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Old 10-28-2011, 01:42 AM   #1
tiachica
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 8
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First Shinza coming up...

Hiya,...

that's my first grading coming up in a couple of months and it appears Sensei expects me to grade too.

So, bearing in mind, I'll also be writing two written exams and complete a practical for work, I now have the added pressure of the grading. Still smiling at the moment though but getting nervous.

I was wondering if there were any anecdotes anybody would like to share to calm my nerves?

TiaChica
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Old 10-28-2011, 01:52 AM   #2
robin_jet_alt
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 716
Australia
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Re: First Shinza coming up...

Quote:
Franziska Costa wrote: View Post
Hiya,...

that's my first grading coming up in a couple of months and it appears Sensei expects me to grade too.

So, bearing in mind, I'll also be writing two written exams and complete a practical for work, I now have the added pressure of the grading. Still smiling at the moment though but getting nervous.

I was wondering if there were any anecdotes anybody would like to share to calm my nerves?

TiaChica
My first ever grading (shinsa) was during exam week as well. I think it went quite well, mainly because I was so stressed about everything else that I forgot to get tense about the grading. I was much more nervous about my later gradings, so I tensed up and didn't do as well.

If you would like a funny anecdote, I could tell you about the time that I fell over while attempting koshinage in a grading. I still passed though, and I'm sure you will do better than that.
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Old 10-28-2011, 07:18 AM   #3
Shadowfax
 
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Dojo: Allegheny Aikido, Pitsburgh PA
Location: Pittsburgh PA
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 948
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Re: First Shinza coming up...

Hard to believe its two years this month since my first test. I was really nervous leading up to it as well. Had a slight panic attack a few days before it and told one of my teachers I just was not ready. But on the day I got up and tested and it went fine. Funny thing was one of my friends had take a bit of video of me during the test and you can hear fire trucks in the background which my friends all found quite funny.

Before any test when someone is nervous sensei Garth Jones always says, " Don't worry. If you fail the test you get to keep training. If you pass the test... you get to keep training".
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Old 10-31-2011, 02:49 AM   #4
tiachica
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 8
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Re: First Shinza coming up...

Dear Cherie and Robin,

thank you for your encouragement. I appreciate reading about your experience.
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Old 10-31-2011, 01:27 PM   #5
lbb
Location: Massachusetts
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,202
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Re: First Shinza coming up...

Just think of it as a break from studying for exams :-D
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Old 10-31-2011, 09:12 PM   #6
Benjamin Mehner
Dojo: Salt Lake Aikikai, Zen Bu Kan
Location: Midvale, Ut
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 53
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Re: First Shinza coming up...

The first time I tested I was tempted to tell Sensei that i wasn't ready, but I decided that he knows better than I. I actually trembled from anxiety and my iriminage was pretty sloppy but I passed. The second time I tested I had just gotten out of the hospital. I was very anemic and they were still considering whether or not I needed a transfusion. On top of all of this I hadn't been practicing regularly for a while because college has gotten in the way.My dojo mates went out of their way to prepare me for the test. We met on off days and ran through the test over and over. On the day of the grading my plan was to take it slow and make sure that I was performing smoothly and correctly. I screwed up a couple of times, but I passed. I guess my advice would be to try and remain calm and slow it down. As a wise music teacher once said, speed is the last ingredient.

Let silence be my mantra.
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Old 10-31-2011, 09:53 PM   #7
robin_jet_alt
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 716
Australia
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Re: First Shinza coming up...

Quote:
Benjamin Mehner wrote: View Post
The first time I tested I was tempted to tell Sensei that i wasn't ready, but I decided that he knows better than I. I actually trembled from anxiety and my iriminage was pretty sloppy but I passed. The second time I tested I had just gotten out of the hospital. I was very anemic and they were still considering whether or not I needed a transfusion. On top of all of this I hadn't been practicing regularly for a while because college has gotten in the way.My dojo mates went out of their way to prepare me for the test. We met on off days and ran through the test over and over. On the day of the grading my plan was to take it slow and make sure that I was performing smoothly and correctly. I screwed up a couple of times, but I passed. I guess my advice would be to try and remain calm and slow it down. As a wise music teacher once said, speed is the last ingredient.
I think some of the best advice I got was after I passed my shodan. Sensei told me "well, now you've got it, train hard and make sure you deserve it".

Actually passing the grading isn't what matters so much as showing that you deserve it afterwards.
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Old 11-09-2011, 07:18 PM   #8
kewms
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,318
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Re: First Shinza coming up...

No one but you will remember your first test. Best to get it out of the way so you can get on to the ones people will remember.

Very first attack on my nidan test, right in front of the instructor, my uke smacked me in the face. Oops. But once got through that wakeup call, I was fine.

Katherine
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