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Testing

Welp,

I'm testing for my red belt this weekend.

It's only taken me about 6 years.
I took a long break.

I am somewhat suprised about how nervous I am suddenly. I realise that this is somewhat of a milestone test in my MA training. When KJN Ferraro told me I was testing it was like everything suddenly emptied out of my head.

Mostly I am nervous about my endurance and my back.

Any words of advice would be apprecitated.
Perhaps, stories about your own red belt test experiance.

Martial Art Style TSD MGK , Hae Dong Gumdo

Re: Testing

Congratulations on your opportunity to test. The best testing experiences are those in which you are looking back at where you already are, not reaching for the stars. If you FEEL like you are already a red belt, you will perform closer to that level. If you feel like a (brown?) belt who MIGHT pass, you are more likely to perform at THAT level.

My "red belt" was the first belt I got, red is low in my school... But my 1st brown test I hardly remember. I was too stupid to be nervous...

Other advice: Get good sleep 2 nights before hand. Don't overtrain and exacerbate any injuries. Eat well, and snack the day of. Visualize every night what you want to (WILL!) look like on test day.

Best,

John

Martial Art Style Tang Soo Do

Re: Testing

Don't talk back to the testing board!!
Do every technique like you know it, even if you are faking it.
Relax

Martial Art Style Tang Soo Do

Re: Testing

Hines Ward (Steelers) said that he was very nervous just before the Super Bowl game. He asked Ray Lewis (Ravens Super Bowl MVP) just before the start of the game if he was nervous before the his Super Bowl. Ray said, in his typical arrogance..."all the great ones get nervous". Hines went to locker room, threw-up and then went on to win the MVP.

I love the feeling of nervousness before a test - use it to focus - do't let it overwhelm you - own the feeling, embrace it and enjoy it - it means you are ALIVE.

Good Luck

Dave

Martial Art Style TSD

Re: Testing

I treat testing like I do a class. I get nervous I am going to forget stuff, but once you start everything comes back to you and the nervousness goes away. As far as endourance I find myself breaking it down into pieces. For example, we do a 6 hour il-gup evaluation we have to pass in order to test for black belt. If I look at the whole 6 hours as one it seems long. So I break it down, and focus on smaller parts. This helps me. Show confidence.

Martial Art Style TSD

Re: Re: Testing

Good luck. A test is just that....a test of you ability to evolve to the next level. On April 1st I'll be testing for my Cho Dan in the TSDMGK so I myserlf am preparing for the next level. Just remember to breath!

Re: Re: Re: Testing

Relax and breath also remember your a Voss you can do what it takes!
Butch

Re: Re: Testing

I'm already nervous about my @nd dan testing in April. KJN ferraro and Sabom nim Savidge is coming down for the testing hope to pass and make Kjn and My Sbn proud of me. I was actually supposed to test back in 1999 for 2nd dan but my frist instructor retired and I didn't have anywhere to train until January of last year. I'll keep everyone posted on the You dan Ja Shim Sa to let you know how it goes!!!!

Martial Art Style Tang Soo Do Mi Guk Kwan

Re: Testing

What gup is red belt in you belt structure ?

I have seen kids jump from white belt right pass orange and yellow belt to red belt ... the red belt was given away and then I have seen people who really had to fight to earn their red belt being that it was prior to black .

The reality here is that the standards in martial arts are quite blurred , for example a first brown from one school with several years experience does not compare to a yellow belt in another school with 1 year under his belt .

What is important is that you seek out good quality instruction and seek to improve yourself , that you look at your self honestly and see growth .

My black belt that I wear has long ago faded to an almost greyish white , after over 40 years I find myself still the student and I wish each of you the same .

Re: Testing

We go
10th gup-White
9th gup- White with blue tip
8th gup- Orange
7th gup- Orange with blue tip
6th gup- Green
5th gup- Green with blue tip
4th gup- Green with 2 blue tips
3rd gup- Red
2nd gup- Red with blue tip
1st gup- Red with 2 blue tips
ChoDan

Martial Art Style Tang Soo Do

Re: Re: Re: Re: Testing

Of course !

