OK, so you' have persevered with your martial arts training for a couple of months already. You enjoy learning all of the punches, kicks and blocks. You have learned your first form and you also know some basic partner work drills. It is now time to test for your next belt rank and for some reason it feels like a wave of fear has suddenly come over you that is threatening your future in the martial arts.
You know you have to take a belt test (also called promotion test or grading) to get the next level belt and you want to be successful. Suddenly your previous fear of public speaking seems insignificant compared to the prospect of demonstrating your martial arts prowess in front of your instructor and fellow club members. Can you do it? Will you pass? How do you get past your fears and take the first step to success and progress up the belt ladder?
If this sounds like something you've been through before or something that you are experiencing now then keep reading.
The fear of taking a martial arts promotion test is a real one, but don't make the mistake of exaggerating the test out of proportion. Remember this is just a test and whether you pass or fail, it does not have to be the beginning or end of your martial arts practice. Let me give you some simple tips for dealing with the pressure and anxiety of your first belt test.
Tip #1: Put things into perspective
If you look at your progression from white to black belt in karate as a journey, then your individual belt tests are simply checkpoints or layovers. These checkpoints give you a chance to see how far you have come, how far you still have to go and to allow yourself the chance to enjoy the fact that you've gotten this far. It really is as simple as that. Don't make your belt test more than it is. Nobody will ask you how you did on your yellow belt test once you are a black belt!
Tip #2: Find out what you will be tested on
This is crucial. You must know what curriculum is on the test. Knowing what the required content is for the next belt is like buying a map and planning your route from one destination to the next.
Tip #3: Start preparing for your test in advance
This should go without saying, but many people leave everything to the last minute when it comes to testing. Give yourself the best chance possible by writing your test date on your calendar, finding out the requirements of the test (see #2) and then practicing the things that you need to practice.
Tip #4: Get a good night's sleep before your test and do something relaxing on test day
Again, this is a no-brainer and is the same advice given to any student studying for any test. Karate is no different. So get a good night's sleep and then read a book, go for a walk, listen to some music, meditate. Do whatever it is that calms you down and helps you to focus your mind. If you know in advance that you will have to work all day or do something else that might be stressful on the day of your test, then plan for that in advance and set aside 10 minutes after you finish work to sit quietly and regroup before you go home and put on your karate uniform. Even 10 minutes of calm is better than none when it comes to preparation.
Tip #5: Don't take yourself too seriously
You are taking your yellow belt test (or your orange, green or black belt.) Whatever belt you are taking, I'm sure it means a lot to you and you want to pass. If you didn't want to pass your belt then you would have no reason to take the test in the first place. What's more, your instructor usually will have recommended that you are ready for testing. This means that if you do your best and do what you do in class, with the extra intensity that comes with adrenaline, then you will more than likely pass your test.
Don't create any more unnecessary obstacles for yourself. You fulfilled the minimum time requirement, you know the material to be tested, you have prepared in advance, you got a good night's sleep, and your instructor thinks you have the ability to pass. So don't take yourself too seriously. Get your uniform or dobok on, tie your soon-to-be-old belt and get to your martial arts dojo!
Good luck on your belt rank promotion test. Believe it and you will achieve it!
Please see Martial Arts Gifts by Lora Severson Photography for great gift ideas for a belt rank promotion test or black belt test. All gifts are fully customizable and are suitable for all martial arts including karate, taekwondo, kung fu, judo and ju jitsu. All belt ranks are represented.
Thursday, April 24, 2014
How To Get Past The Fear Of Taking Your First Martial Arts Promotion Test
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
A Close Look at Martial Arts Belts
With most types of martial arts, the color of the belt that you have signifies your rank within your style of martial arts; although they have no universal means or ranking within the martial arts world. More or less, they tell others how much you know about your specific martial art.
The use of belt colors in martial arts is an old practice, dating back hundreds of years. Belts and their use in martial arts all started by a man known as Jigoro Kano, who created the martial arts style known as Kodokan Judo. Kano started out by using only white and black belts to signify rank within his style of martial arts. His reason for using belt, was to specify which students could compete in different activities. For example, those with white belts couldn't compete in the same activities as those with black belts.
Shortly after Kano introduced his idea of using belts, other belt colors were introduced to the world of martial arts. Over the years, it became a great way of telling what experience a student had in his style - just by the look of his belt. Other styles began to use this system as well over the years, including Karate, Taekwondo and several others.
The only problem with using belts to signify ranking, is the fact that one school may have different requirements from another school. Even though they both may teach the same style of martial arts, their ranking system and requirements to earn a certain ranking may be totally different. This can cause confusion in ranks, especially if a black belt from one school isn't as versed in the style as a black belt from another school. While most school adhere to the same criteria, there are some schools that choose to incorporate their own unique style as well.
Although most martial arts styles use belt to signify rank, there are some martial arts such as Shootfighting that don't use belts at all. The styles that choose not to use belts don't use a ranking system either. They are more or less for self defense purposes. Pitfighting is another style that doesn't use belts either. These styles are great to learn for protecting yourself - although they differ from the traditional sense of martial arts.
All thing aside, belts are an innovation to martial arts. They give students something to aim for and a reason to keep practicing. Most students that study martial arts aim for getting a black belt, which is the most prestigious belt in martial arts. A black belt takes years of practice to obtain, as the student will promote and move through many lower ranked belts before getting the opportunity to earn the black belt.
Lora Severson is a first degree black belt in Taekwondo. She will be earning her second degree this year. She is also a photographer and offers a complete line of Martial Arts Gifts, Cards, Posters, T-Shirts and Apparel. All belt rank colors are represented and are suitable for karate, taekwondo, kung fu or judo.
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