Funny Test Stories?

Peter Rehse wrote: The randori session was brutal - they would not let him stop. I think there was a not so subtle hint being given. Congrats.

Belated congratulations Hori-San, I did not see this thread earlier.

This test reminds me of my Shodan test a few years back. After having to go through every test from 8th kyu up to and including Shodan, the randori session started. I was so tired all I remember is a blur of folks attacking with tanto, avoiding for dear life and tossing people hoping to use as little energy as possible. This was on a very humid night so I was drenched from about 15 minutes into the 2 hour long test and was totally spent by the time the randori came around. Funny thing was I chose my techniques well so that most times even when Uke resisted, things would work, it was like if I was in this zone where I could not feel my body so much, or just could not bother about it as I was so spent.

At the end of it folks thought something had happened to me in the changing room, since all I could do is drag myself into the showers and pass out (not totally of course) under the water. When they came calling to me over a half hour had passed (I could have sworn I had just walked in) and I was all pruney, but still refused to move until about 15 mins after. It was without a doubt the most physically and mentally demanding thing I had done in recent years.

Now I know what a car feels like when it overheats.

Was fun though.
LC

I have three stories (two of which include me).

On one of my early kyu exams I was doing a kata when Sensei called out "look like you're in a fight" (meaning show more spirit and strike/block harder). Well, what I heard was "you look like you're in a fight" so, thinking I was doing a sloppy job I slowed down even more! Sensei still passed me (just not with a high score on that part of the exam).

I was helping a friend on his shodan exam with a weapon kata. While doing one of the parts I mixed up what I was doing with a part later in the kata (I hadn't worked on the kata real hard since my shodan exam a couple of years before). One of the testing board members laughed and said "Robert just messed up didn't he?" Our United States Tech. Director (also on the testing board) also laughed and said "it's o.k. we're not testing him." To which my Sensei (final member of the testing board) laughs and says "well, he doesn't get any continuing education credits " (Two members of the board and I all have professional licenses that require continuing education credits to keep our license).

My Sensei (MS)was on a testing board with our Tech. Director (TD) while he was learning how to give exams on his own. After a rather demanding first part of the exam they get ready to move into the randori phase. They then do this for a very long time (it seems that the guy testing for ikkyu was getting a lesson in fitness and why you shouldn't be a chain smoker). TD finally turns to MS and smiles and says "they do this (randori) until I get tired." MS says "you know, we always joke about doing things until you get tired, but, didn't think it was much more than a joke." TD smiles again and simply states "you don't see any of them (testee's) laughing do you."

I love reading these stories. I have one myself. I just tested, tonight, for 4th kyu, and after I went through kata, sensei asks the other shodan what they'd like to see. One of them asks for sheho nage...but from sawari waza. What?! I've never done that in my life. But of course I can't say that, so I give it a shot. The uke sat there nice and comfortable while I proceeded to throw myself to the mat. Luckily she asked me to do it again and I was able to squeak my way through it. Who's ever heard of shiho nage from SAWARI WAZA?!?!