Martial Art Style TSD MGK , Hae Dong Gumdo

Re: Testing

I want to thank everyone for their replies and advice.

Martial Art Style TSD MGK , Hae Dong Gumdo

Testing

Dear Mr. Walberger,

I saw your posting and I am wondering what your Gup students are performing for 6 hours?

I can do all the required TSD Hyungs up through 2nd Dahn, 60+ one steps, and min of 5 reps of all the TSD kicks, punches and blocks, spar a few rounds and then answer maybe a few dozen questions in under 50 minutes... with rest periods. What are Gups doing for 6 hours?

Come to think of it, 8 years of training boiled down to a 50 minute routine - maybe karate is a rip off after all(just kidding).

Tang Soo!
Dave

Martial Art Style TSD

Re: Testing

We do all the forms basically in all directions. The pyung forms are done individually and also all 5 are done in a row. There is the 36 hand and 27 foot combinations are done 3 times each. There is roughly 45 min - 1 hour of kicks and punches that are said in Korean. The sparring. Endurance punches which is doing 120 punches in 30 seconds from a horse stance. Terminology test. Self defense (wrist grips) moves. Then there is the big endurance of usually 300 round house kicks with each leg, followed by 10 laps of running,machine gun kicking, and usually this is a set of 3 times. So 900 round house kicks per leg, 30 laps. When you pass this you test for black belt.

Martial Art Style TSD

Re: Testing

That sounds like a lot of fun to me!!

b

Martial Art Style Tang Soo Do

Re: Re: Testing

So, is the point just to wear someone down physically to see where their breaking point is, or is it a demonstration of skill and understanding of technique?

JP

Re: Re: Testing

Not only is it fun (especially when it's over), but the sense of accomplishment. It is not about wearing anyone down, it is to show techniques and skills, but it now involves not only physical training but at cho dan level the mental training.

Martial Art Style TSD

Re: Testing

Look at it like this , a roofer can swing a hammer about 20,000 times a day accurately while installing a shingle roof and can do this day after day for several months ... now he could increase his speed to about 4400 times per hour but he can't sustain that rate but for a few hours .....now he can even increase that rate for a few minutes at a time . Now the roof is on an angle so he must have good balance , also he is moving bent down in an awkward position in temperatures from freezing in the winter to upwards of 150 degrees in the summer with the heat reflected off the roof . The point is that training at this rate tears the body down , a man is basicly crippled in 20 to 30 years .
Now I can assure you that a man (with out any martial art skill) that has conditioned his hands , body and soul in this manner could beat most people to death . Now years ago martial arts were instructed in this manner . The question is , do you need this level of conditioning and are you willing to pay for it latter in life ?

Re: Testing

My test went very well this Saturday.
I want to thank you all for your advice.
I went in feeling confident in my knowledge and things went well.

Martial Art Style TSD MGK , Hae Dong Gumdo

Re: Testing

Congratulations, How many candidates were at the testing?

Martial Art Style Tang Soo Do

Re: Re: Testing

Not many in my rank or age sir.

Lots of white belts. A few orange belts. 2 orange belts testing for green. I was the only green testing for orange. There were only 2 other adults in the testing group, they were both testing for 9th gup.

Martial Art Style TSD MGK , Hae Dong Gumdo

Re: Testing

I have a book at home called “GLORY”. This book has a picture of an athlete on every page. Some of them are well known, and some are not known at all. With each picture there is commentary. Some of the commentary was written by the athlete in the accompanying photo, others were written by someone else. Each page is filled with inspiration.

I would like to share with each of you the passage that I believe fits Mr. Voss determination, and his success in passing this weeks testing.

I don’t have the book in front of me at this moment, so it will not be verbatim, but I will do my best to recall it as closely as possible.

