From: the_dojang-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com To: the_dojang-digest@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Subject: The_Dojang-Digest V8 #658 Reply-To: the_dojang@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Errors-To: the_dojang-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Precedence: The_Dojang-Digest Fri, 30 Nov 2001 Vol 08 : Num 658 In this issue: the_dojang: Re: How to get over fear over 1st rank test Re: the_dojang: How to get over fear over 1st rank test the_dojang: Re: The_Dojang-Digest V8 #657 the_dojang: Needs more paving the_dojang: Re: How to get over fear over 1st rank test the_dojang: . ========================================================================= The_Dojang, serving the Internet since June 1994. ~1000 members strong! Copyright 1994-2001: Ray Terry and Martial Arts Resource The premier internet discussion forum devoted to the Korean Martial Arts. Replying to this message will NOT unsubscribe you. To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe the_dojang-digest" (no quotes) in the body (top line, left justified) of a "plain text" e-mail addressed to majordomo@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com. To send e-mail to this list use the_dojang@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com See the Korean Martial Arts (KMA) FAQ and the online search engine for back issues of The_Dojang at http://MartialArtsResource.com Pil Seung! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Dominic Mitchell Date: 29 Nov 2001 23:48:52 -0500 Subject: the_dojang: Re: How to get over fear over 1st rank test Hi, I would say that there so many reasons to get stressed outside the dojang that testing for TKD should not involve excessive stress. Just do your best ( give it all you can ). It should go OK. If you start a technique and it goes wrong, don't start to panic. Get your focus back and do it. The instructors are not looking for perfection. Some amount stress is normal. Too much of it will drain your energy. The way we are doing our testing we are bunch doing the same technique while the instructors are counting. Say on one count you lose your balance. I would regain my balance before starting the next repetition even if this means missing a count. I would rather miss a count then keep trying to do a technique out of control. This is the way I am preparing for my test next Saturday. I am testing for a long due 5th gup ( green belt blue tag ). I train 3 times a week at the dojang and I train at home. It has been 11 months since I have had my last test! I think that they have forgotten when my testing was due :( Oh well ... I try not to think of my belt. In the dojang, even without belts, we would know where each one ranks! Cheers, Dominic Tyranmarla@aol.com writes: > Hello everyone, > > I have been training in the art of Tae Kwon Do for over 4 months now. On > December the 8th, I will take my 1st rank test. I am very unsure of how to be > calm, relaxed, and confident. I do not want to start the testing and become > confused and lose coordination. > > I practice at the Dojang, at home, and even on my lunch hour at work. As the > day comes closer, I am starting to make mistakes in all of the moves. > > I would appreciate any advise. > > Thanks in advance > MC - -- Dominic Mitchell ------------------------------ From: Jens Schaefer Date: Fri, 30 Nov 2001 12:37:29 +0100 Subject: Re: the_dojang: How to get over fear over 1st rank test Hey Marta! the_dojang-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com wrote: [...] > I have been training in the art of Tae Kwon Do for over 4 months now. On > December the 8th, I will take my 1st rank test. I am very unsure of how to be > calm, relaxed, and confident. I do not want to start the testing and become > confused and lose coordination. Well - the dojang is is oh-so-many aspects just like the "real life" (TM) ;-) I can understand your fears - and the bad news is, that they are most propably justified. People get *really* nervous under stress and sometimes even forget the most basic things. I have met people at university-exams who had to think when they were asked about their name! And there really is no way to get over it but one: get used to the stress. Take exams, take tests - don't run away, but face every stressful situation. Over time, you will learn how to handle it - and most tests won't matter that much, because you have faced far worse. ;-) There are good news as well. The first rank test really isn't that hard. Nobody expects black-belt-perfection from you, everybody knows that you'll be nervous. Relax, it's not that hard. Of course, that's easily said by a 2nd kup. ;-) But I have one ace up my sleeve: Ask your trainer how the test will begin. What is the first thing that you will do - besides greeting the tester? Poomse? Theory? Light sparring? (Most begin with poomse). Whatever the test will begin with - train that as hard as you can. Train it until you can do it blind folded, no matter where and when. Why? First of all, the first impression goes deep - your testers will overlook many small errors which will follow if they are impressed with the start. Secondly, you *will* relax if the start goes well (on the other hand, you will get deadly nervous if the beginning goes wrong); nothing works as well against test-panic as a good start into the test. I hope that helps. ;-) I take my test for 1st kup tae kwon do on the same day - I wish you the very best luck if you do as well. ;-) - -- humbly yours Jens Schäfer Jens.Schaefer@aikyu.de "Bei der intendierten Realisierung der linguistischen Simplifizierung des regionalen Idioms resultiert die Evidenz der Opportunität extrem apparent, den elaborierten und quantitativ opulenten Usus nicht assimilierter Xenologien konsequent zu eliminieren!" (Quelle: Unbekannt) ------------------------------ From: "Jim Griffin" Date: Fri, 30 Nov 2001 08:42:23 -0500 Subject: the_dojang: Re: The_Dojang-Digest V8 #657 For what it's worth, I thought the first rank test was, by far the most difficult of any of the ones I've taken. I was nervous and tight and stiff throughout this test, but the tests get much easier, the more you do. One thing that helped me is that in our school, we tend to get a reasonably tough workout right before the test. I think that's partly so the fatigue can help counteract the nerves. Is there any chance for you to view others taking a test before you take yours? Sometimes, just knowing what to expect (more or less) makes things a little better as well. Just do your best and rely on your training - you will be fine. - --- begin quoted text --- From: Tyranmarla@aol.com Date: Wed, 28 Nov 2001 20:43:45 EST