Black outs

Hello!

I've heard it's not unusual for people to get black outs during testing sometimes. Perhaps it happens because we're nervous or maybe there is another reason. It has happened to me twice anyway and I'd like to know if it has happened to anyone else and what techniques you were asked to do at the time.

Regards,
//Gabriella

Gabriella Wrigholm wrote: Hello! I've heard it's not unusual for people to get black outs during testing sometimes. Perhaps it happens because we're nervous or maybe there is another reason. It has happened to me twice anyway and I'd like to know if it has happened to anyone else and what techniques you were asked to do at the time. Regards, //Gabriella

Do u mean like literal black outs or do u mean you just sort of freeze up?

I think she means that you forget what happened during the test. There is a lot I do that I forget. Usually, it's more of a big blur than an black out. When I watch a video of myself afterwards, my memory is usually triggered but it's more like "oh, yeah, I remember."

Actually it sounds like she means "freezing up" to me because she makes the reference to "what techniques you were asked to do at the time". I'm guessing she means she was asked to do a technique and just drew a blank as to what she was supposed to be doing.

It has never happened to me personally, but I think that is due to my various instructors in all of the arts I've trained in drilling me so well that I would be likely to forget my name before I'd forget a technique. LOL

I have seen it happen though on more than one occasion.

Paige Frazier wrote: Do u mean like literal black outs or do u mean you just sort of freeze up?

Oh yeah you're right. "Freeze up" is more what I mean, sorry. Kept trying to find the right word there but wasn't successful. Sorry for the bad English.

I had that in my 3rd Kyu test, Sensei called out the attack that uki was to come at me with and it made no sense in my head (for the record it was a shomen, whilst uki is grabbing your gi sleve) so im stood there looking blank when uki (again, for the record Nick simpson, who fortunately is a very good uki) starts hurtling towards me, i took the leading arm, turned into him, dropped to one knee and watched him sail off the matt. to this day, i still have no idea where it came from.

Good? Im teh best! I've never frozen up so far, touch wood I wont start now...

Nick Simpson wrote: Good? Im teh best! I've never frozen up so far, touch wood I wont start now...

especially when you have a test looming

We call this "deer in the headlights." Happens quite frequently. I remember a second-kyu test in which uke attacked with a high kick and nage caught the leg and then stood frozen. After a second uke was heard to whisper something like "For god's sake throw me! I can't keep my leg up here!"

The best advice I know:

In the weeks leading up to the test, get a friend to call out the test techniques at random and fairly quickly, and practice until you are not having to think at all about which one is which even while uke is hurtling at you.

On test day, *don't* study hard or fuss about your test. Do something nice for yourself instead. Deer in the headlights often comes from stress, so do things that help you unwind. It's too late to study anyway.

(I applied the first bit of advice to my fourth kyu techniques, and didn't freeze up at all. I did, however, get yokomenuchi shihonage so ingrained in my brain that for most of a year afterwards I would do that technique, rather than the desired one, whenever I was the least bit distracted or startled. Can't win 'em all.)

Mary Kaye

especially when you have a test looming

Oh yes...