At the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, American Discuss Thrower Al Oerter tore cartilage in his rib cage during a practice session. Oerter stated; “You die before you don’t make an attempt at the Olympics. On his second from last throw Oerter put such effort into the throw that he passed out temporarily as he released the discuss. When he was revived he heard the announcement over the PA system, stating that he had just made a new Olympic record and earned the GOLD medal.

At the 1972 Olympics, Steven Atwari of Tanzania ran the marathon. Bloody and bandaged from an injury that he had suffered during the race, Atwari finished in last place more than an hour after the winner was presented with his medal. Akwari stated; my country did not send me to the Olympics to start the race. They sent me here to finish it!!!

I have often wondered, between these two great athletes, who gained the greater glory.


In our training, we are pushed to great levels of punishment in order to accomplish many things. It is always easy to quit when we are too tired to go on, and in a sporting event, if we choose to just give up it won’t be the end of the world. If we find ourselves in a serious attack situation with several aggressors upon us, we don’t have a choice. We either fight to the finish or die. The brutal training that we put ourselves through, and that we put our students through will only be truly appreciated at a time when such an assault occurs and we are left standing, and safe from harms way.


Yours in Tang Soo Do,


Master Jay S. Penfil

TANG SOO!!!

Martial Art Style Tang Soo Do

Re: Re: Testing

After my test I'm going to think "Dinner time"

Re: Testing

@Jay

WHat about "drinking time" ?

Martial Art Style Tang Soo Do

Re: Testing

From the sound of it you sound like your in your late 30's or 40's. As for me I was a 1st gup in my late 30's and I had a cronic bad back. I never told my Instructor or KJN Ferraro.Because I never believed in using that for an excuse. On the day of my Dan Test, I didn't strecth I used Ben Gay took about 4 aleeves to kill the pain in my back. This test was more important to me than the pain in my back!!! A guest what it wasn't my back that gave out it was my hamstring that pulled performing jump spinning wheel kick. That was in 1999 Now I don't even remember that day. I still have tightness in my back but really in was in my head. It called stress. Take my advise or not the day before the go out relax have a goodnight and enjoy yourself and don't think about it. It doesn't help. Well this the most I ever typed to anyone my hands hurt LOL LOL LOL Good Luck & God Bless.
William A. Nunez KyoSa #629
Plantation Karate Center Inc.
Tang Soo Do MiGuk Kwan Assoc. Inc.

Martial Art Style Tang Soo Do

Re: Re: Re: Testing

When is your testing ?

Martial Art Style TSD MGK , Hae Dong Gumdo

Re: Re: Testing

I'm testing April 1st for Cho Dan with the TSDMGK....and yes my special lady Melanie I'll be thinkin that alos. I'm just going to study hard these last few weeks that's all

Re: Testing

I don't think you will have anything to worry about. Aren't you a Black Belt in TKD already?

Go Jason, go Jason !!!

Martial Art Style Tang Soo Do

Re: Re: Re: Testing

I wish you all the best sir.

I am planning on attending the seminar before hand and possibly watching the test itself. I will be rooting for all of you.

Martial Art Style TSD MGK , Hae Dong Gumdo

Re: Re: Testing

Thank you Melanie!. Yes I'm a black belt in TKD but that is only one factor that will give me an edge however that's only one of many things that I'm doing to prepare. I've been working with a personal trainer on core drills (mostly abs and back ), streching, kicking and other endurance type drills for the past 2 weeks, I've been running more and longer, drinking a ton of water, eating right, using supplements and watching myself. Going to extra classes almost every day or night of the week (where I work now I rotate one week day shift and one week night shift). Every time I go to Wilton I practice a section or more of what I'm going to do.

I believe one has to prepare mentally not just physically. I also don't believe that if you're such and such a rank for x amount of months you should just test. Then you have students going to the next level without a clue. I admit I've become a bit of a hermit these last few weeks....I don't go out alot because that won't do me any good come test time.

Martial arts has guided me in one way or another since I was 13. Achieve black belt level (for the 2nd time) is something I take seriously.

Re: Testing

Wow Jason ,

Sounds like you are doing the right thing. Good Luck!

b

Martial Art Style Tang Soo Do