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Hello. I am new to this forum, and I can’t find any seach tool, so this may have already been covered.
I have only been doing KM for about three months now, but I am really into it. There is a level 1 test some time in February and would like to know what to expect. I am pretty sure of what moves to practice… assuming everything we’ve learned so far. But I’m curious about the format.
Certainly it depends on the instructor, but in general, how is a person tested? In front of the class? One on one with the instructor in private? Is there a KM standard of testing?
I’m just freaking out a bit because I can do most of the moves well, but very often when my instructor is watching I’ll freeze and pull a stupid move! I’m afraid I’ll do the same thing during the test. I just want to practice so I have a fighting chance… pun intended.
Can someone with more experience help me to understand what is tested and how?
re:
I just had my level 1 test a week and a half ago. You will cover everything that you have covered in the last 6 months. There was 12 of us testing and we all did it at the same time. The instructer will be watching you and everyone else. Be very aggressive is all I can say. And be sure to drink water the night before and bring alot of water to hydrate yourself.
I had the honor of watching an entire level one exam back in October at Brand X Martial Arts. I knew almost all of the students and was VERY proud that everyone finished the test with honor (and some with flair). The seminar portion was grueling as the students got a quick review and performed every level one technique before the test began. All of the testing students were visibly exhausted before the graded portion of the exam started. The techniques were then performed again, with the instructors again observing the students and marking their evaluations as they went along.
By the time the test was finished everyone had been pushed to their limit and not one of them gave up. I would say the most important thing to remember going in is that your determination and your will to continue regardless of your physical state are what will get you through the test.
I’m hoping some of my friends will pop in here and post how it felt to do the test. Watching was very intense but I don’t think I could even begin to describe what they went through.
Good luck when you are ready to test. One day, I hope to take that test, and if you get a chance to watch one before you take it yourself, I think that might be helpful in preparing you for the mental and physical toughness it obviously takes.
Wow. Well by the time I actually take the test I will have been training for a little more than 5 months. It wouldn’t bother me to wait a another month, but our instructors feel that by February many of us will be ready. Personally I am not in a rush to test, but maybe by then I’ll feel more confident.
The physical part of the test will be tough, but I can get through it. It will suck if the test is after a huge physical workout though. Even though I’m still standing, my form and power starts to suffer a bit when I’m fatigued.
Hopefully some of the people LauraR mentioned will jump in here and let me know how they did.
<<Even though I’m still standing, my form and power starts to suffer a bit when I’m fatigued. >>
I think this is kind of the point of making the test so long and exhausting. Continuing to fight through your exhaustion shows the willpower and aggressiveness you will need to pass the test. Your technique will not be perfect on the test, but if you continue to go aggressively and put 100% of your effort behind it, your instructors will notice that.
Hydrate as much as possible starting the day before the test and continuing all the way through the test and you will have the energy you need. Also eat a good breakfast early enough so that you are not digesting your food while you are doing the workshop/test. Some people eat a little snack like some grapes or a powerbar during the test, but that didn’t work out well for me on my first test, so on the next one, I just drank gatorade.
Good luck. Let us know how it goes.
Re:
quote \”LauraR\:I’m hoping some of my friends will pop in here and post how it felt to do the test. Watching was very intense but I don’t think I could even begin to describe what they went through.Howdy Laura! 😉
quote :…in general, how is a person tested?Good question! I had the same question before my lvl 1 test. I’d never been tested in any form of martial arts before so I had no idea what to expect…except that it was gonna be tough!
Our test started with a warmup. The warmup for the lvl 1 test @ BrandX lasted about 2 1/2 hrs. We reviewed all the techniques that were going to be covered in the test and the Sifus did an excellent job of tiring us before the actual test started. Everything from throwing knees, breaking chokes, inside/outside defenses, and throwing kicks was covered…in depth. When all the Sifu’s/instructors were satisfied we were \”ready\” for the test, they pulled out their notebooks and started grading our techniques.
We went through all the techniques we covered in the warmup, in the same order. The only thing differing between the test and the warmup was when it came to performing the individual techniques. To begin with, all students were assigned a partner at the beginning (before the warmup). During the test, when we were being graded for individual techniques, all the pairs of students had to decide who would be designated \”A\” and who would be \”B\” (Or was it the sifu’s who determined \”A’s\” and \”B’s\”?). All the \”A’s\” would line up on one side of the mat, the \”B’s\” on the other. Going down the line, the sifus/instructors would have the individual groups step out and have the \”A\” perform a technique. The individual performing the technique would be graded on his performance. Sometimes individuals were asked to perform the technique multiple times (not neccessarily a bad thing 😉 ). When all the groups had their \”A’s\” tested, the \”B’s\” took their turn performing the technique. This went all the way through the line. Both \”A’s\” and \”B’s\” performing all the techniques. After about 2 hrs. 15 min. of testing, we had gone through all our techniques. Before we were finished, however, the sifus/instructors had us do one last endurance drill. We were all extrememly fatigued, some of us (maybe all) dehydrated, and ready to throw in the towel. The sifus/instructors wanted to see who would be able to pull it together for the last few minutes and still throw good, hard punches…something a lot of us had been practicing for a year. It’s funny how hard it becomes to throw a simple, straight, hard punch when you’re that tired! It’s at this time that all your past training comes into play. If you’ve practiced right, you’ll pull through. If you’ve been sloppy in your training, it could become very difficult. Anyway, all of those testing pulled it together for the last endurance drill, and made it to the end of the test. And man, did it feel good when the sifus/instructors announced, \”You’re done!\”. Lol, when I got home at 5:30 p.m. I hit the showers, then slept right through ’til eight o’clock the next morning!
Having taken the test, the best advice I can give you in preparation for your test is four-fold: train hard, train right, never give up, and be aggressive. If you do these things, you will survive your lvl 1 test. Heck, you might even survive if you happen to get in a street fight! 😉
Good luck on your test.
P.S. Try not to worry about the test too much…worrying just makes it worse. Some of the students were practically sick minutes before the test. Taking the test is hard enough, taking it when you feel sick (or are suffering from a hangover 😆 ) will make the test harder than it needs to be.
RE:
Exactly like Kravman said. Ours followed the same format. Our test was exactly 4 hours long. Felt very good when our head instructor Alan said the test was over and went through the group evalutations and said we were one of his best groups.
Thanks for all the replies, especially kravman’s detailed explaination. I’m really not too worried, I just like to know what to expect. I’m certainly glad though that I have a couple more months before test, I don’t feel ready now, but think I will be ready by then… 😕
If your instructor put you on the test, you’re already good to go.
What the ‘test’ really encompasses is your heart (determination). Can you push yourself through it and not quit? That’s the ‘test’ in its rawest sense.
It’s all mind-over-matter…. If you don’t mind, it don’t matter.You haven’t lived until you’ve been worked from 7am-3pm for a black belt test. Lemme tell you, it really is ‘earned’.
Cheers!
If your instructor put you on the test, you’re already good to go.
What the ‘test’ really encompasses is your heart (determination). Can you push yourself through it and not quit? That’s the ‘test’ in its rawest sense.
It’s all mind-over-matter…. If you don’t mind, it don’t matter.You haven’t lived until you’ve been worked from 7am-3pm for a black belt test.
Lemme tell you, any level you achieve really is ‘earned’.
Cheers!
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