went.

Mo.

[jaypo]

Don't put too much pressure on yourself. If your Sensei is allowing you to test, he/she recognizes that you have what it takes. Just go in there, listen to what he/she asks of you, and do what you know how to do. Practice and get your muscle memory where it needs to be, and when you perform, just do what you already know how to do!

[tallgeese]

Everyone has given solid advice. I'll add- "Relax"

Sounds easy, right?

Realize that while this is important and you should train as hard as you can for it, you're there to have fun (at least most people are). Enjoy it. Enjoy the learning, don't put too much pressure on yourself about it.

Good luck! Keep us posted..

[mal103]

Practice a lot and regularly, if you have a mental block or completely forget then either carry on and correct it or stop and ask to start again.

If you are unsure of anything then ASK, it looks terrible when people haven't trained enough and try to muddle through it or copy others.

If you have put in enough training time then you should be fine.

[bushido_man96]

Best of luck to you! I still get nervous for testings, after 21 years!

Try to take some deep breaths, and when all is said in done, if you trust that you have been training well, then everything should take care of itself.