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Old 10-30-2007, 10:52 AM   #15
HarlieG
Dojo: Southern Maryland Aikido Center
Location: Maryland
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 15
United_States
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Re: To Test, or not to Test

Quote:
Pierre Kewcharoen wrote: View Post
Hmm, I'm not too interested in rank. Only gives people big ego's and such. I rather concentrate on working on my skills and techniques.
No offense...really...but statements like this make me laugh. When a student says that to me, I think "wow, how big (and fragile) your ego must be that you refuse to get up, in front of people, and take a simple little test." (because, come on....if you are working hard on your skills and techniques, then a test should be nothing...nothing!)...

Testing isn't for YOU. Testing is so that your Sensei (and maybe his Sensei) can see your strengths and weaknesses (and maybe recognize some issues in their instruction!). Testing is, in fact, part of your training, so by refusing to test for non-injury reasons, is like throwing down your bokken in class and saying you are not going to do bokken cuts anymore. Or refusing to do Sankyo. Or forward rolls.

<As far as the poor guy who started this thread....well...there are lots of dojos in this world. I've been to some that are good and some that I would never go back to. You have to find the right kind of place.>

HarlieG
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