Performance/Testing Anxiety?

[aurik]

Do any of you deal with performance or testing anxiety?  I've seen quite a few young candidates for black belt ranks come through the dojo over the past few years (especially after I first earned mine back in 2022).  One thing I frequently see in them is a high degree of performance/test anxiety.  For the longest time, I struggled with performance anxiety myself; I would be terrified to get up and speak in front of an audience.    In 2014, one of my professors asked me to study for a PhD under him, and I realized that at the end of the program, I would need to give a 1-hour presentation of my research in front of an audience, and handle any questions my advisory committee came up with.  That scared the living heck out of me.  So I went ahead and joined the University's Toastmasters club. 

Toastmasters is a great program if you're interested in learning to speak effectively, or to lead people or projects.  If you're thinking about joining, I highly recommend it.  However, I can distill some of my key lessons in a few bullet points:

• In most cases, the members of your test board want you to pass.  This is doubly so if they are your instructors and have been teaching you for years.  The test is a chance for you to show off everything you've learned over the past X years, and show your friends and family what you've learned.  They aren't the enemy.
• If you make a mistake, keep going.  The examiners may or may not notice.  The absolute worst thing you can do is show your discouragement on your face.  The thing I tell students is "whatever you don't do this: <puts my face in my hands, looks down and gives a huge, audible sigh>".  If the test board wants you to repeat something, make them figure out that you made a mistake and ask you to repeat it.
• Take the opportunity to go through things in your head right before you perform.  In our dan-grade exams, we perform either alone or in pairs, so there is a fair bit of downtime.  Use some of that downtime to encourage your fellow candidates, but also use that time to visualize your performance and calm and center yourself.
• Do your best and try to have fun.  A belt test is a big day for you.  Show the testing board and audience your best work.

There will be nerves.  There will be adrenaline.  Things will go wrong.  The testing board knows this and will take this into account.  Keep in mind that your instructor would most likely not be letting you test if he didn't think you were going to pass.  So keep that silent vote of confidence in the back of your head as you get up there.

I've been through 3 black belt testing cycles.  Each of them have had different challenges.

My shodan (1st degree) test: I wasn't sure what to expect.  Our CI does make us watch the previous testing cycle so we know what to expect - sort of.  However, that doesn't quite prepare you.  One thing that went wrong on my test is that my CI (aka testing partner) smacked me fairly hard with a tettsui-uchi (hammer-fist strike) to the temple during our bunkai.  I shrugged it off as best I could and was able to continue.

On my nidan (2nd degree) test: during my sanchin shime (focus) testing, my examiner at one point attempted a roundhouse kick to my abdominals.  He was a bit lower, and tapped me in the family jewels.  It wasn't HARD, per se.  But it definitely got my attention.

On my sandan (3rd degree) test: I made a couple of mistakes and lost focus at a couple points in the test.  In my sanchin test, I somehow ended up with the wrong foot forward.  In my yakusoku kumite (prearranged sparring) drill, I somehow lost track of where we were in the drill and whispered to my partner "where are we"?  In any case, I was able to make it through the process.

In the end, I passed each test, despite the challenges each time around.  The important thing is not to *look* flustered.

[bushido_man96]

This is all solid advise, and I concur 100%.  I used to get really nervous for testings.  Heck, I used to get nervous at testings that I wasn't testing at, but was the floor leader for.  I finally got to the point that I said to myself, "I'm not the one testing, I'm just going to enjoy this."  It worked.  I still get somewhat nervous at testings, but by and large I don't get so nervous that it becomes a factor in the test itself anymore.

[camotheman]

I definitely get anxiety when performing in front of people, when I competed I would also get super nervous and it would affect my performance. 

For my Shodan, I had to read an essay about what Karate meant to me in front of everyone testing and I was sweating bullets. 

I think the biggest thing to remember is that no matter what happens, you just have to do your best and be confident. 

[sensei8]

I used to experience testing anxiety long, long time ago. Testing Cycles take care of themselves; one will either pass or fail. Why make things worse by worrying

I learned that the more I worried about the test, the more anxiety I experienced, which lead to my failing said test.