hello Aiki friend. Do not get frustrated.I my self am getting ready to test. And i some times go blank.Keep an Aiki spirit and keep up your hard work.Your friend (Soon to be Sho-Dan)

Hey Trevor, If nerves is your main problem, chances are what helped me and the other senior students might work for you: when in doubt, breathe it out. It's amazing what concentrating on kokyu can do to help get your mind in the game --- not just before a test or Randori but during as well. It keeps you focused and sensitive to what's going on internally and relation to you instead of the tension that you might normally feel in your body. Do remember, however, that in the end it's all about mind-body coordination --- a lot of us can visualize or even describe quite well what we want to do but in the moment when faced with the extra pressure of having to move in a timely fashion and with the tension of an uke or two grabbing you, it's virtually useless; ultimately what it comes down to is letting good responses eventually become embedded in your muscle memory and become second nature...and that only comes with a great deal of practice. So don't kick yourself so much if you're progressing slower than you'd like and haven't been out to class on a regular basis...give it time. Hope to see you out more, Jamie