Subject: the_dojang: How to get over fear over 1st rank test Hello everyone, I have been training in the art of Tae Kwon Do for over 4 months now. On December the 8th, I will take my 1st rank test. I am very unsure of how to be calm, relaxed, and confident. I do not want to start the testing and become confused and lose coordination. I practice at the Dojang, at home, and even on my lunch hour at work. As the day comes closer, I am starting to make mistakes in all of the moves. I would appreciate any advise. Thanks in advance MC - --- end quoted text --- - ---===--- Jim Griffin www.wuma.com _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp ------------------------------ From: "Craig Stovall" Date: Fri, 30 Nov 2001 08:07:30 -0600 Subject: the_dojang: Needs more paving Patrick wrote, "I disagree with those that find MA demonstrations worthless and misleading. They serve the function of providing mystique to the MA, and I believe that to be a good thing." Well, obviously this was addressed toward my comments. I can only say that your assessment of my views is incorrect. I never said that "MA demonstrations" were "worthless and misleading". I love a good demonstration of fighting skill. I love to watch people demonstrating the powerful and graceful movements of their chosen discipline. I love to see the high levels of physical conditioning and coordination that dedicated martial artists have attained through practicing their craft. Those things constitute MA demonstrations. Now let's get back to what I DID say. Catching arrows and beating the hell out of building materials and groceries has absolutely nothing to do with martial arts. I can take any Joe off of the street and teach them how to smash through pine boards without personal injury in a VERY short time. Anybody can learn (in about fifteen minutes) how to properly lie on a bed of nails and have concrete slabs smashed over them. Anybody can learn to chop watermelons off of people's stomachs just as easily as they can learn a card trick, or some simple physical stunt. Bottom line...none of these things have anything to do with fighting skill, or "internal energy" (don't get me started on that crap). They have much more to do with physics, and how to work the rubes into believing that breaking a brittle piece of wood or brick constitutes a major demonstration of physical and mental control. How in the world these knuckleheaded, carnival tricks became a staple of "MA demonstrations" is beyond my understanding. No, I take that back...I understand it completely. It's easier to work a crowd with "amazing" stunts than to spend the years it takes to develop real skills that your average human being can only dream of doing. These stunts have NOTHING to do with fighting skill, character development, discipline, artistic expression, athleticism, or any other trait that MA training can and SHOULD develop. They're nothing but shelters for flim-flam men, and those seeking to pull the wool over people's eyes...either to attract students or to stroke their own frail egos. But hey, I don't mind people doing these tricks as long as they're up front about it, and admit to what they are...JUST TRICKS. Hell, look at Rod Sachornoski and his merry band of sadomasochistic punching bags. Honestly, I can do every one of those tricks that you see his cult members doing on Ripley's, Discovery Channel, etc. The punch to the throat, the kick to the groin, the other assorted blows to the body...they're all just physical stunts that rely on a knowledge of anatomy and physics. The difference between me and Rod is that I don't go around doing these goofy things (because it's pointless), and if I DID do them I wouldn't claim that I could pull them off because of Ki development, or Iron Body training, or whatever other silly reason. Then again I'm not a big fan of "mystique"...I'd rather dazzle people with the plain old truth. So in summary of my position...MA demonstrations are good...assassinating an innocent watermleon or cucumber is bad. BTW, I may be blind as a bat, but I SEE a lot. Craig "Soft Spoken" Stovall Chairman - National Assoc. for the Ethical Treatment of Produce President - Southern Builders Association Joint Task Force Against the Mistreatment of Building Materials Timekeeper - Eastern Arkansas Chapter of the Rod Sachornoski Fan Club _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp ------------------------------ From: Tom Marker Date: Fri, 30 Nov 2001 09:35:11 -0500 Subject: the_dojang: Re: How to get over fear over 1st rank test Hey MC,   Try to think of your test as an especially difficult class. Testing is usually more of a mental experience than a physical one.  Think of it this way: if you weren't ready to test, your instructor wouldn't put you in front of the testing board.  This is your golden opportunity to show that you've been paying attention and are applying the concepts properly.  You may be asked to do things you've never done before..  This is their way of seeing how you think on your feet and how you adapt to the unexpected.  Think of the testing board as a strict parent who may be tough but deep inside they want you to shine and succeed.   Concentrate on your basics, remember to breathe, and show a good mental attitude and you will most likely do excellent.  Your attitude will go a long way in the end.  Remember that you don't have to have perfect techniques, just yellow belt level techniques! :)    Shrug off your mistakes and work hard... don't show anger/dissatisfaction with your technique.. you will just draw attention to your errors.  Be confident!!   Good luck on your exam.  Feel free to let us all know how it went.  We've all been there and remember our first test like it was yesterday. :) Tang Soo! Tom - ------------------------------ From: Tyranmarla@aol.com Date: Wed, 28 Nov 2001 20:43:45 EST Subject: the_dojang: How to get over fear over 1st rank test Hello everyone, I have been training in the art of Tae Kwon Do for over 4 months now. On December the 8th, I will take my 1st rank test. I am very unsure of how to be calm, relaxed, and confident. I do not want to start the testing and become confused and lose coordination. I practice at the Dojang, at home, and even on my lunch hour at work. As the day comes closer, I am starting to make mistakes in all of the moves. I would appreciate any advise. Thanks in advance MC ------------------------------ From: Ray Terry Date: Fri, 30 Nov 2001 7:22:13 PST Subject: the_dojang: . ------------------------------ End of The_Dojang-Digest V8 #658 ******************************** It's a great day for Taekwondo! Support the USTU by joining today. 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